Zhua Zhou Portraits and a Cake Smash for Baby’s First Birthday

This was my first time photographing a Zhua zhou, a traditional Chinese ceremony celebrating a baby’s first birthday. When Kayden’s mom reached out to plan her session, she told me she wanted to do it in two parts: a zhua zhou ceremony to honor their Chinese heritage, followed by a traditional western cake smash. I absolutely loved the idea and couldn’t wait for them to come into the studio! 

Zhua zhou is a ceremony marking the baby’s first birthday. During the ceremony, parents place an assortment of items in front of their child and the child chooses what they want. Tradition said that what the child chooses would determine their future capabilities and interests. Each item symbolizes a career path and helps reveal the child’s potential personality traits, too! Zhua zhou is really about parents sharing their good wishes and hopes for the future of their children. It was so special to be a part of Kayden’s ceremony! 

Kayden loved exploring the different objects, picking them up, and putting many of them into her mouth. Some of the objects were a ball (to represent an athlete), a steamed bun (to represent a little foodie), a gavel (a lawyer), a scepter (diplomat), a book (teacher), etc. She kept coming back to the bun, and her parents laughed at how much she enjoyed food and how she was their little foodie.

Next we did her cake smash, and this little foodie did not disappoint! She was certainly one of the most enthusiastic smashers I have enjoyed having in the studio this year, and I adored her session. We had the most beautiful cake from Indulgence Bakery! I loved the swiss dot pattern on the buttercream, and it may just be my new favorite style of a simple cake. Kayden was definitely a fan, too! 

Thank you to Kayden and her parents for trusting me to capture both parts of their family’s story. I’m so honored and I loved learning about this unique tradition! 

toddler in white and red outfit reaches for various items during Zhua Zhou portraits in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in traditional white and red Asian outfit reaches for various items during Zhua Zhou ceremony in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in traditional white and red Asian outfit reaches for various items during Zhua Zhou ceremony in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in traditional white and red Chinese outfit reaches for various items during Zhua Zhou ceremony in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in traditional white and red Chinese outfit chews on item during Zhua Zhou ceremony in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in traditional white and red Chinese outfit chews on item during Zhua Zhou ceremony in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper  puts icing in her mouth during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper plays with white cake during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper leans forward to bite cake during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper leans forward to bite cake during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper plays with wooden spoon pushing cake off cake tray during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper plays with cake pushed off the cake tray during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper plays with cake on the floor  during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl in ivory romper plays with cake on the floor  during cake smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bathtub with rubber duck after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds daughter on her lap sitting together on the sofa before first birthday portrait session in studio with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on couch with daughter before first birthday portrait session in studio with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad lifts up daughter sitting on sofa before first birthday portrait session in studio with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Zhua Zhou Portraits and a cake smash for baby’s first birthday photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A teddy bear theme cake smash for an Adirondack Mountain baby

Happy birthday, Bennett! I’m so excited that Krystie brought her sweet babies back to my studio for their youngest’s cake smash this spring. Baby Bennett is now one! To celebrate his first birthday, we created a super fun teddy bear cake smash setup inspired by the family’s trip to the Adirondacks. Bennett loved their time in the mountains and near the lake, and I love that they wanted to incorporate such a special memory into his portraits. 

For Bennett’s cake smash setup, I kept things clean and simple. We had a sweet cut out of some mountains and then he brought his favorite bears from home for a personal touch. With a rustic inspired ONE sign and some twinkle lights, his setup was complete. Mom and dad chose a super sweet brown overall onesie for the birthday boy and a custom crown. He even had a bear ear hat! It was perfect - and I think a great way to honor such a big moment! Bennett was all about the cake - digging right in, with lots of excitement and great expressions. I’m not at all surprised though! When his big brother Easton came in for his music themed cake smash, he was also super into his cake! 

Of course, before Bennett got all icing covered, we spent a few minutes creating new family portraits for Bennett, his parents, and big brother. Their parents put them in the cutest matching ivory sweaters that looked great in my neutral Saratoga Springs studio. Great choice! Bennett wasn’t too sure of me then, but by the time his moment in the spotlight came, he was ready! 

I’m so thankful this family has trusted me to capture their sons’ first birthdays in my studio. What a great family tradition! 


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A Simple Woodland Cake Smash Setup for Baby Boy’s First Birthday

How is Lucas already a one year old?! This was our fifth session together thanks to our Collective Membership, and Lucas absolutely loved the camera! He was so comfortable in the studio, and he had a blast digging into his cake to celebrate turning one. Seeing babies be super comfortable with me is definitely a huge perk of being a part of the membership! 

For Lucas’ first birthday portraits, his mom and dad wanted to keep the setup super simple. We brought in elements of the woods, including the gorgeous pine tree trunks and greenery. With lots of fairy lights intertwined with the leaves on the floor, the setup became more whimsical and fun for this sweet boy. His outfit was also simple, but Lucas looked absolutely adorable in his overalls! 

My favorite portraits from his cake smash are actually where Lucas is smiling up at his mom and dad. His eyes just light up when he sees them, and I hope they always look back at these portraits and see the love that they reflected right back on to him. It was so precious to see those moments happen in real life and to have saved them forever for Lucas and his parents is beyond special to me! 

Happy first birthday, Lucas! I can’t believe you’re already such a big boy!! 


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Timeless First Birthday Portraits with a Cake Smash

Baby Kennedy isn’t such a baby anymore! This little girl is now a year old! We celebrated with timeless first birthday portraits in my Saratoga Springs studio. Mom wanted a simple and classic session and to keep the focus on her birthday baby, which I totally get. With that in mind, we wanted to create really timeless portraits. I think we did it - and I hope you’ll think so too. Kennedy’s session really reminded me that sometimes less is more when it comes to a cake smash setup! 

We chose to do a simple backdrop of super white seamless paper, and let this baby girl be the star of the show! I’m a huge fan of simplicity, and I loved how timeless these portraits turned out. For some of the session, she got to sit in my favorite white highchair for her cake smash - with my infamous wooden birthday cake. Afterwards, we got her down and in her sparkly blue dress, she dove into the simple white cake we had for her. Kennedy was absolutely adorable and I LOVED watching her figure out how to get into the cake.  

It was also important to capture new portraits of her and her parents in the studio. Honestly, family portraits in the studio at this age are always so much fun! There’s also lots of laughs, big smiles, showing off their personality and new milestones achieved. Look at the big personality in the photo of Kennedy walking! Love it!!

Happy birthday, Kennedy! I loved planning and capturing your stunning timeless birthday photos. Enjoy this next year!

toddler in blue dress sits in white high chair playing with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits in white high chair laughing in blue dress sits playing with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon next to rustic cake with wooden topper during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
close up of toddler’s toes in blue dress sits in white high chair during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon next to rustic cake with wooden topper during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon covered in icing during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with cake knocked off cake smash stand during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with cake knocked off cake smash stand during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with toddler on tan couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in grey sweater hugs toddler daughter in ivory sweater on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with toddler on tan couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad lifts up toddler daughter in ivory sweater making her laugh on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in ivory sweater and white leggings with pink bow sits on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in ivory sweater and white leggings with pink bow sits on wicker basket in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold daughter’s hand walking across floor in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold daughter in the air making her laugh in front of studio wall photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother hugs daughter kissing her cheek in front of studio wall photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Timeless First Birthday Portraits with a Cake Smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Tiger Jungle Themed Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

 I can’t believe Rhys is a year old! It seems like just yesterday, we were planning his newborn session and then he came in for his milestone portraits. Now, he’s a one year old and we had to celebrate with a fun tiger and jungle themed cake smash in my Saratoga Springs studio. I have worked with Rhys and his family to capture all three boys’ first year - so I knew his mom wouldn’t disappoint with another fun theme! I absolutely loved creating a playful jungle setup for Rhys to smash some cake!! 

Like his brothers, Rhys’ cake smash centered around an animal: a tiger. Both of his brothers also had animal inspired cake smashes, each one had a special significance for the baby. Rhys was born in the year of the tiger, so we incorporated a tiger into both his newborn & milestone portraits. We made sure to bring the tiger into his cake smash, too. I absolutely love how this came together with the jungle leaves and the stuffed tigers! His mom brought him in a super cute tiger outfit to tie it all together, too! 

During the cake smash, Rhys wasn’t super into his cake, but his big brothers loved digging in! It’s one of the reasons I always say “yes” to big siblings who come to join us - so someone will enjoy the cake!! Happy birthday, Rhys! I’m so happy I was able to watch you grow this past year. You’re such a little sweetheart!! 


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A tiger and jungle themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Mauve flowers and twinkle lights for a beautiful floral cake smash

Karina is a year old! I can’t believe this sweet baby girl is already a year old. To celebrate, we planned a gorgeous floral themed cake smash in the studio for her. To tie into her newborn portraits, we chose mauve flowers and twinkle lights. For those portraits, we used mauve accents and greenery. Put together for Karina’s cake smash, everything looked so beautiful. The entire setup felt super classic and elegant for this little girl!

Before Karina’s cake smash, we started with family portraits in Congress Park here in Saratoga Springs. We had a beautiful fall day and with all of the leaves on the ground, everything looked perfect. Karina’s big brother, Kaylen, was so excited to show her off and shower her with lots of hugs. It was sweet to watch them together!

When we were done, we headed into the studio to start her cake asmsh. Featuring a cake from Leah’s Cakery, Karina went right into it. She absolutely loved the icing! Kaylen couldn’t wait until he was asked to help, too. They were adorable together and I loved celebrating Karina’s first birthday! Enjoy a little peek into her cake smash!

baby girl in lace romper climbs on white bench during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with mauve flower during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with mauve flower during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake topped with mauve flower and wooden topper during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake and wooden spoon during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake and wooden spoon during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper licks icing off finger during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper eats icing off wooden spoon given to her by big brother during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brother licks icing off wooden spoon while sister reaches for cake during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper pulls on cake topper during cake smash with mauve flowers and twinkle lights in Saratoga Springs studio with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in bathtub after cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in bathtub after cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hug during fall family portraits in Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four hugs together standing in leaves at Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hug and brother kisses sister’s forehead during fall family portraits in Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four hugs together standing in leaves at Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds one year old daughter during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
brother holds sister in leaf pile during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
mom in black lace gown holds one year old daughter during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography

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Cake smash for baby girl with mauve flowers and twinkle lights in Saratoga Springs NY studio with New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Grayson's Fourth Trip Around the Sun - An Outer Space Cake Smash

I say it every year, but I can't even believe that our sweet boy is another year older! Grayson is FOUR. I don't know where the time goes, but it really does move at warp speed once you become a parent. It feels like we were just doing his other cake smash sessions not that long ago (check out his first birthday, second birthday, and third birthday portraits here!)

four year old laughs during outer space cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Every year I plan birthday portraits around a theme that is special to Grayson. When he was a baby, his favorite stuffed animal was a llama so we did a llama cake smash -- and it's still his favorite stuffed animal to this day! At age 2, he was obsessed with school buses, so naturally that's what his theme was. Last year at age 3, he was all about the mail truck.

But now this year feels different because he's not just into things with wheels anymore. As he likes to tell everyone, he's "really into space" and "obsessed with the planets."

Our little guy is super interested in learning everything he can about space. This future astronomer first saw pictures of the planets in a little card game a few months ago, and ever since then he can't get enough information about space!

toddler reaches for stars during cake smash with outer space theme photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

It quickly turned into trips to the library to check out informational books on space and a visit to the planetarium. He asks to read his space books multiple time a day, and his favorite ones are called "Wonderbooks" and they have a read-aloud story built right into the book so he can listen to them on his own. Grayson loves them and plays them over and over. He draws the planets on his chalkboard and rattles off a million and one facts about the planets, their moons, which ones are gassy, which ones are bigger than others, and why some are so cold. He talks about asteroid belts and comets, galaxies and the big bang. It feels like we've been living in a seventh grade science class relearning all of this information alongside him, but he LOVES it and it's amazing to see what he has absorbed and understood.

Grayson asked me to do a cake smash with him, and I told him he would have to help me plan it. Naturally, we chose a space theme for his fourth birthday! He helped pick out the decorations, he chose his outfit, and helped me get it all set up. I make his cakes because of his peanut allergy, and we had fun baking this sweet concoction.

Now that he's getting older he wants to be a lot more involved in the studio, and it's really fun watching that excitement blossom inside of him. He's a pretty cool kid, and I'm excited to watch him come into his own even more this year as a four year old!

outer space cake smash for four year old photographed by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler laughs during cake smash with outer space theme photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
4 year old licks blue icing off wooden spoon during outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler eats cake pop off top of cake during outer space themed cake smash photographed by Nicole Starr Photography in Saratoga Springs studio
toddler poses during cake smash with outer space themed photographed by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with blue icing and wooden spoon during 4th birthday cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler runs around cake during outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler smiles during planet inspired cake smash in New York studio photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY Cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler poses with space inspired cake for birthday photos in studio with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
four year old sits on navy backdrop with gold stars during outer space cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with space themed cake during outer space inspired cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on stool in front of outer space backdrop during four year birthday photos with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY milestone photographer
toddler smiles in space themed pajamas during outer space inspired birthday session with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler shows off spoon with blue icing during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits with blue planet inspired cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during cake smash for fourth birthday in Saratoga Springs NY studio photographed by Nicole Starr Photography

Planning your own little one's birthday portraits?


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A Music-Themed Cake smash for Baby Easton

I can’t believe Baby Easton is already one! It feels like yesterday that he came into the studio for his newborn session and now he’s a year old. I was so happy when his mom reached out to me to plan this cake smash for him. It’s the perfect way to celebrate your baby turning one! Cake smashes are completely personalized to your family and your baby, which makes them a great way to document this big milestone!

Since Easton loves going to weekly mommy & me music classes, his mom knew that they wanted to incorporate this into his cake smash. With a requested color palette of light blue, grey, and white, I was able to work on the setup. I love how all of the pieces came together - and I think Easton agrees. He was SO happy our entire session - and super chatty. We had a great time watching him enjoy his cake and crawl around the studio.

Happy first birthday, Easton!!

toddler bites into cake during music-themed cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits eating cake with silver cake topper during music-themed cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
baby eats icing from cake during music-themed cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon on teal cake stand during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents pose with toddler during Saratoga Springs family session in studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and son sit on sofa in studio during NY family session with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs family photographer
dad and son sit on sofa during studio family session with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY family photographer
toddler sits on sofa during studio milestone portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in curtains during studio family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family plays together during studio family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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My Favorite Balloon Garlands for Cake Smashes

I absolutely love balloon garlands! They’re such a fun way to decorate and build a setup for cake smashes in the studio. Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite balloon garlands so that when you start to plan your baby’s first birthday portraits, you’ve got some great ideas in mind.

Balloon garlands are an easy way to bring some color to the studio - especially if a family isn’t sure they want an actual them. They’re festive and celebratory! Paired with confetti, balloon garlands are a super fun way to celebrate your baby turning one!

Use Garlands instead of a Theme

Some families prefer to do a cake smash with no theme, but instead they have color inspiration they would like to use. A balloon garland pulls everything together and makes it festive. Just add a little confetti sprinkled on the floor, and you’re good to go!

You’ll see that we often use balloon garlands WITH a theme, too. It’s such a fun way to pull together a more theme (like the Easter Bunny, music, and a sports team, as you’ll see below!) by adding cutouts and other decor to complete the look.

Assembling Your Balloon Garland

As I prepare for birthday sessions, one of my jobs is assembling the balloon garlands. It’s much easier than you think! My number one tip is to make sure that you mix different sized balloons for a balanced look. I also love THESE balloon clips, which help me reuse my balloons for multiple sessions. All about low waste options! When you start to build the garland, bring your balloons really tightly together and then once you add it to your setup, you can re-arrange the balloons by flipping some forward and backward to get the look you want.

Below, you’ll find some of the most popular themes and color combinations - as well as a chance to click on some of the original blog posts and see the full setup!

I hope these portraits inspire you to include a balloon garland in your child’s first birthday portraits!

Pastels

baby plays with cake in front of pastel balloon garland for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, NY cake smash photographer
brothers eat cake during easter bunny inspired cake smash with pastel balloon arch photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in suspenders plays with wooden spoon during music inspired cake smash with pastel blue and white balloon garland photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pigtails plays with cake during ice cream inspired cake smash with pastel balloon arch photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with cake topper in front of pink and gold balloon garland for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub in front of pastel peach, pink and purple balloon arch photographed by Nicole Starr Photography, NY cake smash photographer

Blues

baby boy sits in front of assortment of blue balloons in balloon garland photographed by first birthday photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby puts icing in his mouth in front of blue and white balloon garland photographed by Nicole Starr Photography, NY cake smash photographer
baby crawls on floor during space themed cake smash with blue and tan balloon garland photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Chromes/Metallics

metallic balloon arch of purples and whites for pastel cake smash for first birthday photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in front of metallic balloon garland during cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

White with Florals

all-white balloon garland with floral accents for boho inspired cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby lifts wooden spoon during cake smash with all-white balloon garland with floral accents designed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Vibrant

baby plays with cake in front of orange, blue, and green balloon arch shared by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
blue, orange, and white balloon garland for Astros inspired cake smash for one year old in Saratoga Springs NY studio

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Favorite Balloon garlands for cake smashes with a variety of themes shared by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A First Trip Around the Sun Cake Smash

Happy birthday, Brandon! This little astronaut came to my Saratoga Springs NY studio for his first birthday cake smash - complete with an outer space theme. When Brandon’s parents inquired and began planning their portraits with me, I was super excited about the theme they mentioned. As we dove further into possible colors and ideas, we settled on some blues and oranges, with silver accents. Everything felt super space-y and was the perfect fit for their little birthday boy! Brandon was an absolute joy to photograph. He loved the spotlight and was excited to dig into his cake from Kelly Skitchenny! I don’t blame him… it looked delicious!

We rounded out his first birthday portraits with family portraits on the sofa in my studio. I love the classic and simple feel to these portraits - just these three and lots of smiles! What a perfect way to celebrate a first birthday!!

toddler in blue suspenders sits in chair in front of blue space themed backdrop during cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with blue and peach cake during space themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during space themed cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bubble bath during space themed cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bubble bath during cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad and son sit on tan couch in studio with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom hugs toddler on sofa during studio portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler crawls on studio floor during portraits for first birthday with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom sits on sofa with toddler during studio portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on tan sofa with white and grey sweater during photos with  Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad and toddler sit on sofa during family portraits in studio with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents pose with toddler in studio during family portraits with  Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays on white studio floor during milestone portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad kisses son in studio during milestone portraits with  Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of three poses in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and son pose in studio during family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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A first trip around the sun, space inspired cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Winter ONEderland Cake Smash with Blue & Silver with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer

Happy first birthday, Leo! I recently welcomed Leo and his wonderful parents to the studio for his first birthday cake smash. Since he’s a winter baby, we went with the ever popular theme of a Winter ONEderland. This is honestly one of my favorite themes for babies born in the colder months, and I’m always looking for ways to make it unique. For Leo’s session, we decided to use blue and silver as the main palette. And you may even recognize some of the snowflakes from our holiday sessions! They were the perfect final touch to Leo’s setup.

You never know how babies will be during their cake smashes. Some of them absolutely love the cake and others don’t. But, Leo absolutely LOVED it. He went for the cake and totally smashed it. He was definitely one of the most enthusiastic smashers I’ve ever had in the. Not to mention, one of the happiest babies! His little smiles made me giggle. Just wait until you see them!

If your baby is turning one this year, let’s talk about their cake smash portraits! I love helping families decide on the perfect theme for their little one, and making it all their own! In the meantime, enjoy scrolling through Leo’s winter cake smash portraits!


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A Winter ONEderland Cake Smash with Blue & Silver with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Baseball Themed Cake Smash with tips for your next session

Happy birthday, Skyler! Skyler recently came to my Saratoga Springs studio to celebrate his first birthday with a baseball themed cake smash. His dad is a huge baseball fan, so we went with an orange and blue NY Mets theme. It was so much fun to plan a session that I knew meant a lot to Skyler’s family. While I’ve done other sports setups before, this was my first Mets inspired portrait session. To add a little dimension to my overhead shots, I added some cutouts of baseballs and bats to the floor for his session. It really created a super exciting look for Skyler!

After our family portraits and cake smash were complete, Skyler got to play in the tub to clean up and end our time together. Like a lot of babies, he loved the tub more than his cake! Either way, we got some super cute portraits of him to celebrate his first birthday. I can’t wait for you to see them all.

If your little one is turning one and you plan to do a cake smash, here’s a few tips to help get your baby interested in their cake for their portraits:

  1. Consider hiding small food in the icing like puffs, cheerios, or yogurt drops. Asking them to get those foods may help get them to taste the icing.

  2. Allow them to use a wooden spoon to play and touch the cake!

  3. Take a break! There’s no pressure in my studio to get a little one to eat cake right away. Let’s have a snack or some milk and try again.

  4. Distraction! Play baby’s favorite song or hold up their favorite toy. They’ll feel more comfortable!

  5. Blow bubbles! If your little one won’t go near the cake, try adding some bubbles. As you can see with Skyler’s portraits, they add a touch of fun to the final images!

Above all, trust that your photographer will still capture all of your little one's adorable expressions and their full personality in their portraits, and maybe even a smile or two to surprise you! Cake smashes (especially!) are meant to be fun - so there’s truly no stress or pressure!


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A baseball themed cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Beach Theme First Birthday Cake Smash

I cannot believe Oliver is already a year old! He came into the studio for his newborn portraits just yesterday, I swear! :o) Now, he’s a year old and came back to the studio for a beach inspired cake smash. His family recently moved to the beach and he absolutely LOVES it there - so it was definitely a perfect theme for this little guy. His parents brought a beautiful cake from Kelly’s Kitchen to bring this setup to life and it was just stunning!

Despite the delicious looking cake, Oliver wasn’t quite sure about it all when he actually got to the studio. Even though he wasn’t too fond of the cake, we managed to capture some great expressions! I’m all about capturing your little ones as they are - happy, sad, or in between - when it comes to their smashes. Even if your baby isn’t too sure about their cake or the icing, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve for their time in the studio!

Worried your little one won’t be interested in their cake? Try one of these tips:

  • Hide snacks in the frosting that they love! They’ll dig for them, trust me.

  • Let them play with wooden spoons - they can eat from them or just bang them around!

  • Play their favorite songs on Alexa!

  • Take a break and grab a snack or their favorite toy.

  • Have the parents hang near the edge of the backdrop so they’re nearby.

  • Lots of breaks for hugs and kisses!

  • Toys and rattles on hand for distractions can be a great option!


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A Colorful and Playful Dragon Cake Smash - Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer

Can we stop and appreciate my super creative clients that completely ROCK IT when choosing a theme for their baby’s cake smash?!?!

This sweet boy’s middle name is Draco, so we incorporated a dragon into his newborn session and also did a dragon cake smash with hints of their favorite color — green!

I loved how the whole setup came together with the fluffy cotton clouds, the twinkly lights, their little dragon stuffed animals from home, and the fire-breathing dragon decal on the wall. Just perfect!

Tips for choosing a theme for your baby’s cake smash!

one year old eats icing from yellow cake during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with icing during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler eats cake during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

The birthday boy loved his cake, and he dug right into it! There are a few things that make a cake extra-smashable and extra-photogenic for a cake smash.

  • the type of frosting

  • the flavor of the cake

  • the color of the frosting

  • how many layers

Want to learn all my secrets for choosing the perfect cake for your cake smash? Check out this super helpful blog post and jot down some notes so you’re ready to order your smash cake soon, too!

baby crawls by yellow cake during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brother helps feed toddler during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with cheerios and icing while wearing dragon outfit for dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bathtub with dragon stuffed animals during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub during dragon cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad laughs holding toddler during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four stands together in grass during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brother kisses little brother’s cheek during family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler crawls in grass during milestone photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits in grass during milestone photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds one year old during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom kneels with two sons during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four poses on hill during portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Playful dragon inspired cake smash for first birthday photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Mickey Mouse Cake Smash with Gray and Cream Accents

This sweet family reached out to plan Baby #2’s cake smash, and they wanted a Mickey Mouse theme to coordinate with his nursery bedding. The mom sent me a photo of his bedding set, which is a cream and gray Mickey theme by Lambs & Ivy. So we skipped the classic red and yellow and went with soft neutrals, which as anyone that has seen my works knows, neutrals are much more my style!

Since I had photographed this birthday boy’s big brother’s cake smash two years ago, we wanted to setups to complement each other so I incorporated the balloons and marquee letters in both, and a similar style with the character cutouts, too!

Click to see big brother’s Snoopy cake smash here!

toddler tips ivory cake during Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old bites cake during Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

This little man wasn’t afraid to get messy and he dug right into his cake! Head first! He loved it and we had so much fun watching how happy he was. By the end, he was completely covered in buttercream frosting and he couldn’t stop smiling!

toddler plays with icing during Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old smiles with icing around his face during Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler dances during first birthday Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bathtub with grey Mickey Mouse during cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bathtub after Mickey Mouse cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four poses together in local Saratoga Springs park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

All of our birthday sessions also include family portraits! This is such a fun way to celebrate your whole family’s year together, and a great opportunity to capture beautiful portraits of each of you with the baby. In the warm weather, we do these family portraits outdoors before heading back to the studio for the cake smash. I love the happy expressions we captured on the boys in these ones!

dad and one year old smile together in park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds two sons during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and son sit in grass during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family plays together during first birthday family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brothers sit together in grass during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in striped shirt laughs during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on step during family photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Mickey Mouse cake smash with grey and cream accents photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Fiesta First Birthday Cake Smash

I always love when families choose a meaningful theme for their baby’s cake smash session. Sometimes it’s a favorite book or song, a favorite toy or a nursery theme, or something that reflects the family’s background. Anaís’s mama chose a colorful fiesta theme for her daughter’s first birthday cake smash to honor her Mexican heritage, and I absolutely loved pulling it all together for the birthday girl.

Psssst…. wondering how to choose a theme for your baby’s cake smash? Check out this blog post!

colorful cake for fiesta inspired cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby in colorful dress eats birthday cake during fiesta first birthday cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

This adorable birthday girl LOVED her cake and she had us laughing the whole time she was digging in. From great big bites to putting her feet in the cake, and having a major interest in the confetti instead of the cake, Anaís was such a joy and I really loved photographing her first birthday portraits.

baby sticks foot in cake after colorful fiesta cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler holds up icing from colorful birthday cake during fiesta cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in colorful outfit smashes cake during fiesta cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Her beautiful outfit was handmade to match the theme, tying together the traditional Mexican styles of a serape skirt and an embroidered tunic, and it was so perfect on this sweet girl! Plus, I love how the papel picado banner coordinated beautifully with the garlands on the cake. Too adorable!

baby looks at green icing during cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby crawls on confuting during cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in bathtub after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub with rubber duck after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and baby pose in traditional Mexican dresses with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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a fiesta cake smash with colorful banners and cake photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Musical Cake Smash for Miles' First Birthday

musical inspired cake smash with light blue details photographed by Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer

I loved planning a musical cake smash for Miles’s first birthday! This sweet boy music and he is always dancing and bopping to the beat, so it made sense to incorporate it into his first birthday cake smash theme! We used blues to match his nursery, and I made the music notes by hand to hang on his backdrop. We incorporated white balloons to match his big sister’s cake smash from two years ago (check it out here!).

musical cake smash with blue and white details with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
musical cake smash for baby in blue jumper photographed by Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
baby holds his toe with icing on his hands during musical cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
big sister helps baby brother with cake during blue and white cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
toddler licks wooden spoon during studio cake smash in Saratoga Springs with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
baby licks cake during musical cake smash during first birthday photographed by Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
big sister holds one year old brother on couch in Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Want to see how much this sweet boy has grown? Check out his milestone and newborn portraits here!

baby in blue jumper sits on couch during traditional milestone portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds kids on lap during studio portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds toddler up on couch during family portraits in studio Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

We had so much fun capturing these playful family portraits, and I’m so excited that they’re going to be adding them to their gallery wall in the living room. This will surely make them all smile every time they see them!

family of four poses on studio couch with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Musical cake smash for boy photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Celebrating Grayson's Third Birthday with a Mail Truck Cake Smash

Our son Grayson turned 3, and we celebrated with a cake smash in our Saratoga Springs portrait studio!

Grayson had been begging me for a cake smash for months, naturally forgetting about the two he already enjoyed for his first birthday and second birthday! He loves hearing stories about other babies smashing their cakes and he gets such a kick out of seeing their pictures on my computer and in print when I am packaging orders up for my clients. He kept telling me that he wanted to do a cake smash, so I told him that he had to help me get it ready.

We chose a mail truck theme because this little guy is obsessed with vehicles. While school buses continue to be his #1 love, mail trucks are a close second. Since he was a baby he has been able to recognize the stop-and-go engine of the mail truck from many blocks away and tell us that it’s coming. He loves watching the mail get delivered and going to check the mailbox. Naturally, this was the perfect cake smash theme for our curious three year old!

Grayson loves helping me set up for other people’s sessions, and he always asks to come down into the studio to get things ready when he knows a baby is coming in for their session. He loves helping me make balloon garlands for cake smashes, so Grayson helped me make the balloon garland and all of the other decor for his session! Because of food allergies, we aren’t able to give him cake from the local bakeries and we make all of our own baked goods for him to enjoy, so my little baker even helped bake & frost his cake, too! It all came together for a perfectly adorable mail truck cake smash, and he was one happy little birthday boy!

Saratoga Springs child and family photographer  |  Nicole Starr Photography  |  A mail truck cake smash to celebrate a third birthday.

Check out Grayson’s earlier birthday portraits here!

We always try to go for a unique theme that represents his interests and is meaningful to him and to our family’s story. Three years in and I would say we’re doing pretty well with the one-of-a-kind ideas!

Saratoga Springs child and family photographer  |  Nicole Starr Photography  |  A mail truck cake smash to celebrate a third birthday.

A Cake Smash with a Metallic Balloon Garland

Teagan’s mama chose her cake smash theme before her baby girl was even born. She saw a birthday session of mine with an amethyst balloon garland and knew that if she had a little girl one day, she wanted something just like that for her birthday portraits. So when it came time to plan the cake smash, we knew exactly what we wanted to do!

She found this gorgeous dress with metallic hearts on it, and I coordinated the colors to match. I was thrilled to find heart confetti in the exact same colors and the exact same size as the hearts on her dress! It almost looks like the hearts spill off of Teagan’s dress and onto the floor, doesn’t it?!

toddler in heart dress poses in front of metallic balloon garland photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays with cake during cake smash with balloon garland hanging behind her photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
cake smash with metallic balloon garland photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in pink dress eats cake in front of metallic balloon garland photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Teagan loved her cake and she dug right into it! I secretly love it when babies knock the cake stand over because we get such fun photos with them playing with the cake and squishing it into the floor. Plus the “oops, was I supposed to do that?” look they give when they realize it fell down is precious!

cake smash with metallic balloon garland photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays on wooden spoon during cake smash with metallic balloon garland photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in tub after cake smash photographed by Delmar NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby’s milestone portraits before cake smash photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays on bed during milestone photos photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Every cake smash session includes family portraits, and in the winter we do those in the white & cream studio. I love these classic family portraits that will match the ones we did a few years ago for big brother’s first birthday!

big brother poses with little sister photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler laughs during family photos photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings play on bed photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four poses together before cake smash for one year old photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents play with kids during family session photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds one year old daughter during family photos  photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and toddler pose together before cake smash photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom plays with one year old daughter photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Cake smash with metallic balloon garland  photographed by New York family and baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Best of 2020 Cake Smash Sessions - Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Well this is always one of my most-anticipated blog posts every year, and that’s because it is filled with so many smiling BIRTHDAY BABIES!

Today on the blog I’m sharing a peek at some of my favorite images from our 2020 cake smash sessions.

I love it when families bring their little ones to me to celebrate their first birthday, and these sessions are a true joy to plan and bring to life. We come up with the decor together during your preconsultation appointment, pulling together color inspiration or a theme that you have in mind. Then I work hard to create a truly magical setup that your little one will love!

As you’ll see, balloon garlands were very popular this year! My soft pink peonies made an appearance in a few sessions, and custom cut-outs made with my Cricut machine, too! Everything in the setups is made by hand and I do not buy pre-made backdrops for our sessions, making each one unique and special to your family!

This year I even enjoyed not one, but THREE outdoor cake smash sessions. I loved that new option for truly classic and timeless portraits! We did one in the spring, summer, and fall, and they each have such a different look to them!

baby laughs in tub during campfire inspired cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits on wooden box in front of black and white photos with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl eats pink cake during tea party inspired cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy laughs with icing on his mouth during outdoor cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
twinkle twinkle little star cake smash with gold details photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
pastel balloon garland behind toddler during Easter Bunny inspired cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Are you looking at all of these themes and thinking to yourself, how in the world do parents choose a theme?!?! I’ve got you covered. I have a blog post that will guide you through that, plus tips for choosing your own theme or color scheme!

toddler eats icing off finger during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boho floral inspired cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

And I really have to hand it to this year’s families. They did a wonderful job choosing outfits for their birthday babies! I have the feeling that the link below helped them a lot! ;o)

woodland cake smash with toy chainsaw photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in purple tutu eats cake during pastel cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler eats cake during cake smash with blue and white balloon garland photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with cake during ice cream inspired cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with paper dots during colorful cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
metallic balloon garland for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
pastel pink and purple cake smash in the studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
elegant garden inspired cake smash with pink and purple details photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
outdoor summer cake smash for toddler in white highchair photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
beach cake smash in Cape Cod photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Cake Smashes from 2020 for inspiration photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography