Congratulations! You’ve officially survived the first year as parents. It's time to celebrate with a cake smash session! I have an extensive collection of cake smash themes. For all cake smash sessions, I provide setups, outfits, and all props needed, taking most of the work away from parents for the 1st birthday photo session. Here are some cake smash tips for parents:
Choose the Right Cake
I recommend a 6-inch, 3-layer white or naked cake without any color fillings. Choose a soft frosting instead of a fondant cake. Whole Foods offers customized vanilla cake with kid frosting. Most of the cakes in my pictures are from Whole Foods. I will provide a cake topper, but you are welcome to bring other cake decorations.
Let Your Baby Try the Cake Before the Session
It's a good idea to let your baby try the cake before the session to make sure they're not allergic to any of the ingredients and to get them excited for the cake smash. Give them a small taste a few days before the session, and see how they react.
Find What Makes Your Baby Laugh
One-year-olds are too young to understand bribes, but they have a natural sense of humor. Try different things at home, such as making silly faces, playing peek-a-boo, or blowing light air around their face, and see what makes your baby laugh. This will come in handy during the session, as I will try to capture those adorable moments.
Limit Cell Phone Use
Babies may cry or feel uneasy during the session, especially in a new environment. While it's tempting to soothe them with a cell phone or tablet, it's better to avoid it. Cell phones can distract the baby but doesn't help to calm him/her down. I barely let parents use the cell phone and only use it by the end of the session when the baby has been stimulated for a while and hard to focus. If the baby cries too much, I’d let the parents play with him/her a little before we get started. All they want is the sense of security, which cannot be given by a cellphone.
Things to Bring
a. Baby’s sippy cup with water. They tend to get very thirsty after eating the cake.
b. Solid snacks like puffs. Do not bring pouches that may spill on the outfit.
c. Bring an iPad for older siblings.
d. Bath towel for splash after the smash.
e. A set of clean clothes for parents. (Yes, you will get some cream on you too.)
Monitor Your Baby's Schedule
Babies can be unpredictable, especially when it comes to their sleep and feeding schedules. Book the cake smash session four weeks in advance and keep an eye on your baby's schedule leading up to the session. If they start to nap during the scheduled time, the photographer may be able to accommodate a change of time.
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