What Is A Cake Smash Session? | Round Rock Family Photographer

Sep 13

Cake smash sessions are basically the perfect excuse to celebrate that your baby is officially ONE. And if you ask me, as a Round Rock family photographer… there is no better way to do it than with a little frosting everywhere!!

The chaos and mess is half the fun!!

I was especially excited for this session because I had photographed baby N as a newborn. (See that blog post here!) So when mama reached out to plan their one year photos, I was so happy to see this family again.

And these sisters? They are the BEST.

They are always dancing, playing, laughing, and generally having a great time together. Which is exactlyyyyy my kind of photo session. Bring on all the giggles and silliness!! Big fan of letting kids be kids!

What is a cake smash session?

If you’ve never done one before, a cake smash session is a milestone photo session designed to celebrate your baby turning one. Usually, we’ll start with some family and sibling photos before letting your little one have their own moment with a birthday cake.

The goal isn’t necessarily to get a perfectly clean photo of your baby sitting politely next to a cake. haha. It’s honestly the opposite.

We want the frosting on their face!!! The little fingers digging into the cake. The surprised looks. The laughs. The “what am I supposed to do with this?” moments. Those are the best!!!

I mean, honestly, we let them have fun and we worry about clearn up later!

mom plays with her little ones in a studio for cake smash session

mother sits on floor with her little kiddos by Round Rock Family Photographer

blonde woman in jeans and white shirt on floor with toddlers by Jessie Shaw Photo

little sisters run with baby brother before his cake smash

mother in jeans dances with small kids in studio by Round Rock family photographer

toddler sisters sit on wooden bench in white space by Jessie Shaw Photo

three small kids snuggle on studio couch before cake smash

blonde mom in jeans snuggles baby on leather couch by Round Rock Family Photographer

This session took place in a bright, simple studio with white walls and light floors. I LOVEEE this look. When I’m not taking photos in golden hour, you can find me in a neutral studio any day!!

The family leaned into a neutral color palette, too. Mom wore a simple white tee with light wash jeans, while baby N wore a cream ribbed romper. His sisters wore the cutest little outfits too! Soft neutrals, gray overalls, a white top, and a little denim. Perfection!!

For the cake they chose a simple white cake with fruity pebbles on the bottom! At first, baby N wasn't quite sure what to make of it. But once he figured out that cake was, in fact, for eating?

Game over.

There was frosting everywhere. His sisters joined in. Everyone was laughing. And we got some of those really fun, in-between moments that you can't recreate once they're gone.

The best part of a cake smash?

Getting all the emotional photos and connection moments between your family. The cake is just the fun activity!

It’s so cool to see how much your baby has grown in a year! These are the tiny details you know you'll forget if you don't document them.

That's why I love milestone sessions so much. I’ve photographed over 150 families, and it never gets old to help document your kids growing up.

You don't have to know what to do in front of the camera. You don't have to get your kids to cooperate perfectly. And you definitely don't need to create some picture-perfect version of your family. (I promise!! I love the chaos and REAL life stuff).

I'll guide you through it.

You just show up, love on your kids, and let them have some fun.

And if you're planning a first birthday and want to actually enjoy the process instead of adding another thing to your already-full to-do list, let's plan your cake smash session.

Reach out to me here to get in touch!