Cake Smash Session Prep Guide
A cake smash session is a fun and joyful way to commemorate this milestone in your child’s life. Take this opportunity to capture your child’s delight as they tear into their first real taste of sugar!
What to Bring:
- I do ask everyone to leave their shoes outside when they arrive at my studio, so feel free to bring a clean pair of shoes or slippers if you'd like.
- A spare change of clothes for yourself (just incase you need to pick your little one up while covered in cake!)
- Small snacks for your little one to eat incase he/she isn’t into the cake. Preferably ones that are similar colors to the cake so they blend in. I always have "puffs" in the studio if you need them!
- A sippy cup/drink for your baby to wash down the cake.
What To Expect:
I will start by taking some pictures of your child in their outfit before bringing the cake in so that we can capture some gorgeous smiles. Once we introduce the cake in, most parents will assume their child will just get straight into it, however this is not always the case. We let your baby set the pace, some littles ones will dig right in and destroy the cake, and others need a little bit of encouragement and sometimes even help to get into their cake. Be ready to get your hands dirty and help your little one get past all that frosting to the cake underneath!
I suggest to all my clients to practice with their little one at home with smashing up a cake and making a mess. It is really important as some little ones do freak out if they have never done this sort of thing before. Not every child wants to dive right in and make a mess no matter what tricks we try. It’s important to know that even if they don’t completely smash their cake into crumbs, I am still able to catch fun images of them poking at it or carefully picking bits of icing or decorations. Sometimes we may need to strategically place a little icing to help things along, or other times mom or dad may have to get involved by smashing up the cake for them. It’s also a good idea to bring along a favorite toy and some snacks in case your little one needs some encouragement.
It is always a good idea to be prepared to get messy. Most parents will think they wont be getting messy, but sometimes they may need to pick baby up whilst they are covered in cake.
Siblings:
Please try and avoid bringing siblings to the cake smash photoshoot if you can. As much as you may think they will sit still, they almost always want to come and participate in the cake smash too which can lead to distractions and baby getting overwhelmed.
Allergies:
Please let me know before your session if your child has any allergies. Please make sure your child has tasted some cake and icing before your photoshoot to make sure they don’t have a reaction to the ingredients. If your child does have a mild allergy, we can order Dairy free, Egg free, and Soy free cakes.
Bath Photos:
At the end of the cake smash we will be taking photos of your little one in the bath. The bath will have warm water and bubbles, please let me know if your child is not used to having bubbles in their bath so we can just have plain water instead. Once I have taken my photos you can wash your little one off, and they will almost always need another bath when they get home as they will still be a bit greasy from the cake icing.
Final Notes:
The most important thing: try to ENJOY the experience! I know pictures can be stressful but please don't fret too much! I work almost exclusively with babies and kids, I know how kids work, and I understand they are occasionally difficult. I will do everything in my power to deliver you fabulous images and make it a pleasurable memory.
If you have any questions or concerns leading up to your session, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. This is going to be a fun session, so don’t stress. See you soon, and please don't hesitate to contact me if you still have questions!