Little boy sitting on wooden floor in front of truck-themed cake wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tips
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Cake Smash Photo Tips

ByKelly Williams, Photographer

The cake smash party has become a rite of passage for every one-year-old child it now seems.  Personally, I love this new tradition as it encourages children to get outside of the ‘sit-still-and-smile-for-the-camera’ family photo template.  But how do you get the most memorable images?  In today’s blog post, I’ll share some of my best cake smash photo tips so that you capture the most ‘smashing’ memories possible of your child.

Cake Smash Photo Tips – Scheduling

Mother and father holding little boy on steps in front of NYC apartment for a Queens family portraitGet your official family portraits out of the way first.  The cake smash should be the last thing on your photo shoot to do list.  I can guarantee that the cute little outfit you selected will be covered in frosting by the end, so take the photos first.  As with all family events, I always suggest getting photos out of the way so that you can concentrate on the fun activities afterwards.  The order I go by for all family photos is as follows: little ones first, entire family together, then individual group photos (mom with kids, dad with kids, grandparents with kids, etc.).

Know your baby’s schedule to plan for maximum happiness.  Most kids are happiest (and thus, most photogenic) after a nap and a feeding.  You know your kid’s schedule best, so plan accordingly.  You may end up smashing the cake and serving the cake (to adults) at separate times if the baby needs to smash earlier.  Cake smash photo sessions tend to be a very entertaining component of a larger party that includes adults, and it would be nice if the cake smash led directly into serving dessert.  But, it doesn’t always happen that way.

Cake Smash Photo Tips – Choosing the Right Cake

Little boy sitting on wooden floor touching truck-themed cake wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tipsThe cutest cakes are usually made with fondant, which isn’t very smashable.  As you can see from the photos of Marsha’s family celebration, fondant is by nature not messy.  Instead, have a cute cake ready for the party but substitute a frosting-filled cupcake for the actual smash moment.  The gooier the frosting, the better the smash.

The cake decorations should draw in your child.  This is the time to go for wild colors and any (edible) decorative objects that your child will want to touch.

Cake Smash Photo Tips – Clean Up

Little boy sitting in high chair wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tipsHave the cake smash in a clean-up friendly area.  In Marsha’s case, she simply set aside a portion of the living room for the entire event and put down a tarp that could easily be taken outside for cleaning.  Be prepared for cake to go in unexpected places, so be careful of walls or breakable items nearby.

Consider a high chair for the actual cake smash.  One interesting thing during Marsha’s photo shoot was that we originally had the baby on the ground with the cake hoping he would dive in.  He poked at the cake, but didn’t really understand that he was supposed to eat on the floor since this was an entirely new concept.  It wasn’t until we put him in the high chair with the cake in front of him that he understood he could put the cake in his mouth.

Have another outfit ready.  No one likes to sit in messy clothes, and babies are no different.  Plus, after the energy provided by a little sugar rush, you can probably get a few more photos out of your little one.  Plan appropriately, and have a second outfit ready.  In Marsha’s case, we ended up getting some great images by the window of the family together after the cake chaos.

Final Thoughts – Expectations

Parents holding crying little boy wearing gold crown with father showing finger of frosting to little boy for an article on cake smash tipsBe prepared for less mayhem than expected.  This is my second cake smash, and in both instances, the babies had very good table manners.  If your child is very well behaved, then the baby is not going to turn into an animal when faced with a luscious baked good.  So if you need to put a little frosting on the baby’s nose to begin the ‘smash’ process, so be it.  Marsha’s little one did eat a handful or two of cake, but he was rather refined with the frosting.

Parents getting into the mess is great for photos.  This leads me to another tip: your kids will follow your lead.  I always encourage families to get into the mix together in front of the camera, and cake smash moments are no different.  If you child sees you eating a handful of cake, then the baby will follow suit.

Remember, things on kids heads rarely stay there for long.  Be prepared for that birthday hat to be pulled off, stat.

Meet Marsha’s Family

Parents holding smiling, little boy in front of a window for an article on cake smash tipsAccompanying this article are photos of Marsha and Jay’s family.  Their little boy was turning the big ‘one,’ and Marsha wanted to let him let it all out.  She had the entire living room set up so that her child could fling that cake as far as he needed to. Both sets of grandparents were invited over for the occasion, and a beautiful, train-themed cake was ordered from a local baker.  The baby’s precious outfit and wall decorations were ordered from Amazon.  Everything was staged in-house (literally, in the apartment).

I can’t wait to see how this little cutie grows up and look forward to many more photo shoots with Marsha and her family.  Enjoy the images, and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!

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Interested in reading more family photo advice?  Check out my Top 10 Toddler Portrait Tips, How to Solve Family Portrait Challenges, and NYC Family Portrait Location Ideas.

Do you have a little one in search of a cake to smash?  Drop me a line and let’s talk about your photography needs.

Looking for more family photo fun?  Then check out my family photography portfolio on my website, KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com

Little boy wearing black t-shirt and clutching gold crown on his head in front of colorful background during a Queens family portrait Little boy wearing black t-shirt and gold crown sitting on scooter during a Queens family portrait Parents, little boy, aunt, and two sets of grandparents sitting on apartment steps during a Queens family portrait Little boy standing on sidewalk holding hands of male and female adult wearing black shirt that says 'Onederful' Mother and father playing with little boy on steps of an apartment during a Queens family portrait Little boy standing on wooden floor with mother and father adjusting his black suspenders Truck-themed, colorful cake sitting on pedestal on wooden table Little boy sitting on wooden floor touching truck-themed cake wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tips Little boy sitting on wooden floor touching truck-themed cake wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tips Little boy feeding cake to father on a wooden floor for an article on cake smash tips Little boy sitting on wooden floor in front of cake wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tips Mother holding crying little boy wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tipsLittle boy sitting in high chair wearing gold crown and black bow tie for an article on cake smash tips Mother holding smiling little boy in front of a window for an article on cake smash tips Parents sitting on wooden floor in front of window reading a book to a little boy for an article on cake smash tips Parents sitting on wood floor in front of window holding little boy and reading a book for an article on cake smash tips Grandparents showing a teddy bear to little boy on a wooden floor for an article on cake smash tips Grandparents playing with little boy on a wooden floor for an article on cake smash tips Father wearing blue and white checkered shirt kissing little boy on the head while holding him for an article on cake smash tips

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Hi! My name is Kelly Williams, and I am a San Antonio wedding and family photographer. I love telling the story of someone’s love, life, and happiness in one frame.

I proudly call San Antonio home, but I have lived in NYC for the past 21 years.

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