Its such an emotional moment to realize that your little bug is ready for the Big Cake Smash and you obviously want it to go as planned 😉 While you can never predict little one’s mood, I have some tips that might help you to plan the cake smash better 🙂
If possible, do the cake smash before the Birthday
Kids can get overwhelmed with a lot of people present and may not want to be in an exploration mood with so many people around. I’ve seen kids not doing well at the cake smash with people present & have done really well once people left 😉
I would recommend just the photographer(s) and the parents to be present. If other Family members are present, may be ask them to be silent spectators 🙂
Get them familiar with smashing beforehand
Even though Aaira loves exploring food, I gave her food items like a slice of Banana bread to get her familiar with smashing when she turned 11 months old. Some kids just don’t like the mess, so it’s hard to get them to smash but giving them time to practice might help. You can also join the smashing fun to make it more playful for them.
Decide the Theme, Clothing, Venue, Time & the Photographer
Make sure you communicate the theme & colors you want to your photographer & may be ask them for samples if they’re the ones decorating. I highly recommend sending them inspiration pictures (if any) & clearly communicating what you want from the session. Also understand the post processing time & the number of pictures that you will get.
If you are setting up on your own, make sure you order all the supplies in advance like a backdrop stand, backdrop, a rug or a rubber sheet for the floor setup, cake stand, cake topper etc. I would keep the outfit simple & comfortable, so the kiddo will not be bothered by it. If you are shooting on your own, make sure you choose the location in the house that gets good natural light, so you don’t have to do much post processing of the pictures.
Needless to say, plan the cake smash time based on Kiddo’s nap time. Most kids have a schedule when they’re one year old, so choose a time when you know they’ll be fresh & happy. Take travel time into account if going for a studio shoot.
Below are some of my suggestions for a Cake Smash Outfit
The Cake
I read somewhere that a 6 inch cake might look too small but I consulted my photographer & went with a 6 inch cake & it was perfect! It didn’t overpower the setup & looked cute. Stick to lighter colors like white, light blue/pink/green (you can add a touch of gold/silver) but opting for a dark colored cake may not be the best idea as it doesn’t look good when kids have it all over their face. Keep the cake flavor simple like vanilla & order a buttercream cake.
If you can, ask the baker for a less sweet cake as you don’t want a sugar high kiddo afterwards 😛 Our cake stand can easily accommodate a 8 inch cake but a 6 inch cake looked just fine on it. I would recommend making a custom order & not picking up a cake from a grocery store. Also, take the cake out of the refrigerator AT LEAST 60-90 minutes before the smash.
What to pack
- Cake smash outfit
- Accessories (If any)
- Cake stand or any other decor that you are providing
- Cake Topper (If any)
- 2-3 wash cloths for wiping dry & wet
- Baby Bath Towel
- Baby soap
- 2 change of outfits for the baby
- Bag to keep the dirty cake smash clothes
- Change of outfits for the Parents as you can get dirty while helping the kiddo
- Diaper Bag with essentials
- Favorite Toy or anything else take makes the kiddo more comfortable
- Favorite treats
The Cake smash shoot
Make sure you block at least an hour or 90 minutes with your photographer. Get the kiddo comfortable with the surroundings first. Let them sit & explore. Play Cocomelon or their favorite music & play a little bit with them. Make sure the photographer is ready & then bring the cake in. Place the baby & the cake in appropriate position for the pictures. Keep the music/video on if that makes your LO smile 🙂
Most of the babies might not dig in right away, so this is your chance to get some pictures with the cake without the smash. Another thing that kept Aaira busy was her favorite treats (puffs) as we placed them on the cake and she was picking them off the cake before she knew that she had to dig in.
InitialIy, I helped her to dig in & obviously once she tasted the cake, she didn’t need any help for further digging 😛 She enjoyed the whole session happily eating the cake, we were prepared to have a sugar high kid afterwards & didn’t really plan any other activity that day.
Don’t forget to have fun
Whether or not things go as planned, make sure you’re enjoying this big moment! You have done a lot of hard work in this one year to raise a kid with sleepless nights, spit up clothes, pediatrician visits, starting solids, managing a new life and a lot more. Take this time to feel proud of yourself & your kiddo to make it through this wonderful year <3
Hope this was helpful & congratulations on your one year old <3 Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram if you have any questions.
Love this, Ash!
Can you please link aaira’s dress?