What to Expect in a Cake Smash Session: A Sweet Celebration of Milestones!

A cake smash session is such a delightful way to celebrate a child’s first birthday, and it has become a beloved tradition for many families. These sessions capture the pure joy and excitement as your little one digs into a cake (often for the first time!) in a super fun and messy way.

If you’re considering a cake smash session, here’s everything you need to know about what to expect, from planning to cleanup and how to have the best cake smash celebration with Lullaby Lane Photography.

All about the Colours, Themes & Pre Session Planning:

Before the cake smash session begins, we will plan a few things together.

• Choosing a Theme or Colour Scheme: Many parents like to incorporate a theme or specific colour scheme that matches their baby’s nursery, the party, party invitation, or just something that reflects the season. Popular themes include animals, floral, or classic pinks and blues, the possibilities really are endless! Click here to view all of our current cake smash and splash themes that we have done and are available in our simple cake smash & splash package options.
• The Cake: Do you know what the BEST part of a cake smash & splash session with Lullaby Lane Photography is, WE provide the perfect matching cake for your cake smash and splash session. For our cakes it’s important to make sure it’s baby friendly. A small, simple cake made of non-allergenic ingredients (without too much sugar or artificial colouring) is what we like to use.
• Outfit Choices: Many parents opt for a cute outfit that’s special for the occasion, think simple onesies, adorable dresses, or even just a diaper suspenders and a bow tie. The simpler the better, as it lets the cake and your baby’s expressions take center stage. Consider that the outfit might get messy, so don’t pick something irreplaceable! With our cake smash.& splash packages we include a special keepsake outfit that you get to take home after the session is over.
• Time of Day: Schedule the session at a time when your little one is happiest and well rested. A morning or early afternoon time is ideal because babies tend to be in a better mood and more cooperative before they get tired or hungry, this ensures we capture the best mood of your baby.

Ok Let’s Dive Into: The Cake Smash Session Itself!

When you arrive for the session, we will have set up a backdrop or custom setup that complements your choice, theme and colour scheme. Here’s what to expect during the shoot:

• Baby’s First Interaction with the Cake: The moment your baby sees the cake, you’ll likely get a combination of curiosity, excitement, and perhaps some hesitation. Some babies dive right in, while others are more reserved at first. Don’t worry, either reaction is totally normal. I will be there capturing every moment for you with my camera & video recorder.
• Letting Your Baby Explore: The cake smash isn’t about perfect posing, it’s about capturing genuine reactions. I will encourage your baby to touch the cake, smash it, and explore it however they like. The messier, the better! Expect loads of giggles, messy hands, and cake smeared absolutely everywhere. These candid moments are often the most memorable.
• Family Participation: You might be asked to help by gently guiding your baby’s hands into the cake or by standing nearby for a few family shots with the cake. Some parents *and siblings* love to get involved by tasting the cake with their baby or even getting a little messy themselves, it’s all part of the fun!
• Different Stages of the Cake Smash: I will capture a variety of specific moments during the session:
  • Curiosity: The first touch or the look of wonder as your baby explores the cake for the first time.
  • Messy Fun: The moment your baby starts smashing the cake, making a mess, and enjoying the texture and taste.
  • Sweet Smiles & Laughs: Expect plenty of adorable smiles as your little one enjoys that sugar high.
  • Post-Smash Chaos: Toward the end, your baby might be covered in cake and frosting from head to toe, which makes for some hilarious and heartwarming photos!

All about the Splash Session: Post Cake Smash Cleanup!

After the smash, it’s time to clean up! All of our cake smash packages includes the “Splash Session” this involves our timeless small  white bathtub with either bubbles, or milk. This gives us a great opportunity to get even more adorable photos of your baby splashing away in the water.

Post Cake Smash Session: What Happens Next

Cake smash sessions often result in some of the most adorable, fun, and unique photos. After the session, I will give you a sneak peek of a couple of your photos within 48hours of your cake smash shoot on social media, with the full gallery available to view a few business days after your session. This is when you can choose your favourite images for the final edits, each package has a selected amount of images included, you can find all the information about our cake smash session packages and their inclusions here:  https://www.lullabylanephotography.com.au/cake-smash/

Did you know ALL of our Cake Smash Smash & Splash Sessions includes a highlighs video too! These are super cute as they showcase your bubba’s cake smash session from start to finish in video format.