How To Choose Your Cake Smash Theme

Their first year of life goes by so fast, doesn’t it? One day you’re planning for a newborn, and the next you’re planning their first birthday party! One of my favorite parts about any child’s first birthday quickly approaching is a cake smash session. The pictures are adorable and they are keepsakes that you can cherish as kiddo continues to grow!

What Is A Cake Smash?

Let’s rewind here a little bit, what is a cake smash? A cake smash session is done to celebrate the baby’s first year! It is typically done between 11 to 12 months old. Cake smash sessions are typically themed, however they can be as simple as you want them to be.

Sometimes my clients struggle with choosing a theme for their session. It can seem a bit overwhelming due to the amount of options you can go down. The good news is that anything you choose will be cute with your sweet little one in it! So don’t worry mama, you got this and I’m here to help!

Tips On Choosing Your Cake Smash Theme

Now that we’ve addressed what it is and when you should do them, how do you choose the theme? I typically see four ways parents choose the theme for their baby’s session.

1. Their nursery theme

Their nursery theme can come full circle with a first birthday cake smash photoshoot with the same theme. It’s cute to compare pictures once the nursery is ready, your kiddo as a newborn in their nursery, and then finally their one year old pictures with the same theme.

2. Their first birthday party theme

If you’re planning on displaying the photos at their first birthday party, a great option is to do the same theme. Regardless of if you are displaying the photos or not, it is always cohesive to keep everything themed the same if you like to have everything matching! As a bonus, I give many of my clients the balloon garland if we have our session close to their party and they can reuse it.

3. Something your kiddo loves

You can always choose a theme based on what your kiddo loves! This can be a show, character, toy, or animal. This is a special way to commemorate what they’re currently loving at this special time!

4. Just color based

Your cake smash session can also be super simple to focus on your sweet baby! You can use a color scheme or certain color to decorate the setup. Just having colors incorporated into the photos truly brings the focus on your little one rather than all the themed elements.

Cake Smash Photography In Grafton, Wisconsin

For my clients, I buy props and supply the cake. I love surprising my clients with the set up! My clients love to see what I come up with and just being able to show up for their session. Chasing after an almost one year old is hard enough, mama.

I offer two different package options for cake smash photography, one with a splash that includes cake smash, portraits, and a splash bath after or a non-themed option that comes with a splash bath or portraits.

Want to see more adorable photos? You can head on over to my Instagram page to see more cake smash sessions I’ve done. 

If you’re in the Grafton, Wisconsin area, I would absolutely love to work with your family to create the perfect photos to celebrate your baby’s first birthday! Fill out the form on my contact page to inquire about booking your almost one year old’s cake smash session!