What is a cake smash photo session?

That is a great question. I love doing cake smash sessions. Cake smash sessions are usually done around the time that your child turns 1 year old. The session is called a "cake smash" for the very simple fact that your child will just dig into, or smash their first birthday cake.

When is the best time to schedule a cake smash photo session?

Ideally you want to schedule your cake smash session around your child's first birthday. It doesn't have to be ON their birthday. It just needs to be close enough that you can document this time where they reach that first birthday milestone.

What do I need to bring to the session?

All you need to bring to the session is an outfit we can take some formal first birthday portraits in and an outfit they can get covered in cake. You also might want to bring an extra outfit to change them into after we get them cleaned up.

You also need to provide the cake. Some photographers provide the cake but I prefer to let you handle the cake since you are more aware of what your child might be allergic to. Some parents bring a small cake they got at the grocery store and others choose to have a professional baker create their child's cake. This is totally up to you. Some bakers can reduce the amount of sugar in the cake because a lot of store-bought cakes do contain a lot of sugar.

What happens after they smash the cake?

After we get some more formal portraits of your child and then some really fun and adorable messy pictures of them trying the cake for most, their first time, I will have a small basin with a bubble bath to get them cleaned up to go home. I will take some photos of them in the bath but rest assured that everything will be decent and covered.

How long does a cake smash session last?

These take about 30 minutes from start to finish.

What if my child doesn't like the cake?

This does happen sometimes. It may be a good idea to bring a snack you know they do like. We can put some of their favorite snacks on the back side of the cake to get them to reach into the cake. We can also spread some of the icing around to get some cute photos event if they didn't like the cake.

I would love to document this milestone for you. You can book your child's cake smash session here. I am a Springfield, MO photographer specializing in family, children, newborn, senior and weddings.