All you need to know about the Cake Smash session

Cake smash sessions are always a hit—children love the freedom to get messy and play with their food. It’s fun, instinctive, and a natural part of how they explore the world around them. By creating a playful, relaxed environment for your child, we capture genuine expressions and unforgettable moments, resulting in truly unique and memorable photographs.

The Cake Smash session lasts up to one hour and is divided into three fun-filled parts:

first birthday girl playing with her sister

Before the Cake Smash

We begin with some clean, non-messy portraits. We always encourage the whole family to join in—it’s a wonderful opportunity to update your family photos. We’ll also capture some beautiful solo portraits of the birthday boy or girl. This gentle start allows your little one to become familiar with the new environment and settle in comfortably before the real fun begins.

baby boy smiling eating cake photo session dublin

The Cake Smash

Next, we bring out the cake! We usually let your baby explore it at their own pace—touching, tasting, and discovering all the textures. If they need a little encouragement, we introduce our secret “tool” (a wooden spoon!) to help them dig in and smash away. Sometimes we even hide tiny treats inside the cake to spark curiosity and keep those little fingers busy. We use all our tried-and-true tricks to make sure we capture joyful, expressive, and unforgettable moments.

baby-pics-photos-girl-first-birthday-gift-dublin-photographer-1

The Splash Session

After all that delicious mess, it’s time for a bubbly clean-up. We move on to a small tub filled with just enough warm water to reach your baby’s legs. Gentle baby bath products are used to create soft bubbles. Then it’s splash time! More laughter, more fun, and even more adorable photo opportunities to finish the session on a high note.

Are you wondering what goes into a

60min

Cake Smash session?

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes glimpse of our Cake Smash and Splash photoshoot, so you can see all the fun (and a bit of the beautiful chaos!) that happens along the way.

The Props and Outfits for Your Cake Smash

Planning & Styling

We begin by thoughtfully planning every detail of your session, including the theme, colour palette, decorations, and overall look. This ensures everything comes together beautifully and feels cohesive on the day of the shoot.

Props & Outfits

We offer a wide selection of props and outfits for both boys and girls. You’re also very welcome to bring along special items—such as personalised t-shirts, name plaques, or meaningful keepsakes—to make the session truly unique and personal.

Set Design & Finishing Touches

The set is styled with balloons, bunting, and carefully chosen decorations to match your vision. Whether you prefer something simple and elegant or a more lush, elaborate setup, we’ll create a design that perfectly reflects your style.

The Cake

helpful guidelines

Colours & Icing

Buttercream or another soft icing works best for photos. It smashes beautifully and photographs light and creamy.
Avoid chocolate and bright red icing, as they can appear quite dark—or even blood-like in the case of red—when smeared on baby’s skin and the set.

Size Matters

Smaller cakes (around 8″–10″ in diameter) are ideal.
Larger cakes can overwhelm little ones and may hide your baby behind them in photos.

A Little Taste Test First

Many babies haven’t had much “cakey” food before their first birthday.

It’s a great idea to offer a small piece of cake or a cupcake before the session

baby can get used to the taste and texture
will help them feel more comfortable and confident during the shoot

If you can't or don't like to use cake

If cake isn’t quite your thing, there are plenty of fun alternatives to choose from. We can opt for a fruit smash, a paint splash session, or any other creative idea you have in mind. The key is choosing something playful and engaging—anything that keeps your little one entertained and having fun will make for wonderful photos!