How to Prepare for 1 Year Portraits/Cake Smash

cake smash portraits www.sarahkanephotography.com

Cake smash sessions are so much fun! The key to a successful cake smash session is accepting whatever reaction your baby has to his or her cake! Whether they cry, poke at it or smash it to bits it will be authentic and a story you will tell over and over again!

What Sarah Kane Photography Provides

Background paper: colors include: White, pink, teal. Specific colors can be requested with a minimum of 4 weeks advanced notice to allow time for shipping. (CLICK HERE to view colors. Please email Sarah Kane the color paper you would like)
Cake Stand (cake not included)
Chair, stool and any other props that Sarah Kane Photography has on hand
Towel and wash cloth to clean baby after cake smash

What To Bring

Cake for smashing - If you’d like to keep it simple Wegman’s has the perfect size vanilla cakes. If you are on a budget, but still would like a cute design Publix does great work for a great price!
You are welcome to bring any decor such as banners, helium balloons, and any other themed props. I am happy to set that up. You are welcome to use any props I have in the studio.
For Cake Smash 2 outfits (1 for portraits 1 for cake smash).
If you are NOT doing a cash smash you can plan up to 3 if you’d like. Most baby’s burn out rate is around 45 minutes. Too many outfit changes can greatly agitate your baby and interfere with the short window we have for happy baby portraits.
Bring a change of clothes for you and your baby (yes it’s likely you will be covered in cake too)!
Bring a bag for your cake covered clothing.
Your baby’s favorite doll or toy. Something that will make them happy.
Baby’s favorite snack
Make sure to bring a sippy cup for water. The icing is going to be really sweet. Imagine if you ate a piece of cake and had nothing to drink.

Tips For a Successful Cake Smash Photoshoot

Keep the cake at room temperature a few hours before the session so it will be nice and soft. If the cake is too hard your baby will have a difficult time breaking through it. You want the icing to be nice and soft.
Keep things low key. Too much excitement is likely to overwhelm your baby. Keep things light and easy and just let him/her explore the cake and let your photographer capture their natural reaction.
Prepare yourself for the fact that your baby may not be into smashing the cake. Your baby might not want anything to do with the cake.
Make sure your baby is fed before the session. You may think if they are hungry they will be more likely to eat the cake. This is not true. A hungry baby is an unhappy baby and this will often lead to meltdowns.
Make sure your baby is well rested. A tired baby is an unhappy baby.

Realistic Expectations

As you know babies are unpredictable. It is important to have realistic expectations regarding a cake smash and portrait session. Not all babies enjoy smashing cakes. Even if they’ve already had cake and love it things are a lot different when they are in an unfamiliar setting with bright lights and a camera. Please be prepared that your baby may have little to no interest in the cake or worst case cry through the entire session this is rare, but it happens). Even the happiest of babies can become very timid and clingy during a cake smash and portrait session.

The best thing you can do is keep your stress level low and keep things calm. Please do not bring extended family such as grandparents, aunts and uncles. Chaos combined with an unfamiliar environment is a recipe for disaster.

So before you spend a fortune and a ton of energy on fancy cakes and decor be aware that the session may not turn out as you’ve envisioned it. I suggest keeping things simple. A cute banner, colorful cake and an adorable baby is really all you need! If you leave expectations at home, no matter how your baby reacts, the experience and images will be authentic. You will have images and memories that will be cherished for years.

Suggested Alternatives to Cake Smash

If you are looking for something other than a cake smash consider these suggestions:

Watermelon Session
donuts
Pancake tower
fruit loops
Citrus Milk Bath
Spaghetti
Yogurt, Ice Cream or Whipped Cream are easy and can be jazzed up with rainbow sprinkles
Finger painting (you’ll also bring home a unique piece of art from your baby)
baby’s favorite food
Bubbles (a few bubble machines and your good to go!)