What is a Cake Smash Session?
What is a cake smash session you ask? Well, it is a milestone photoshoot that typically occurs when the child turns one year old where they are presented with a cake to eat or smash or both or none if we’re being honest. Cake smash sessions are a fun way to celebrate the milestone of your little baby turning one. Babies at the age of one are bursting with curiosity and exploration. Most things they encounter on a daily basis are new to them. New toys to play with, new food to eat, new environments to explore, new people to meet. This session is a great way to capture that curiosity along with the expression that comes along with it. The cake itself is often new to babies at this age which lends itself to the perfect set up to capture that curiosity, exploration and delight (or disgust).
As with any of my sessions, you have the option to have the cake smash session inside or outside with a themed backdrop set up (more on that later). With either, the session with be child led. By that I mean that we will go at your kiddos pace. Cake smash sessions are about capturing personality and letting your child do that through play. Now that you have a better understanding of what a cake smash session actually is, let’s take a look into what a cake smash session is with me in particular.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN A CAKE SMASH SESSION?
THEME PLANNING
When you book a cake smash session with me the first thing that will do is get on the phone to discuss your vision for the shoot. Do you have a theme in mind? Do you have inspiration pictures saved on Pinterest? Are there certain shots you absolutely want to try to get? We will discuss all of these questions and more. This will ensure we are both on the same page for the day of the cake smash session.
BEAUTIFUL NATURAL STUDIO AND OUTFITS
Trying to decide what your little one will wear for a cake smash session can be challenging. My studio wardrobe is at your complete disposal. Any outfit that I have you are welcome to select for your child’s session. I often suggest that when we meet for our initial consultation session for parents to browse through my studio wardrobe. That way they can get a sense of the options and know ahead of time whether they want to buy or use their own outfit or select one from my wardrobe. Since this is a cake smash session and it often gets messy, some parents opt for the diaper only look or diaper plus accessories.
CAKE
I will provide the cake for your child cake smash session. I have a bakery that I use for all of my sessions to get a fresh cake for each session. On that initial consultation phone call that I mentioned before we will also discuss whether your child has any specific allergies. That way we can ensure that your child is safe during the session!
SCHEDULE YOUR CAKE SMASH SESSION KEEPING NAPS IN MIND
Naps or bedtime should always be top-of-mind when scheduling a cake smash session. The idea of these sessions are to capture your child’s personality so we want to make sure that they are well rested. If your child is on a schedule and naps every day at a certain time of day, I will work around that schedule. If your child is not on a schedule but tends to be the happiest during certain portions of the day, let’s be sure to schedule the session during that time.
LET THEM BE A LITTLE HUNGRY
I always recommend that you feed your child before they come to a session so they are not starving and fussy, however with cake smash sessions sometimes it can be beneficial if your child is slightly hungry. Still feed them of course, but if they are still a bit hungry when they get to the shoot, they may be more likely to dig into the cake. If they’ve just eaten a full meal, they may not be as interested in eating more when they see the cake.
BRING THEIR FAVOURITE SNACK
If you are worried that your child may be shy about digging right into the cake, have your baby’s favourite snack on hand. Puffs, Cheerios, yogurt bites, crackers, etc. whatever is their “ always makes them happy” snack, bring those along. We can hide those little snacks in the icing or part of the cake to encourage them to really dig into that cake.
FINAL WORDS
Cake smash photography is a great way to capture your child’s special day. It’s about more than just taking a picture of the cake. There are so many wonderful moments in a child’s life that deserve to be captured. Whether you do a cake smash for your child’s birthday or any other special occasion, these tips will help you create some lasting memories.
I’d like to think that choosing us here at Anchor Studio Photography makes you feel that you’ll have such a great time with me and that we’ll get to capture the memories of your family as they grow in the years to come. If you want to find out more about our sessions, packages and pricing, just click here to visit our website.
Here are more blog posts in different locations in Toronto both outdoors and in-studio showing you different locations and themes for what your child’s cake smash session could look like.
Cake smash session at Mint Room Studios in The White Loft
Cake smash session in The Solarium Studio
Twin cake smash session in The Ballroom
Smash the cake session at Summerset Studio
Cake smash session in The Lounge at Mint Room Studios
HOW TO BOOK
There are a few ways you can book. You can book right online using this tab which leads you to my online booking calendar. However, not all available dates are on that calendar so if you need a different date, send me an email! You can reach me at hello@anchorstudio.ca
Anchor Studio Photography specializes providing a full service experience that starts with booking your session and ends with getting beautiful tangible heirloom products being displayed in your home. My style of soft, candid and timeless photos can be seen in all my maternity, newborn, child and family portraits in Greater Toronto Area, including Oakville, Mississauga, North York and Richmond Hill. If you are interested in booking a portrait session for your family, you can click here to book your session. I am now booking sessions for summer 2022, so don’t hesitate to get in touch soon!
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