Cake Smash 101

Cake is the Answer!

Baby turning ONE is indeed a milestone worthy of celebration! This is not only for the little one, but also for mum and dad - who survived the many diaper changes and sleepless nights.

Of late, I've received many requests for ‪#‎cakesmash‬ photography sessions, which are such a fun and adorable way to celebrate! To help parents (especially first-timers), I've put together some tips to prepare for a stress free and enjoyable cake smash.

1. Begin with a theme in mind

Whether it is animals or sofia the first, choosing a theme would allow you to coordinate outfits, balloons and even cake! It will also make sure you stay on track, especially in creating a cohesive coloured set. You wouldn't want to have pink and purple balloons in a safari themed session. 

You can also opt to go simple - by choosing a colour palette of complementary colours. For example - baby pink, blush, white and gold; baby blue, white, and navy blue; white and gold; purple, pink, and cream.

2) Location

For beautiful, well-lit photos, it is essential that your location be filled with a good amount of natural light. Not too crowded spaces are also the most ideal for photography. You can choose to have it at home, where there is a large enough area or at a favourite park. 

3) Cake matters

While the detailing on fondant cakes are beautiful to look at and photograph, they are not smash friendly. Go for something fluffy and soft, as it can be easily squished and 'pounded' on by the little hands. For mummies who know how to work an oven, there are a ton of recipes online for you to work with.

For the ones, like me (I may just burn the kitchen down!), who have not learned the art of baking , you can let your caker baker know that you want a small cake (a 500g cake would be more than enough) for a baby cake smash. They should know what to do!

p/s: You can refer to some of my favourite bakers in the Klang Valley at the end of the post.

4) Preparing the birthday boy/girl

It is important to get the star of the show - the birthday boy/girl - ready and enthusiastic! Not all babies like getting their hands all mushed up with cake. To prep, I highly recommend giving them cupcakes (baby safe ones - ie not too sweet and with no preservatives) a few times prior to the scheduled session. Encourage them to have a go at feeding themselves - and don't worry about the mess, you can clean that up later.

5) Eat cake and have fun!

Children will be children. Let them laugh, cry and go on a exploration of their senses during the session.

Cake get into their hair, it's OK;
on their dress, that's OK too;
into their mouth, even better!

When they are allowed to be exactly who they are, that's when some of my favourite photos are created. Mummies, daddies, big brothers and sisters can also join the fun, and have a taste of cake, and make some sweet memories. 

RECOMMENDED VENDORS

BAKERS
1. it's baked by Suli
2. temptation by JinAnn
3. porcupine place 

BALLOONS
balloon puff by Rachel

PARTY PLANNERS
You may opt to have someone bring the balloons, cake and style a session especially for you - 
1. Su Yen
2. Pretty Little Things
3. Moments

Ready to get smashin and book a session? Get in touch, to find out more!