I’m Lea, a photographer from Willenhall, near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands that provides many different services - including cake smashes! Chances are you’ve probably heard of a cake smash - but most people haven’t really got a clue what it really involves! Here is a little guide to get you started - it’s also how I usually run my sessions if you’re considering booking in!
What is a cake smash session?
It's one of those things that have migrated over from the US! It's pretty self explanatory, you give a toddler a cake and let them go to town on it. Some eat it, some beat at it until it's mush, others won’t touch it at all. I usually find you never really know how your little one is truly going to react until the day of the session.
Preparing for the session
When you book a session I will send you my booking form - which will gather information about what kind of colour scheme , or theme you would like for your session. Everything set wise is provided, so there is no need to bring decorations with you!
I try my best to create something different for each of my cake smashes, so it’s unique to the child. If you happen to like something I have done previously that’s ok too! If you would like something more elaborate then please let me and I will see what I can do!
I like to do my part for the environment, so where possible I elastics to tie my balloons so they can be reused multiple times over rather than just once! If you would like something a little more specific balloon wise please let me know. I’m happy to organise your garland to match your colours as closely as I can manage.
What happens first?
I usually spend the first 5-10 minutes of the session talking to the parent's. I find that with the little ones growing up (usually coming up to their 1st birthday), they're a lot more aware of the world and being thrown into a new situation can make them a little uneasy. I want the session to go well, so I allow them time to take a look at their surroundings and settle in before they're put in front of the camera.
To help the session get off to a good start it’s important to make sure your little one is well rested and not too hungry as although we want them to eat the cake - the portrait session comes first so we also want them to be happy!
If your little one is teething, which most 1 year olds are please keep this in mind and bring teething supplements with you to ease their gums if needed.
Pre cake Smash Portraits
I start the session with normal portraits. I have a large selection of outfits to choose from. I make all my outfits myself, so if something special is needed for your session I can usually supply it. The portrait section is usually captured on my wooden backdrops, keeping props to a minimum and focus on capturing their facial expressions and personality.
Cake Smash
I start this section of the session by taking some images of the background and cake alone before introducing your little one. I find it's nice to be able to compare the before and after to see how much mess they've made (as that's definitely the whole idea!)
Your little one is then changed into their cake smash outfit and introduced to the cake.
Every little person is unique, but I find that during those first few minutes with just them and the cake there is always the same response. As you can imagine they've spent their life so far being told no, that they're not allowed to play with their food or make a mess, so the first few minutes are usually filled with confusion. What? You're saying I can actually touch that massive pretty cake? I don't believe you, it must be a trick. I always see their brain working and imagine what's happing in there. You see them looking at it, then looking at their parents as if to say 'why aren't you telling me I can't mess with it?’ Pure confusion!
Usually if they haven't attempted to touch it themselves within the first few minutes of exploring, I tell parent's to put a little bit of butter cream to their mouth so they can taste it. Or even put their hand to the cake so they know it's ok to touch it.
Some kids love the mess, some love to smash, some hate having things on their hands and are happy for it to be fed to them by someone else! I generally find you won't find out how your little one will be until they're in that situation.
Just in case we are faced with a baby that isn’t too fussed with getting their hands dirty or just don’t like the cake I always suggest parents bring the babies favourite snack so we can hide them behind the cake.
Post cake smash splash
Once we've got enough images of your little one with their cake, I usually bring in a tub and fill it full of warm water with bubbles for them to sit in. There is nothing worse than having to wipe down a child covered in butter cream with baby wipes so the tub is a god send! Plus it gives us another opportunity to get a few more gorgeous pictures for your gallery.
I usually add a little bubble bath, so please feel free to bring your own if your little one has sensitive skin.
I will require you to bring a towel to dry your baby down when we’ve finished.
Who supplies the cake?
I supply the cake! You literally don’t have to worry about anything other than booking your session! I check for allergies beforehand and then organise your cake for you. Everything is colour coordinated to the set.
Alternatively, the session can also be done with doughnuts or fruit! If you are against food waste and mess then I can also supply a fake cake so we can still capture the photographs without all the mess!
Allergens
Even with suspected allergies, it’s a good idea to add these in the allergy section of the booking from after booking. My cake maker has training around allergies so this can be catered to.
I also like to add a little bubble bath to the tub to offer a little more dignity when shooting from above - so this is also something to consider when thinking about allergens. If your little one has sensitive skin or needs specific bubble bath etc I’m more than happy for you to supply your own.
What happens to the cake after the session?
That's completely up to you! Everyones food standards are so different, if you’re happy to take it home to eat the remainder cake then please go ahead! Alternatively if it’s been mauled a little too much for your liking I can dispose of it for you at the end of the session.
Outfits
I do have a selection of outfits that can be used for your session, depending on sizing. If you want to bring something specific to wear that's ok. Just keep in mind that for a session like this colour coordination is important for all of your images to look like the ones advertised on my website.
Colour scheme of the session
I have quite a few different setups for cake smashes, some for girls, boys and natural set ups. If you have a colour scheme in mind then please let me know on booking - I will try to tailor to your needs as much as I can.
YOU CAN SECURE A CAKE SMASH SESSION BELOW
To enquire about your babies Cake Smash session with me please fill in the following form to get in touch! I’d love to hear about your plans for your little ones birthday!
Please check your junk mail if you haven’t heard back from me within 24 hours.
I’m based in Willenhall near Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK
