Cake Smash and First Year Milestone Session

How to prepare for a Cake Smash or First Year Milestone Photography Session

Congratulations! Now that you’ve booked your Cake Smash or First Year milestone photography session, what should you expect?

Cake smash - Let the fun begin! 

This fun type of session lets you and your child enjoy the silliness, the first reactions, and the possible little tears of an interactive first year session. The moments and emotions will be captured to enjoy over and over again and share for years to come. Of course, these ones can get a little messy, so a towel will be provided for clean up at the end. The cake helps little people stay focused and is very popular, so while 15 mins is about the average sitting time for this age (if that) the cake catches their interest and can prolong attention for about 30-45 minutes!

The day of your session: Make sure to feed your little one a lighter meal than usual so that they will be more interested in having cake!


What to bring with you to your session: Wet wipes, a waterproof bag to bring cake covered clothing home in, bottle or drink container with something to wash down the cake, a protein rich snack to combat sugar crashes, and a clean outfit for going home. Expect that your baby will go home smelling like cake. If you request the vintage bubble bath feature for your session, this does help wash the cake off a little bit!


Tips for a smooth cake smash experience:

Have fun with this process! I can’t say that enough! Most of the time your child will smile, but on occasion little ones can have their moments, or respond to new situations with tears – it’s ok, just remember that this is all for the memory book!


If cake isn’t your thing and you still want to celebrate baby’s first year – a Milestone Session is perfect for that!


What to expect from a Milestone session:

If you booked a family add-on your session will begin with family group photos. A family season can be added to your Milestone session up until to the day before your booking. Your little one’s Milestone session starts with one classic outfit, which we will take several images in. At this age the session moves fast, since little people want to be on the move. Sometimes Milestone sessions require picking up and putting your child back on the backdrop (which is a fun way to get your workout in). After the classic outfit photos are finished, you can make an outfit change. For girls I suggests rompers, which are super cute, photogenic, and easy to wear. I’ve found some great options on Etsy (LINK), Nordstrom(LINK), and through Instagram – if you need help finding them, go to my Instagram page and check out who I follow. (INSTAGRAM LINK) I suggest these because they are comfortable for little girls and less fuss than dresses or other types of clothing with a lot of detail to them. For boys, something simple like jeans, overalls, or a onesie is great. I tend to steer clients away from busy patterns or very loud colors because it can draw attention away from your child or date itself quickly, but if you love wild colors I will fully embrace it!


Now its nap time for your little cutie! Your images will be ready in 2-3 weeks with a sneak peek somewhere in there. But what about for little ones older than a year? 18 month sessions are next on the Milestone Session schedule, or try out a themed session like a “paint me silly” canvas and finger paints, or a fun and interactive outdoor experience. Get in touch with me with all of your creative ideas, or let me help you plan your next kids portrait session!
Angie

Verb Photography

Edmonds, WA