First birthday guide
How do you prepare for a first-birthday cake smash session?
Portraits come first. The food comes later.
The short answer
First-birthday sessions in the studio begin with portraits and sometimes family photographs. The smash stage comes later. It can be cake, pasta, Nutella or another food your child already knows. A successful set does not depend on making a child messy.
Choose a time around the first birthday
Sessions are usually held around the first birthday, when a child can sit steadily. It does not matter if the birthday has just passed or has not quite arrived. Their age and pace matter more than the date on a cake.
Start clean
Portraits happen before the food stage. This is the time for an outfit you love and photographs with parents or siblings, if you are including them. Once there is a complete clean set, the smash stage can begin without pressure.
It does not have to be cake
Some children do not want to touch frosting, and some do not know cake at all. You can choose food your child already knows, such as pasta or Nutella. If they do not touch it, nobody forces the moment. The photographs do not depend on it.
What to prepare at home
- One outfit for portraits and a change of clothes for the food stage.
- A small towel and shoes that are easy to clean.
- The food you chose, if you have not arranged a cake through the studio.
- Any dietary detail that needs to be known before food is chosen.
For the sets and session flow, visit first birthday and cake smash photography.
From a first-birthday session
0101When should we photograph?
Usually around the first birthday, when a child can sit steadily.
02Can family be in the photographs too?
Yes. Parents and siblings can join before the food stage, depending on the package.
03Do we need to bring a cake?
The studio can help coordinate a cake, or you can bring food your child already knows. Payment for an ordered cake is arranged directly with the baker.
04What if our child does not touch the food?
That is fine. A complete set is photographed before the food arrives, and nobody forces them to touch it.