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All About Cake Smash Sessions
I recently asked which session type you'd like to know a little bit more about and it was a close race but you definitely wanted to know about my cake smash sessions! Here is some information and some answers to your questions!
What is a cake smash session? I can start by giving a general idea of what many of these sessions look like. They are done between 11 and 13 months generally and are a fun celebratory session that of course involves a baby eating cake. An adorable mess is made and it makes for really fun photos to share with freinds and family for first birthdays as well as for many years down the road. Over recent years they have gone from something that used to be done on a highchair at home to something a bit more official. There are countless themes that one can have set up and my favorite part is the outfits that are available to coordinate. The cakes, oh the cakes guys- I bet bakers are having a grand time creating these little masterpieces!
What do your cake smash sessions consist of? My cake smash sessions are broken into three different parts. The are portraits done on the backdrop that is set up to your theme before the cake comes out. These can be done in the smash outfit or a second coordinating one. Here I try to really capture their abilities, smiles and their personality. After the portaits are done I will get a photo of the cake and the set up while we get baby really excited about eating cake! With help I am all set up and ready to grab the first initial cake reach baby makes. From here we just let them do their thing and this typically ends in our cheeks hurting from smiling so much. When baby seems done I bring out my portable tub and fill it with warm water and bubbles. These photos are the cutest and it's really the best way to get them clean.
Can this session be outdoors as well? During warmer months this session can also be done outdoors and follows the same flow. However with an outdoor session the props are way simpler as we let the scenery coordinate with the theme and provide us with a natural backdrop. Props (if any) might consist of a blanket, crate, cake stand, banner or perhaps balloons. Yes, the bubble bath is still included too! Outdoor sessions get the benefit of being able to travel from one spot to another nearby for a totally different look between segments.
How should families prepare for this session? When you book I will send out a session guide! This will have helpful information for planning and coming up with a theme as well as details of what to bring to the session, the flow of the session plus what is included in the gallery and then tips and tricks for during the session. The only thing that you would need to prepare for ahead of time is the timing of the session as we will want to work around nap times. For this reason I am super flexible during the day for studio sessions. I do have my little secrets on how to work with teething babies, slow to warm up kiddos and several other senarios. I truly understand this developmental stage and do not mind getting totally silly or providing space. That's just how things go sometimes! The session guide will prepare you with everything that I have learned over the course of 30+ smash cake sessions that I've done!
What do you provide and what are families responsible for? In case you are thinking "this sounds like a lot of props and work looking at the set up images below" I have news for you, you don't have to do anything! Unless there is something sentimental or leftover party props that just tie in so perfectly I am able to provide everything needed for the set up that you choose. You get to choose your ideal theme and then once I have a good idea of the details that you are interested in, I make it happen. There is a budget and some small limitations for themes but that hasn't hendered anything yet. Aside from the cake families need to provide an outfit. It can be somthing simple that matches the colors or something more themed. Some opt to do two outfits, one for portraits and one for cake. If you need any help at all with the outfit definitely reach out so I can help you find something. When you walk into the studio it will all be set up for you and I do all the clean up too! My goal is for you to sit back and enjoy this moment with your child.
Let's talk about the cake! I do not provide cakes but I do have a list of recommended bakers I will send out with the session prep guide. These are bakers that have created some of my favorite cakes and have a professionalism that I can depend on. These bakers can work along with any allergies or food restrictions. There are a few bakers that I will actually order from on your behalf and do the pickup for you- easy as cake, huh? I should also add that it doesn't always need to be a cake- other types of food may work too!
What are your favroite themes? Now to the fun part for me- talking about the themes! Cake smash sessions do not entirely fit into my lifestyle brand however I do truly love sharing this fun moment with families. Second to happy baby smiles I love creating these sets. Some of my favorites have been aviator, fiesta smash, construciton, gone fishing, lumberjack and a beauty and the beast theme! There are actually several others but you can just scroll down and see! I also really love the simple color themes- I've done one that is a blend of blues, mermaid colors and even a pink and navy floral theme. Simple gets me excited just as much as the big themes as there is so much attention on the little cake smasher! Some of my dream themes I would love to do would be Donut Grow Up, Cookie Monster, Unicorn, Under the Sea and Candyland. Often times there is a small discount on redoing a theme if I have all materials needed to recreate it- please feel free to reach out if you see something you like and want to know if that is one of the ones included.
**Some themes may include an extra prop fee if elaborate or special backdrops are needed however I will discuss this when we are planning!
For more information please look for this session scroll on over to my packages page on this website!
Thank you for taking the time to look through this blog on cake smash sessions! If you are interested in booking please jump over to the CONTACT ME tab on my site and I'll get back to you asap! I book these fun sessions all year round.