First Birthday Smash Cake Session Guide

Here’s some helpful tips to help you prepare for your cake smash portrait session!

WHAT I PROVIDE

My prop stash is always growing, and what I can provide will
depend on the theme and color scheme that you have chosen
for your session. The basics will include the following
(unless you prefer to bring your own custom items):

  • A cake stand

  • Number ‘1’ or word ‘one’ cake topper

  • Set decor (banners, number 1, etc)

  • If you have ideas or requests for other props,
    please reach out so we can discuss them

WHAT ABOUT THE CAKE?

When it comes to the cake itself, you have a few options available.

Package Add On: You can add on a cake to your package through Evil Emily Cakes. Evil Emily Cakes is actually my 11 year old daughter! She is an aspiring cake decorator and does a fantastic job on smash cakes! Not only do they look great, but they taste amazing! This saves you the trouble of getting it and making sure that the cake and baby all get to the session. Evil Emily Cakes has 3 standard options available: Sprinkle, Polka Dots, or Naked Cake. All are 6 inch rounds with 3 layers. The flavors to choose from are white, yellow, vanilla, funfetti, or banana (a great choice if your child does not like cake or has not been exposed to it). If you’re looking for something different, please let me know your ideas and we can let you know if the design is something she can provide. If not, we can make a recommendation on where you can get your perfect cake.

Because there are so many different food allergies out there these days (dairy, wheat, sugar, etc), I do ask that if your child has any allergies, that you please do provide your own cake. This gives you full control over what’s inside of the cake!

Sprinkle Cake - $25

Polka Dot Cake - $25

Naked Cake - $20

WHAT YOU PROVIDE

  • Anything you’d like your child to wear. Outfit, socks, headpiece, bows, bibs, ties, etc

  • Cup of water for your child

    • A clean outfit to change into after

    • Any specialty decorations or props you would like to provide

You Provide The Cake: Of course, you can always provide your own cake. I’ve provided some helpful information below if you’re going to provide the cake yourself.

If you’re providing your own cake, please keep the following in mind:

  • Size: A 6-inch cake with 2-3 tiers is ideal. If it is too big it won’t fit on a cake stand or between baby’s legs. Also, you’ll want to make sure that the cardboard base isn’t massively bigger than the cake itself. The base should be no more than an inch or so wider than the cake itself.

  • Go with a light colored cake and light colored frosting. The light colors produce a nice contrast in the photos and tend not to stain clothing as much. 

  • Don’t forget to let the cake sit out for a few hours prior to your session. A cold, hard cake will be difficult for baby to smash and won’t feel good on their little hands. 

  • Avoid chocolate cake, red icing, and fondant. Chocolate can look gross… insert poop emoji. Red icing tends to stain and look a little bloody. Fondant is beautiful but you’ll need to keep an extra close eye on baby during the smash because fondant is difficult to chew and could present a choking hazard. (This also goes for any decorative details on the cake, including things like toothpicks and wooden dowels.)

TIPS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR CAKE SMASH SESSION

  • Scheduling: If you’d like to use your portraits to display at baby’s birthday party I recommend having your session take place when baby is 10 1/2-11 months old. This will give you time to make prints and order any products that you’d like to display.

  • Bring snacks: Bring some puffs or small snacks that baby likes! This is a great little trick to help us get some great images even if baby isn’t interested in smashing… we just stick them right into the back of the cake! Also, have a sippy cup or bottle nearby in case baby gets thirsty or needs a break.

  • Be prepared to participate! Some babies don’t quite get the hang of the smash right away so you may need to get your hands into the cake to help them get started.

  • Leaving siblings at home if possible. Siblings, especially those under 4, don’t understand why they can’t have cake too. This session is a special occasion for your little one, so we want to make this day all about baby!

  • This is going to be messy. Really messy. So be sure to bring an extra outfit for baby and possibly one for yourself!

  • Clean up: I will bring towels and water to assist with the clean up. If there is a particular soap that you prefer to use on your little one please feel free to bring that with you. Icing can be very greasy so soap is almost always a necessity! We just want to clean them up enough for you to get them home for a bath without making your car a huge mess.

FINAL DETAILS

The biggest tip I can give to anyone planning a cake smash session is to relax. Little ones can sense stress and we want them to come into a happy, positive environment! It’s totally normal to go Pinterest-crazy and have a lot of grand ideas for your session but remember that baby is the one who is really running the show. Some one-year-olds really love digging in and getting covered in icing, and some just don’t like getting messy. If it’s their first time having something sweet like cake they may dislike the taste. It’s totally normal and every baby is different! Don’t get discouraged if we’re not getting the reaction you hoped for… we’re still going to get really beautiful images that capture this huge milestone and show your baby’s personality.

IS CAKE MAYBE NOT YOUR THING?

No problem! You can bring your little one in to smash anything you’d like! Doughnuts, strawberries watermelon, pasta, etc…. I’ve seen some other really adorable ideas on Pinterest, too!

Got something fun in mind? Reach out and let’s chat!