A modern and colorful cake smash session is always a fun way to celebrate your little one’s first birthday.
Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing Baby Levi’s cake smash session. During our session, Baby Levi was so adorable and very gentle. To my surprise, Levi is my birthday buddy! It definitely makes this photoshoot extra special. In the blog post, I will share five simple tips I learned from styling this shoot.
DIY Balloon Garland
To begin with, choose a theme, color palette and decorate the backdrop accordingly. For example, I always communicate with my clients’ vision before the shoot. Sometimes, they like to share some inspiration photos with me. With their clear vision in mind, I design a mood board and decorate the backdrop for them.
In fact, this is my first time DIY a balloon garland and I actually enjoyed the learning process! Of course, you can always buy a colorful garland from Party City.
A Unique Custom Birthday Cake
Next, a cake smash session will not be completed without a fun birthday cake! You will want to make sure the cake design aligns your vision. In terms of cake artists, I highly recommend Maggie’s Pastries in Midland, MI, for a one-of-a-kind custom cake. In my experience, Maggie is the most talented local cake artist in town! Actually, I ordered a custom birthday cake from her for my son’s 10th Super Mario Brothers Theme Party recently. The artistry of her design was phenomenal. She is very creative, responsive and professional! To top it off, she even did a live sketching session to make sure our vision come alive. I will never forget the joy in my son’s eyes when he first saw this cake.
Minimalist Cake Stand
As a light and airy portrait photographer, I always prepare a minimalist cake stand for my clients. Take this marble and wood cake stand from Target as an example, I love how the cake adds a pop of color on the white marble surface. Plus, the bottom wood finish keeps the images elegant, bright and airy.
Cake Smash Outfit
Now, this is the fun part-dressing up your babies! Again, keep in mind that muted tones and natural colors tend to photograph best. Also, you will want to busy patterns and logos. For boys, it is very popular to opt for a diaper cover with fun accessories like a bow tie. For girls, you can never go wrong with fluffy tutu or a cute romper! As a matter of fact, you can always search for “cake smash outfit’ on Etsy!
Fun Props
Finally, it is crucial to coordinate the backdrop and props to match. For example, I chose different shades of blue for banners and balloons in this cake smash session. Similarly, you can use tissue paper puffs or stools depending on your theme. Also, you can always bring their favorite toys to get some adorable smiles. For instance, Shelley brought a birthday gift for Levi to open. His favorite balls allowed us to have some interaction with him and it was super cute!
Last but not least, first birthday pictures are a lot of fun! You don’t want to miss capturing your little ones’ personality at this age. To schedule a cake smash session in Saginaw with me, INQUIRE now. If you prefer outdoor family portrait sessions, check out our Bay City State Park Family Beach Session.
