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Top Cake Smash Tips

Posted on 4 May, 2020 by Sarah Hart

My tips for a perfect cake smash

Sarah Hart Photography in Kent, has been photographing cake smashes for a number of years now. And one thing is clear: cake smashes don’t always go to plan! (Take a look at Cake Smash Disaster). So I’ve put together my top cake smash tips.

1. Book a great professional photographer. Held at their studio, you won’t have any mess to clear up. AND you’ll get a set of beautifully captured images to document your baby’s first birthday. Without the pressure or stress of you having to capture the images, you’ll be able to enjoy watching your baby dive in to their cake.

2. Keep the set up simple. Discuss with your photographer, your favourite colours or a theme. But my advice is resist adding in too many extra props. They detract from your baby’s portraits. Plus baby is more likely to concentrate on the cake rather than playing with the balloons!

3. Colour co-ordinate your baby’s outfit to the set-up. Here at my Tonbridge studio, Sarah Hart Photography offers a selection of cake smash outfits for boys and girls. But clients are always welcome to bring their own outfits. Check out Etsy for some great bespoke rompers or cake smash outfits.

4. Pick a good time. Arrange the cake smash for a time that will suit your baby. there’s no point booking a 10am slot if that’s when they always nap. Pick a time when they are least likely to be grumpy.

5. Parents: wear old clothes! You are highly likely to get buttercream on your clothes so make sure you don’t wear your best clothes. If you want some nice family portraits at the beginning of your shoot, bring spare clothes to change in to for the cake smash part. Icing covered babies may want a cuddle mid way through the shoot!

Food tips….

6. Buttercream. If you’re bringing your own cake to a session, make sure you choose a cake that uses buttercream or soft icing. Also, take it out the fridge a few hours before the session as we don’t want the icing to be too hard. Buttercream makes for a messier cake smash than fondant/hard icing….all the more fun for your baby! You can see a selection of perfect cakes for cake smashes HERE on my Pinterest board.

7. Have snacks to hand. Bring along a pot of familiar snacks that your baby enjoys. Sometimes babies find the cake too sweet or just aren’t interested in eating the cake. If that’s the case, we can hide the snacks behind/ in the cake and fake them eating the cake. No-one can tell in the images that they’re eating a breadstick rather than the cake!

8. Practise messy play. Introduce your child to messy play before their cake smash photoshoot. It’s amazing how many children don’t like the feeling of food on their hands. Encourage them to play with some food a month or so before your session. This will get them used to the squishy sensation between their fingers! They’ll be much more likely to play with their cake at the cake smash.

Can’t wait to see you & your baby!

If you’re already booked in, I’m looking forward to seeing you and your little one at these really fun sessions! If you haven’t yet booked but are interested, drop me a line with your baby’s birthday date and I’ll get back to you with my availability.

Sarah x