Alana Taylor Photography - The Ultimate Preparation Guide for Cake Smash Session

Preparation Guide Cake Smash Shoot

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Below, You will find everything you need to know about preparing for your Cake Smash Session:

How the Prepare for the Big Day
What to Bring
What to expect on the day
Tips for keeping your baby happy/engaged
How to make the most of the cake smash experience
Everything to help ease those last-minute jitters

Cake smash sessions are a fantastic way to celebrate your little one’s milestone, and with the right preparation, we’ll capture those perfect, messy, and joyful moments that you’ll treasure forever.

To help you get the most out of your session, this guide covers everything from how to keep your baby comfortable to tips on what to bring.

And don't worry, I know every baby has their own unique style when it comes to cake smashing. Some are all-in for messy fun, while others prefer to keep things a bit more refined (until they figure out how tasty the cake is!). No matter your little one’s vibe, I’ve got all the tips and tricks to make sure they shine in front of the camera.

So, make sure baby is Camera-Ready, maybe grab a few extra wipes, and let’s create some memories you’ll be laughing about for years to come! After all, who doesn’t love a good cake-covered baby photo?

At Alana Taylor Photography, we’ve designed this guide to ensure your cake smash session is stress-free and fun for both you and your little one. So, let’s dive into the details and get ready for some smashing memories!

Must Haves/Must Bring

Towels and Facewasher for after the Bath Tub Photos
Spare Clothes (For you and dad) – Trust me, you will get messy!
Sippy Cup for Bubs to help wash down the cake
Body Wash if they have sensitive skin (fowever I have QV Soap Free)
Don’t forget the backup dummy! Losing it could spell disaster.

Snacks for Baby

Bring along babies favorite snacks.Things like Biscuits, Mum-Mums, Cheerios, or Puffs, these snacks looks like cake. If fruit is a favorite, that’s cool too. We can sneak them into the cake to make it look like your little one is indulging. Ssshhh.. If you don't tell, we wont!

Babies are used to eating in their highchair, right? Then, out of nowhere, they’re sitting on the floor in what looks like a play centre, staring at this thing that looks like a toy but feels all gooey and strange. I mean... WHAT?! No wonder they’re totally confused!

To get baby into "eating mode" and embrace the messy-hands vibe for the cake smash, we often start with a familiar snack if they’re not sure what to do. Generallly once they're munching away on snacks, trying the cake usually comes naturally!

If cake isn’t their thing, no worries! They can snack away while we make it look like they’re diving into the cake. It all looks the same on camera anyway!

Cakes can become less appealing to babies quite quickly as they get bored, get full, or simply tire of the sweet taste, so snacks are our secret weapon! They keep little ones happily enough in the cake-smashing zone long enough for me to snap a few more adorable poses if needed. Plus, who doesn’t love a snack break in the middle of a sugar-coated adventure?

Think of the snack as the training wheels for cake destruction—it’s all part of the master plan!

Playful boy making a mess with his cake, surrounded by bright and festive decorations in his cake smash session

Favorite Toy/Comfort Item
That trusty sidekick can be the secret weapon to keeping baby calm and happy. It's like baby’s version of a stress ball!

Baby’s Favorite Songs/Videos Are Ready to Save the Day

Be sure your phone is locked and loaded with your baby’s favorite songs or YouTube videos—just in case we need them on the fly. Trust me, there's nothing worse than having a cranky baby while you’re frantically searching through your playlist!However sometimes this can backfire with babies as they want to hold the phone. So often used as a last resort

Real Smiles!

Next up, it’s time to get real smiles and contagious giggles out of your kiddo! No Fake Smiles Wanted!Depending on your child’s age and personality, sometimes getting those smiles can be challenging when a stranger is holding a camera in front of them, especially for babies. I may need your help by standing behind me and making silly faces, singing, or dancing to make your little one laugh. They love their mommy or daddy more than anyone else!

Think of a few ways to make them laugh before you arrive. It’s easy to forget when you’re in the moment! Think outside the box. Sometimes, silly faces or peek-a-boo just dont cut it. The key is to evoke genuine fun and laughter; interaction often helps them focus less on the camera and more on the surroundings

Animal sounds
Big reactions such as Sneezing/Coughing
Singing Favorite Songs
Peek-a-Boo
Play “I’m gonna get you!
”Say Things like Dad, Dad or Mum, Mum

My Interaction with your Baby

In saying the above. During your session it's important to get your baby to also interact with me and the camera. This is purely to get gorgeous images of connection with your baby where they are looking into the camera not above me or to the side of me, depending on where you are standing.

Managing Baby Overstimulation

Babies can get easily overstimulated when too many people are vying for their attention. I usually recommend having just one person interact with the baby at a time. Too much noise and commotion can make them tune everything out, making it hard for them to focus or respond. If this happens, we might need to quiet the room for a quick "reset"—like hitting the refresh button. Once things calm down, it’s usually much easier to get the baby’s attention back.

Smiling boy with a cake all over him, captured during a lively and colorful cake smash session

Don’t Assume they will Dive Head First In

We begin by taking pictures of your little one in their cake smash outfit before introducing the cake and try to get some cute smiles before we start.

All parents hope that their little one will dive in and make a mess of the cake. However this doesn’t always happen and that’s okay. We let your baby set the pace, as some littles ones dig right in and destroy the cake, and others need a little bit of encouragement and sometimes even help to get into their cake. Be ready to get your hands dirty and help your little one get past all that frosting to the cake underneath!

I suggest to all my clients to practice with their little one at home with smashing up a cake and making a mess. It is really important as some little ones do freak out if they have never done this sort of thing before. Not every child wants to dive right in and make a mess no matter what tricks we try. It’s important to know that even if they don’t turn their cake into a gooey pile of crumbs, I am still able to catch fun images of them poking at it or carefully picking bits of icing or decorations. Sometimes we may need to strategically place a little icing to help things along, or other times mom or dad may have to get involved by smashing up the cake for them :) It’s also a good idea to bring along a favourite toy and some snacks in case your little one needs some encouragement.

May I invite Family Members to the Session?

Your session is exclusive to 2 adults. I like to keep the maximum family members at this session to the immediate family members only. Too many people trying to get your child to smile or talking, will distract your child.

Come prepared for one Heck of a Mess

One thing parents don’t often realise is that they too will likely become covered in cake and icing during the session (picture your little miss or mister running/crawling straight towards you with icing coated hands), so a change of clothes for everyone, not just the birthday boy or girl, is a good idea.

Will I (Mum or Dad) get Messy?

You most likely will. You will have to show your child that they can eat the cake so you might have to take a bite yourself. Yummy! Also, your child may stand up and walk or crawl around or maybe even need a cuddle (Oh no! lol), so you will have to keep putting your child back into the designated space. Your will get frosting on your clothes so don't wear anything you do not want to get ruined.

Watch out for Allergies

Offering your child a cake during their session that has ingredients they have never had before isn’t a great idea. This one may seem obvious, but it isn’t always to everyone. In the past I photographed a dear friends daughter’s first birthday cake smash and afterwards she broke out in a pretty bad rash and I felt horrible. I am 99% sure it was due to the cake icing which contained red food coloring which of course she had never been exposed to before. It’s something to keep in mind. So please make sure that you little one has had cake and icing before the Cake Smash. Also be aware that depending on the colours you choose for your cake smash the food coloring may tinge your bubs skin. This will come out late in the day x

Now lets get Clean and Have a Splash

We wrap up Cake Smash Session with Cute Mini Bath Tub Photos. You have probably seen them all over my website and socials. Most babies love water and the fun of splashing around, so it’s the perfect way to end the session on a high note. Not only does it make for some super cute photos, but it also gives your little one a chance to clean up and have a blast at the same time. Plus, capturing those joyful moments in the bath adds an extra layer of fun and memories to your cake smash experience!