Tips for Successful Cake Smash || Orange County Baby Photographer
Cake smashes are alllll the rage. Or at least they were 2-3 years ago, now they’ve died out a little I think but if done correctly, they can still be cute and a fun milestone to capture. As an Orange County Baby Photographer, I offer a cake smash with any milestone birthday session free of charge. We’ll start the session with some family photos and sibling shots, do some with the birthday baby alone and then finish the session up with the cake smash. The cake smash portion usually lasts 5-10 minutes. Hopefully baby loves it and digs in, (in which case you probably don’t want baby eating a whole cake anyways) or they’ll have a few tastes and be over it. Honestly most babies don’t love it (unless you follow my advice below, that is!) Even if baby hates it, we’ll still capture those first moments of sweetness and I personally still love the ‘yuck’ faces.
After the cake smash you can add-on a bath and splash, which is a cute way to get baby cleaned off and let them splash around. Most babies love the water so this is a sure fire way to get some good smiles and there’s nothing quite as cute as naked baby buns!
I do have a couple tips to make your cake smash session more successful so keep reading…
A couple days before our session, give baby a cookie with icing or a little cupcake. My personal favorite to suggest are swig cookies but anything that’s extra sweet will do. Most babies have never had this much sugar before and they’ll hate everything about it, from the texture to the taste unless they’ve had a little exposure before. If you choose not to give baby a taste of sugar before, you can expect baby to gag and cough at that first taste and be completely over it. It’s a little scary if you don’t know what to expect so just know that is normal and happens all the time.
Bring a towel and water bottle or lots of wipes and a change of clothes. If baby really digs into the cake smash and you choose not to add the bath and splash, they will be MESSY! Like in their hair, between their toes, all over messy. You’ll most likely pick them up and cover yourself in icing as well so bring a change of clothes for yourself too.
Be flexible. A cake smash session isn’t meant to force your kid to eat sweets, it’s only to capture that first moment of tasting something new. If baby hates it, we are done. If baby cries, we are done. If baby shows any distress, we are done. These are only photos and your baby well being is far more important. It may not go the way you planned and that’s okay. Be flexible with the situation and everyone will be happier.
Orange County Baby Photographer
Poppy Lea Photography is a motherhood photographer in Orange County who specializes in maternity, newborn, baby, motherhood sessions and family photography in the Orange County area, including San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Mission Viejo and Costa Mesa.
Hi, and thank you so much for reading this blog post. I love featuring my clients images here, and this will give you a glimpse into what you will receive when you commission me to be your Photographer in Orange County. If you would like to see what an entire gallery looks like, please don’t hesitate to ask. My favorites are posted here, but all of the images you receive are worthy of being in a frame or an album!
If you are you interested in a custom portrait session with Poppy Lea Photography and would like more information, please click here to see the experience.
For investment information, please click HERE.
If you would like to reserve your date on my calendar, please click on the contact button above or email me directly at poppyleaphotography@gmail.com.
Sessions are currently booking into 2019, so please inquire when you know you’d like a session.
I find such joy in capturing a family’s story and would be honored to help you tell yours!
XO- Laurel