The Mom Series: 1st Birthday Sessions
After getting to know your baby as a newborn, to their first smile, first tooth, the first year of life is filled with so many incredible firsts all leading to the big celebration of their first birthday. I know, you look at your baby and think, where did my small peanut go? I recently had a mom tell me, instead of thinking, time is flying, he’s growing too fast, remember, each milestone is awesome! This made me super excited as yesterday we celebrated my son’s 11 month milestone!
In celebration of first birthdays, I’m sharing a few tips from cake smashes, themed first birthday sessions, and the sweetest little ones!
Here’s my guide to getting the most out of your child’s first birthday session.
Consultation Is Key
Consultation is an important part of the process for any session but with first birthday sessions they are absolutely crucial because there is so much that goes into getting that perfect photo. Crafty is my middle name , and I love building custom props, banners and backdrops for first birthday sessions!
Theme
Is there a specific theme that you want for your child’s session? Like any party or celebration, a cake smash needs a theme! We can have custom backgrounds made like the one I did for this little Patriots fan. Also, props make it pop! Props (a favorite toy, something from their birthday party) are the extra ingredient that tie the whole theme of your session together. In the session for my little Patriots fan, his mom brought in a football that was part of the decor for his baby shower!
The Cake
There is one thing we can’t forget and that is the cake! If you would like one of those special customized cakes you’ve seen on Pinterest, I would recommend Europe Cakes in the Paddock Arcade. Their desserts are delicious and conveniently located nearby to the studio. A lot of times you can order a specialty cake for your kiddos birthday, and a special cake for smashing.
You can also bake you’re own cake like the Moana Cake above. If you’re baking your own cake I recommend making a cake that has layers. They give a good height to the cake and it helps them to look awesome in the photos!
Something Other Than Cake
But….. What if they don’t like cake? Don’t worry! That just means I can be creative! I have done a few creative substitutions for cakes including pizza smashes, guitar smashes and cupcake smashes! My ultimate cake substitution would be a Spaghetti Smash session which sounds really messy but fun! Maybe one of you would like to be the first? Or a Cereal Smash? Or how about Super Smash Brothers… as you can see, my ideas are endless!
More Non-Cake Ideas
Some first birthday session we just pick a few pretty things for the baby and take some sweet photos in the studio or on location.
Important Note
Don’t forget a change of clothes and your little’s favorite beverage. Cake smashing is hard work. We get messy! Don’t worry about the cleanup, I’ve got it down to a science. We have a large restroom for a quick clean up for your little one as well as a handy pack of fragrance free baby wipes for the studio and on location.
Sharing Your Joy
Who would like to receive your photos? This is one question I ask at the consultation and after the clients view their photos. Some clients love the Folio box as a family heirloom featuring their child's birthday photos, some clients choose one big print for their home, I have even created birthday books featuring photos from the birthday session. This way, clients can have a book with each years photos! It’s like having a year book without all the autographs.
That’s a wrap!
The after effects of a first birthday session!
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