My 10 Tips For A Successful And Stress-Free Cake Smash

1. Choose a time of day that will suit your baby – after a nap tends to be best as they won’t be irritable or tired. Don’t be fooled by thinking toddlers will nap in the car on the way to the shoot and wake up feeling refreshed! It always takes at least half an hour for them to wake up and come round.
2. Let your baby try some cake a couple of times before the session so they become used to the feel / texture of the cake and the taste of its sweetness
3. Bring a drink for them. Remember, eating cake is thirsty work!
4. Bring a favourite toy or video in case your baby needs a break. Babies like familiarity, so their favourite toy or book can be soothing for them to hold and see. It’s hard work being a photography model! This can also help with making them smile during the shoot too.
5. Bring some of your baby’s favourite foods / snacks that we can hide in the cake if they need encouragement to dive in
6. Wear old clothes, or clothing that you don’t mind getting covered in icing. Or bring a change of clothes for afterwards, not for your baby as they’ll be wearing the outfit to match the set-up, but for you! You’ll be amazed at how much mess they can make with cake…
7. Don’t worry if baby doesn’t get “stuck in” to the cake smashing. Lots of toddlers prefer to sit and pick or are happy to just pose with the cake. Remember, this is a photoshoot to capture unique and treasured photographs of your son or daughter on their first birthday. So however they are happiest will make for the best photographs.
8. Go for a soft icing cake, they are easier for little hands to smash up and get super messy in.
9. We don’t recommend chocolate cake, it can be mistaken for something else when it’s smeared all over a toddlers legs….
10. HAVE FUN AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE MESS. We’re used to it 🙂