Prep Guide for Smash and Splash | Classic one Year Old Portraits

Houston Newborn & Baby Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink, shares tips for preparing for little one's cake smash and bubble bath session.

Cake Smash & Splash Prep Guide for Parents

Greetings! Thank you for choosing me to photograph your little one’s cake smash and splash! I am very excited to have them in the studio, or even on-location, for a gorgeous set of one-year portraits. Cake smash sessions are adorable and are a super fun way to celebrate the monumental milestone of your sweet baby turning one! Here is everything you need to know about our session together. A cake smash and splash are when baby smashes a cake followed by splashing in the tub! If you would like to omit the bubble bath (or prefer the bubble bath to the smash) let me know in advance so we may adjust session design. Most parents book in the studio because this ensures baby is happy and well rested since we do not have to worry about the sunrise/sunset light. My outdoor sessions take place right as the sun is coming up and right as it is going down so if you prefer outdoor lighting remember that nap times may need to be adjusted so baby is well rested for their session.

I provide the following for cake smash and splash:

• Time & talent designated in your session type (mini, standard, deluxe)

• A white cake stand or cream antique high chair

• · Vintage quilt if outdoors

• · Rustic floor props for baby to sit upon such as a box or bowl

• · Farmhouse bowl for the bubble bath

• · Warm water & bubbles

Parents provide the following for cake smash and splash:

• · A cake of their choice (typically 9”)

• · Any specific décor or props you would like that are not seen in my studio

• · Balloons, streamers, cake topper etc. If you are bringing additional décor, let me know in advance so I may set aside more time for set up

• · Diaper cover for baby during their cake smash or a birthday outfit

• · Towel to clean baby up + extra outfit

When Do Cake Smashes Take Place?

Cake smashes are best done when the baby is 11 months old and not yet walking. This is also a great time to book your cake smash so you may receive your photos and prints before baby’s birthday party. Many parents like to use the photos for invitations so it’s best to plan wisely. Always give yourself enough planning time. There is a two week turnaround time for photos so keep this in mind when contacting me for your cake smash. I want this to be a great experience for you!

My Baby Portraiture Style

My favorite way to photograph babies is in a simple, classic and timeless scene. I like to avoid too many props because it detracts from baby and is distracting in the images. Feel free to peruse my portfolio in advance so we can make sure we’re a good fit for one another!

Here are sample sessions to view:

• · In Studio Portion of Bubble Bath

• · In Studio One Year Old Portraits & Cake Smash

• · In Studio Sitter Session Prop Styles

• · Outdoor Cake Smash at Telge Park

• · Adorable & Classic Baby Boy Cake Sunset Cake Smash

• · Cherry Pie Smash at Sunset

• · Pumpkin Pie Fall Cake Smash

• · Baby Girl Cake Smash in Historic Setting at Sunrise

• · Sunrise Watermelon Session with Super Cute Little Girl

Helpful Tips in Preparation for Baby’s Session

• · Let the cake sit in the car overnight so it is warm and easy for baby to get into

• · Avoid fondant icing – babies often dislike the texture

• · HEB makes wonderful 9” white cakes with buttercream icing

• · If using a colored icing remember this may stain baby’s skin; red velvet cake, for an instance, will also stain the baby’s skin and it will look like the baby is injured in the photos.

• · Bring a towel and change of clothes for baby

Thanks again for choosing me to photograph your baby! Let me know if you have any questions so I may assist!

-Sarah

Cake Smash Smack Down | Must Have Photos for Baby's First Year

Baby's First Cake Smash Photography in Houston Texas. Chandler's Baby Plan Membership features a newborn session, 7 month sitter session, as well as a sweet cake smash session.

First Year of Life: Baby Plan Membership to Sarah Borchgrevink Photography

Good morning, friends! Thanks for visiting the blog! Today's blog post is a year in review for Chandler's baby plan membership. You may be wondering what exactly this is. As a professional newborn baby photographer, I offer a curated membership to my photography services. These cater to the first year of baby's life and encompass the sweetest new milestones for your little one! You will cherish these images forever. 

Many of my newborn clients move forward with the membership because they have already developed a relationship with the photographer. Moreover, the photos will match on the walls because they're the same style. It's also nice because there is a discount to clients who book multiple sessions at once.

Before I preview Chandler's cake smash session, let's take a quick peek at a few of his other sessions. 

The baby plan membership to Sarah Borchgrevink Photography includes the following:

• Custom newborn portraiture session taking place in my Houston Newborn Photography Studio

• 7 month sitter milestone session

• 12 month cake smash session with option to add bubble bath for a "smash and splash"

Sweet Chandler has been such a dream to photograph, so of course when it came time for his cake smash session, I was really excited to see him! Working with baby's over their first year is bittersweet: on one hand, you remember how small and little they were as newborns, just so sweet and cuddly, but then when you see them at the cake smash session they're walking and saying a few words, soon to be a toddler on the move! His parents also booked an outdoor, natural light family session so they're my featured family of the month, too!

Cake Smash Smack Down Details

Little known fact: sometimes a 12 month kiddo does not like cake. I know, I know. It *seems* like what could could NOT want cake, but think of it like this: for the first year of baby's life, they've either had formula, breast milk (or some type of combination) and maybe some baby food. A lot of parents are not introducing solids until a little later, too, so baby has never even seen or had cake. It also can be overwhelming to little one. 

Cake smash tip from an experienced baby photographer: put the cake in the car the afternoon of your shoot. It'll be warm and easy to get into. Also avoid fondant so baby likes the taste of the icing. If the cake is cold, baby dislike the temperature and texture. 

But sometimes the baby LOVES the cake! You never know what's going to happen during these session. The anticipation is, admittedly, really fun as photographer, ha! 

For Chandler's cake smash, we used an outdoor, natural light location in Houston, Texas for his session. My baby plan membership currently includes studio, but parents can upgrade to an outdoor session (sunrise or sunset) for an additional fee. 

We used one of my favorite vintage props for a timeless feel: the cream distressed antique high char, yes! I love to remove distracting items, such as tons of props, and only use a few pieces so baby is showcased. Simple make me happy, so I urge parents  to make sure they like the same style as me. :-) 

Chandler did not dissapoint! Here are some of my favorite images from his cake smash smack down! 

If you enjoyed reading about Chandler's cake smash session, here are some other blog posts you may like checking out, too!

• Baby Milestone Photography Sessions in Houston

• Sample Galleries by Sarah Borchgrevink | Houston's Best Newborn Photographer

• Outdoor Dynamic Maternity Portraits for Expecting Mothers & Couples

The Cutest Pumpkin at the Patch | Ben Turns One with a Smash

Houston Baby Photographer, Sarah Borchgrevink Photography, offers adorable outdoor and natural light first birthday and cake smash sessions. Check out Benjamin's one year session!

Benjamin Turns The Big One with a Fall Inspired Pumpkin Pie Smash

Hi, friends and happy Monday to you! I'm excited you're here at my blog. If you've stopped by, you're in for a treat because today's sweet blog post chats about the cutest little pumpkin in the patch, aka Benjamin! He is a Baby Plan Membership client of mine meaning his parents commissioned me to photograph his newborn, sitter, and one year birthday photos. I adore working with these clients as they're especially near and to me.

A few questions I often am asked are where do cake smashes take place, what's included, and how to book. I'm honored to assist you! To begin: cake smash sessions take place either in my Houston Newborn & Baby Studio or from an outdoor location list I've curated over the years.

For cake smashes, I provide simple props like a vintage high chair, buckets, boxes, crates, etc. Anything super specific to your theme or decor is provided by parents. You're welcome to go as simple or festive as you like. In this case, for instance, Ben's parents chose to do the cake smash after his first birthday party so they brought decorations from his fall inspired October birthday party. 

If you have a little girl, you may be interested in reading about the following:

• Whimsical and Shabby-Chic Baby Girl First Birthday Session

Fall Inspired Outdoor Cake Smash Session

As you can see from the detailed images below, Ben's parents provided some super adorable details, such as home made baked pumpkin pie (that smelled so delicious!) as well as a banner with his name and a cake topper. They also provided the pumpkin. At the photographer, I brought the barrel and the high chair. 

Before the actual smash, however, I really like to spend time with baby taking some individual portraits of him. This is when we show off their first birthday milestones, such as walking, if they are walking at this time, standing, clapping, etc, and of course those adorable contagious smiles that parents love so dearly! It's so fun to see little one again, especially when you're a baby plan client, because I've been documenting the first year of life since newborn.

For this session, we used a great location in NW Houston called Telge Park. Because it is fall and the busiest time of the year for photos, we found a quiet little spot so it worked out nicely! We also shot at sunset so baby could have a long afternoon nap. A tip I always share with my baby clients: choose a time for your session in which baby is most happy. My sessions begin early in the morning or later in the evening, so this is an important factor for having a really great session!

After individual images of little one and the detailed shots of their decor and themed set up, we move on to the grand finale: the smash! One of my favorite parts of this Houston Cake Smash and First Birthday Session is the pumpkin pie. There's something super endearing about keeping the season in mind; his mom made the most adorable pumpkin pie. Ben was a little unsure of the pie at first, however, I was completely in love with his sweet toes, long lashes, and his beautiful grins, so he kept me busy at this part! 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog to read about Ben's first birthday and cake smash session! I hope you return soon to see more adorable sessions I've had the honor of photographing. You may also be interested in seeing the outdoor family photos we took with his parents before the actual smash took place. :-) 

Sarah Borchgrevink Photography is a Houston Newborn Photographer specializing in gorgeous posed newborn sessions. Her studio is located in Northwest Houston. In addition to breathtaking baby portraiture, Sarah also offers stylish natural light family photography as well as dynamic outdoor maternity sessions for expecting mothers and couples. Sarah joyfully serves the entire Harris and Montgomery county areas including North Houston, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Jersey Village, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, Willis, Montgomery, Humble, Kingwood, Porter, New Caney, Waller, Memorial & West Houston, Katy, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Pearland, Hempstead, Richmond, West University, Rice Village and Porter TX. Connect to chat with Sarah today! Please consider booking your session at your earliest convenience in order to secure your appointments on the calendar.