If you’ve never been to a cake smash before, you might imagine we simply pop a cake in front of your baby and let them get messy.
But at PhotoBaby, there’s so much more to it than that!
Our cake smash sessions are designed to tell the story of this amazing stage. The standing. The giggles. The personality. The family cuddles. And yes… plenty of cake!
When Santhy came back to see us for her little one’s final milestone session, we made the day completely her own.
Completing His First-Year Story
Santhy and her family have already made some lovely memories with us.
They first visited for newborn portraits, capturing those tiny early days. Then they came back for beautiful Bluebell portraits.
Now her little boy was turning one.
Santhy wanted to round off his first-year story with a cake smash, but she also fancied adding some outdoor family portraits.
Of course, we said yes!
We simply added a little extra time to the session so we could fit everything in without rushing.
First Stop – The Great Outdoors
We’re incredibly lucky at PhotoBaby to have woodland and meadow just a short walk from the studio.
So before the cake came out, we headed outside.
We wanted these portraits to feel natural and relaxed.
Santhy and her family laughed together in the long grass. They held hands, walked together and enjoyed some time simply being a family while we captured it all.
No stiff smiles required!
Once we had created a gorgeous mix of family portraits, it was time to head back to the studio for part two.
Time for the Birthday Portraits
Back at the studio, our little model changed into his special birthday outfit.
First up was our giant number one.
This has to be one of our favourite cake smash sets, especially for babies who have recently discovered their standing skills.
Your little one can hold onto the side of the number one, giving them a little support while showing off just how grown up they have become.
The result is ridiculously cute!
We played with balloons too, giving us another lovely set of portraits before things started getting messy.
But First… We Have to Bake the Cake!
This is where our cake smash sessions are a little different.
Before we smash the cake, we bake it!
Well… sort of.
Our baking set gives your baby another chance to play, explore and show us their personality.
It also adds another chapter to the story of their session.
And then, once our little baker had finished creating his masterpiece, there was only one thing left to do.
SMASH IT!
Let the Cake Smash Begin!
The cake came out and the fun really started.
Some babies dive straight in. Others carefully investigate first. Some use their hands, some use their feet and some are much more interested in everything except the cake!
That’s all part of the fun.
And on this occasion, big brother was VERY keen to get involved too.
So naturally, we let him!
We created some adorable sibling cake smash portraits, capturing the two boys together and adding even more personality to Santhy’s finished collection.
Because your session doesn’t have to follow a rigid formula.
It’s your family’s story.
Turning the Smash Into a Work of Art
And the story doesn’t end when the camera goes away.
One of our favourite things about Santhy’s finished collection is the stunning composite print we created from the cake smash.
Rather than choosing just one moment, the composite brings together a selection of those gorgeous expressions, funny moments and cake-covered details into one beautiful piece of artwork.
It tells the whole story of the smash in a single print.
This isn’t something that will sit forgotten on a phone or disappear into a camera roll.
It’s going to have pride of place in Santhy’s home, where the whole family can enjoy it every single day.
And as her little boy grows, it will become even more special.
More Than Just a Cake Smash
By the end of Santhy’s session, we had created outdoor family portraits, birthday portraits with our giant number one, balloon portraits, baking photographs, cake smash images and some gorgeous sibling moments too.
That’s exactly why we think of our cake smashes as an experience, rather than simply a photo shoot.
Your baby’s first birthday is a huge milestone.
They have changed so much since those sleepy newborn days, and their personality is really starting to shine.
This session is about capturing all of that.
Santhy was thrilled with the results and has promised us this definitely won’t be their last visit.
And we’ll be very happy to welcome them back.
Because the first-year story might be complete…
but there are plenty more chapters still to come.
Want to Book?
Drop us a line, or hit the link to look at our diary.
