The Cake Smash is one of our more popular shoots, but for all those bringing their kids in for a messy memory making play time session, there are just as many confused by the whole concept.

So imagine a perfectly decorated cake with smooth frosting or possibly a personalised message from your favourite Disney character.  To you, this may look like a tasty treat.  To a 1 year old it looks like a tasty assault course, projectile, paint medium, dress up accessory and pillow in one!  The Cake Smash shoot is about letting the baby/toddler go crazy, letting their imagination run wild and taking photos of them having a fantastic time; without the rules.

Traditionally, it’s a photoshoot to commemorate a child’s first birthday.  In many cases, it’s the child’s first real taste of sugar – which, of course, only adds to the hyper excitement of their enjoyment.  They’ve been popular for children over the past 10-15 years, with some families doing them for every child as they reach their 1 year milestone.  There is no consensus of the Cake Smash origin, there are theories about it being an adaptation of the traditional Mexican face-plant birthday cake, as well as some Australians having done cake smashes for decades in their families.  Regardless of the roots, the internet has caused this to become a birthday sensation!

They come to the studio in Hemel Hempstead, wearing a pretty dress or smart outfit.  Sit down in front of the camera, get handed a cake and ACTION!  We have cake smash outfits, wooden spoon, bunting and a cake stand to use in the shoot; we also do the Smash & Splash and provide a bath to clean up afterwards!  If you choose to bring a specific outfit, we can take a dressed up shot first, before it gets all messy (free of charge).  But the shoot can go in any direction and should you want to incorporate a specific theme, just let us know and we’ll be happy to accommodate.

These shoots are fun for all involved – the unbridled enthusiasm of the birthday boy or girl, mixed with the laughs of mum and dad make for a great photo session.

Few rules are associated with this shoot for obvious reasons; but our tips would be:

• Bring a couple of outfits, just in case
• Get a cake with soft frosting, as hard icing can be tough (We recommend Maggies Cakes & Cupcakes, tell them it’s for a cake smash and they’ll get the perfect cake)
• Make sure the cake looks exciting for your child – maybe a character they love or just bright colours
• If your little one isn’t keen on messy hands, plastic utensils and wood spoons can make great play tools
• Relax.  We’ll clean up all the mess later, so just enjoy the moment so your little one can too

The standard Cake Smash shoot starts at just £99 – and includes around 25 high-res digitally finished images on USB

Here are a few of our favourite Cake Smash shoots: