An Ice Cream Truck Cake Smash for Adelaide’s Second Birthday

Who says cake smashes are just for one year olds?! My son did cake smashes all the way up through his fifth birthday, and I’m sure he’ll want one again as he gets older. So of course with our daughter’s second birthday this month, I knew we had to do a sweet little cake smash to celebrate our birthday girl.

Adelaide has been a fan of ice cream ever since her first taste of it last summer. She had her own little way of pronouncing it for months, calling it “i-ga”, and we all knew what she was talking about. She would run over to the freezer whenever we opened it up, shouting “i-ga! i-ga!,” and pushing aside the top drawer and looking into the bottom where we keep the ice cream.

With our favorite local ice cream shop open again for the season, Adelaide hasn’t missed a beat and she continues to be a big fan of ice cream. When thinking of a theme for her second birthday, I knew immediately that this would be it! I chose to keep the decor simple with just a watercolor ice cream truck and some ice cream cones on the floor as confetti. Her pastel rainbow dress was the perfect match to the beautiful colors, and I couldn’t resist doing our favorite new hairstyle on our little toddler – pigtail buns!

She LOVED IT! She was cute & dainty, dipping one little finger in the frosting at a time. Grayson (6 years old) accompanied us in the studio and took pictures on his own little digital camera the whole time. I loved seeing how excited he was to capture her smiles, and how he kept exclaiming, “Ahhhh, this one is so good!”

While I can’t even believe that we have a two year old already, I’m excited to celebrate our sweet girl. She is most looking forward to blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, and she talks about it every day. Happy birthday, baby girl!

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Pink and Silver Winter Wonderland Cake Smash

Gabriella is one! To celebrate her first birthday, I had the chance to photograph her and her family again, as well as her winter one-derland cake smash! Andrea, Gabriella’s mother, is a member of our Collective Membership. We’ve documented all of her milestones with 4 sessions that follow her family from maternity all the way through the first birthday! It’s been so fun to watch her grow into the sweet little one-year-old she is now! PS. We’re currently  booking membership clients for 2024! This is perfect for your family if you’re planning to do 2 or more sessions over an 18 month period (not just for baby’s first year clients, either!).

Winter wonderland is a super popular theme in my studio. I loved the chance to put together another classic version of the winter wonderland cake smash. For Gabriella, we focused on a pink and silver color palette. I even got to bring in my new blush pink backdrop fabric that I have already used many times this winter (ha!). The sparkly cone trees were the perfect addition to her winter theme. Gabriella looked adorable in her pink and white tutu, complete with a silver crown. She was a winter queen for her winter wonderland smash, for sure! 

As I always do with cake smash portraits, I captured new family portraits for this sweet family of four. They chose a beautiful blue and white color palette, which was the total opposite of the pinks and silvers we used for the cake smash. Side by side, the entire session looks amazing together and I hope that this family will treasure the portraits forever! 

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A horse racing themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs

Happy birthday, Ivy! This darling little girl was born last year during the famous annual Whitney Race and upon her arrival, Heather immediately knew what her first birthday portrait theme would be: horse racing! I always love a chance to break out this uniquely Saratoga Springs backdrop and setup, and to do so in honor of a Whitney Race baby was even more special to me. Ivy’s mom not only used the theme for her portraits, but planned the entire birthday party around this theme too! SO fun. 

Before our cake smash, I met Ivy, Heather, and Lee in a wildflower field that they’ve grown to love over the last year. It’s a field the family frequents to gather their fresh fruit and veggies, so it holds a lot of meaning to the three of them. Ivy had the cutest little blue and white dress for our portraits in the field. She looked absolutely adorable, and everything just had this soft flowing vibe to it. 

After our time in the field, we headed back to the studio for Ivy’s first birthday portraits. Heather loved my vintage high chair and big ONE letters made of metal, so we made sure to incorporate them in our studio time. Heather chose the sweetest blue linen dress for Ivy to wear during her smash. She actually pulled some of the pastel orange and peach out of the backdrop for her cake, too. Such great attention to detail! It really helped everything for the smash come together. 

Ivy was gentle with her cake but had a blast. I loved seeing her little smile come out as she touched the icing and even got to play in our bath after the smash. She was utterly adorable and I had a great time with her and her parents marking this major milestone! Happy first birthday, Ivy! 

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A horse racing themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with New York 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 Party Animal Cake Smash for Rocco

Happy birthday, Rocco!! I can’t believe that Rocco is already a year old. He was my first newborn session for the year. Now 2022 is almost over, and this guy is ONE! Time is flying by, seriously. We planned a fun cake smash in the studio to celebrate his milestone birthday. Leah, his mom, asked if we could plan a theme that matched his party invitations, so we designed a “party animal” theme! 

Between Leah and I, we were able to create a gorgeous setup for this little guy. We used lots of fun confetti filled balloons to create a garland backdrop and Leah brought in some stuffed animals she’s planning to use for the birthday party. While everything was colorful and bright - perfect for a one year old - we still managed to keep a pretty clean style, which I absolutely love (and am known for!). This style allows us to really focus on the birthday boy during his portraits!

As with all of my cake smash sessions, we made sure to capture some updated family photos of Rocco and his parents. We also got the most adorable updated photos of him alone in a sweet little plaid shirt. He even had a baseball cap for one photo! I love when we do these milestone photos, because it’s a great time to photograph your baby’s personality and new skills. Once those were done, it was time for cake! Rocco loved digging into the icing and even knocked his cake off the stand at one point. I’m here for it!! We ended their session with a little bath for him, which he loved. He was seriously so happy the whole session and that makes me super excited! 

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First birthday portraits with a sage green and beige balloon garland

Happy first birthday to Kodah! We celebrated his first birthday with a stunning cake smash in the studio this spring. Like many babies, his cake smash decor was inspired by his nursery decor - which I absolutely love! There’s just something wonderful about using the colors and themes you already know and love for your baby! His mama sent me her mood board from when she designed his nursery and we used a similar color palette of soft green, beige, and white. With a few greenery accents, the setup was complete!

During our session, we photographed a few family and milestone portraits without the cake first. I love starting sessions this way because I get to immediately capture how you are as a family - and your little one has time to warm up to me before we try the cake! Kodah looked so cute in his little white button up and his parents looked so proud of him!!

They had even more to be proud of during our session. Kodah had a huge milestone - he fed himself for the first time during our portraits! His mom and dad were so surprised and happy, and it was such a fun way to celebrate him taking his first bite and bringing food to his mouth all by himself. Apparently cake was the magic food he was waiting for all this time! ;o)

Happy birthday again, Kodah!

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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!!

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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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Your Cake Smash: What to Expect

Celebrating your baby’s first birthday is such an exciting milestone! Not only is your baby ONE, but there’s so much you’ve achieved as a parent, too. It’s honestly one of the reasons I love photographing cake smash portraits so much. These babies are adorable and have some incredible new skills to show off. Plus, they’re just a lot of fun! But, cake smashes are a pretty unique type of session… and since it’s meant to be fun (and not stressful!), I want to make sure you know what to expect when you come into the studio.

Let’s celebrate together.

Today, I want to share a peek into what cake smash sessions are like, how you can prepare yourself and your almost one-year-old, and really enjoy this special time!

Choose a photographer that has plenty of experience with babies & toddlers.

Let’s start with the very first & most important thing. If you haven’t chosen a photographer yet, be sure to keep this in mind because all I want is for your little one to be comfortable and safe during their session, and for you to feel at ease the entire time.

A photographer who has plenty of experience photographing babies will be able to draw out the best smiles and expressions from your little one during your session. They know how to engage the baby and get them interested in their cake, the very best angles to capture your perfect little baby, and all of the must-have shots that will come together for a cake smash session that is more than just a smattering of portraits but that truly tells a story.

Choose a photographer who’s style and creativity you adore!

Cake smashes are one of the most creative types of sessions that baby photographers can do! Most photographers create their backdrops and props by hand, pulling together decor and other elements to bring your vision to life. Study a photographer’s portfolio to see which style you adore, and have specific requests for your cake smash setup. If you’re not sure of a theme or decor style, your photographer should be able to talk you through it to help you discover the perfect theme for your baby’s first birthday portraits.

When you arrive at the studio


When families come to my studio I have them take their shoes off at the door to keep the floors clean for the babies and toddlers that we have in our space. I let parents settle in on the studio sofa and I show them where the snacks and drinks are, and if big brother or sister is there we spend a little time in the toy corner to help them get acclimated to the new space.



Parents can change baby into their outfit for family portraits (this is usually a different outfit than we use for the cake smash). Sometimes baby will need a little more time to acclimate, and we don’t rush things! There is plenty of time for cuddles, a snack, songs, and playing before we begin your portraits.

First up come family portraits!


We start with family portraits to ease the baby into the new situation, and being in mom and dad’s arms helps make that a smooth transition! We capture a mix of family portraits, sibling portraits, and individual portraits of the baby. In the cooler months we do these in the studio in our white room setup and on the loveseat. In the warmer months we often meet at a nearby park for the family portraits before heading back to the studio for the cake smash.

Then it’s time for the cake smash!


After the family portraits we change the baby’s outfit. I usually capture a few portraits of baby on our setup without the cake before we bring out the cake. Parents are on baby duty to bring a moving baby back to the setup when they crawl off the backdrop, and we coax the baby to get comfortable with their cake. Sometimes a parents will sit right by their side if the baby prefers to be close to them, and often a parent will show them how to take a bite of the frosting or put a little on their lips to show them that it is food. Some babies need a little more help to dig into their cake, and we hide puffs or yogurt drops in the frosting to get them to dig in. I also have a wooden spoon that we pull out, and babies LOVE playing with the spoon. This always gets the biggest smiles!

Finish up with a bathtub splash!


The baby will let us know when they’re done with the cake, and we take off their outfit and get them ready for the bathtub. I fill the studio’s tiny clawfoot tub with warm water and bubbles, and then the baby gets in! This is an adorable opportunity for happy baby portraits, and I always love the smiles that we capture at the end of the session!



After we have captured a variety of portraits of your little one, we are all done! You have time to change and dress your baby, and if you need to give them a snack again before getting in the car you can absolutely do that, too!

After the session


If you’re comfortable with a sneak peek on social media, I usually share that 4-5 days after your session.

Then we will get together about 2 weeks later for your ordering appointment! We’ll choose your favorite family and baby portraits to hang on your walls, and select your favorite images for an album or a collection box. This is always my favorite part when families fall in love with the images we created of their birthday baby!

Once I send everything to print you’ll get it back in 2-6 weeks — certain products take closer to the 4-6 week mark, but others are always ready much, much sooner. When everything is ready I will either come drop it off or put it in the mail to you, or you can come pick it up at the studio. Then you’ll start enjoying your images right away at home!

Any questions? I’d be happy to chat with you about your little one’s portrait session. Click on the button below and let’s connect!

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Where the Wild Things Are Cake Smash

Well this was definitely a fun session! We planned a “Where the Wild Things Are” cake smash to go along with the theme of Jacob’s first birthday party. His mama found the most adorable romper at Zara and it went perfectly with the greenery in the decor. The little golden crown with fur (just like Max wears in the book!) was the perfect finishing touch for the birthday boy’s outfit. Find more tips for choosing a cake smash outfit here!

The last time I had this theme request was probably 5 years ago, so it was fun to pull together a brand new backdrop and create something beautiful for this sweet boy’s birthday celebration!

Wondering how to choose a theme for your baby’s cake smash? Check out these tips!

Jacob LOVED this cake, and he especially enjoyed it when his big brother Jonas joined in. I have been photographing this family’s milestones since big brother was a newborn, and it’s always so amazing to see how much they grow and change over the years. Look at how sweet he is feeding his little brother here!

We began the session with family portraits in Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. Summertime colors were in full bloom and it was absolutely gorgeous!

The happiest baby you ever did see!

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A Racetrack Themed Cake Smash in Saratoga Springs

When your family moves to Saratoga Springs from across the country and most of your first year is spent in your new city, of course you want to reflect that in your choice of cake smash theme! Cameron’s family moved to the area during Covid and wanted to honor their new hometown with a racetrack themed cake smash. They dressed him up in his most dapper outfit (I looooove the colors in his shirt!) and brought a beautiful cake from Kelly’s Kitchen.

This little cutie was all smiles and he loved the attention he got while smashing his cake, but what really got him smiling were the bubbles that we blew! Look closely and you might just see a few bubbles in the corners of the pictures! ;o)

We started their session with family portraits in Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. I love this colorful spot in the park, and it was perfect for these cuddly family portraits. Cameron adored the hugs and tickles from his parents, and he was beyond happy for the family portraits!

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A Succulent Theme Cake Smash for Baby Elliana

I love it when parents request a unique theme for their baby’s cake smash session. When Elliana’s mom asked for a succulent theme and sent me some floral hoop inspiration, I was all over that! I went to the craft store the very next day to find succulents and gold metal hoops, and I got to work creating gorgeous floral & succulent decor for our Baby Planner.

Doesn’t she look adorable in this little dress with the Peter Pan collar? It was perfect for portraits, and the colors were so soft & beautiful.

Her mama brought a baby-sized bouquet from The Posie Peddler in Saratoga Springs, and it was the cutest little thing. I had never seen such a small bouquet before, and the succulents and lavender (from mama’s baby shower) were the perfect finishing touch.

Some of our cake smash babies are walking by the time of their session, and I always love capturing them standing with their cake! It’s a great way to show their size, and also their new (often wobbly!) skills on their chunky little baby feet!

Elliana loved the tub and she did some major splashing in the studio! Like most babies, she’s happiest in the water and the bathtub brought out all of her very best smiles!

All of our cake smash sessions start with family portraits. In the warmer months we head outdoors for these before the cake. I loved the colors that this family chose for their portraits, and especially the softness of mom’s tulle skirt. Don’t they all look amazing???

So proud of her newfound walking skills!

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An Ice Cream Cone Cake Smash for Ella's First Birthday

The first solid food Ella ever tried was ice cream, so naturally we chose an ice cream cone theme for her cake smash session! This sweet girl’s first birthday portraits were delayed due to covid closures, but we got her in the studio as soon as we could to celebrate the start of the toddler years. This little cutie pie LOVED the camera, and I can’t get over how adorable her little pigtails are!

Ella dug right into her cake, and kept looking at her big brother and sister to see if they were going to sneak in there for a bite! We let them join in at the end, and it was so cute watching the three of them together enjoying the birthday girl’s cake.

Her little dress was from our studio wardrobe. Isn’t it the perfect color on her?

All of our cake smash sessions begin with family portraits, and in the warmer months we’re lucky enough to head outside to nearby parks for family photos! We captured a good mix of portraits of the whole family, letting each child’s personality shine. These are going to look amazing on a new gallery wall above their sofa!

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Luci's Pastel Balloon Cake Smash

When it’s your birthday, why not go all in? Luci went face first into the cake, and it was priceless!

We celebrated Luci’s first birthday with a simple pastel themed cake smash. A balloon garland, confetti, and ONE letters came together for a minimalist look to make this sweet birthday girl the star of the show. Plus, her tutu matched the decor perfectly — I love it when it all comes together like that! Doesn’t she look like a real life Cabbage Patch Doll???

We captured family portraits with the birthday girl, just like we do for all of our cake smash sessions. In the warm weather I love heading outdoors to a park just a few miles from the studio. It was the perfect location to let these sisters cuddle, giggle, and just be all-around adorable together!

Those two bottom teeth peeking out just kill me! One of the things I love most about photographing the baby stage is showing the babies in transition — with just a few teeth in a gummy mouth, their first curl, those cute leg rolls that will disappear once they start walking, or the most adorable finger and elbow dimples. All of these details are classically BABY, and they are details you’ll want to remember long after they are gone.

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A Secret Garden Theme Cake Smash

Sweet little Kinsley is our latest Baby Planner to celebrate her first year with a cake smash! I’ve loved watching this adorable baby girl grow this year, from a tiny one-day old baby in the hospital to a spunky 1-year old who loves running around with her big brother’s monster trucks, it’s always such a joy watching these little ones grow as we capture all of their milestones in the first year.

We planned a Secret Garden theme cake smash at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio, and the lavender backdrop, beautiful greenery and peonies, and window frame as a garden gate came together perfectly for this sweet session. Add in the cutest little baby and a rose gold outfit, and it was all too cute!

Click here to see big brother’s cake smash from 2018!

Kinsley was hesitant about her cake, but before long she was covered in frosting! Her big brother helped her dig in, and then she was 100% all about it!

Looooove that cute little smile!

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The Best Places to Shop for Cake Smash Outfits

If your little one’s birthday portraits are coming up, you’re probably wondering where to find the perfect outfit for their cake smash! Lucky for you, I have helped hundreds of families find adorable outfits for their little ones to wear during their portrait sessions, and I have so many tips for you!

Read on for some tips on what to look for, and at the end you’ll find a list of my favorite places to shop!

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Suspenders are sooooooo cute on little boys!

I especially love this look without a shirt to show off their cute baby bellies.

Choose fancier fabrics that photograph beautifully.

Tulle, lace, sweater knits, chiffon, ruffles, layers, and small patterns (like floral!). All of these have some texture and are so much more interesting than a plain cotton onesie!

Head to toe outfits.

I always photograph babies barefoot. Those cute baby toes are so classic, and shoes just look strange and awkward when they’re doing a cake smash. But don’t forget about their head! Maybe you want a cute little crown, birthday hat, headband, or floral halo.

You can find great outfits in the regular baby section at most stores!

For boys, jeans, knit pants, or even swim trunks (if they fit the theme like a pool party of underwater cake smash). For girls, look for rompers or short dresses, and make sure it’s easy for them to crawl around in and that the hem won’t get caught on their legs when crawling.

My favorite stores & websites for cake smash outfits!

Amazon. Seriously, they have soooooo many rompers, knit pants, little dresses, diaper covers, and even birthday hats! Plus, you can’t beat the 2 day shipping.

Jamie Kay. This online shop is filled with adorable rompers and knits for boys and girls in gorgeous, natural fabrics.

Lulu & Roo. Stripes are their specialty, and their outfits & colors are so cute!

Maisonette. Sooooo many unique options at this online children’s boutique, and I just love the details on all of their outfits!

Cora & Violet. They have plenty of whimsical rompers that will go beautifully with many themes.

Zara Kids. I especially love their sweater knits!

Baby Gap. Lots of great classics for pants, summer dresses, and swim trunks or swimsuits for a water theme.

Target - Cat & Jack. They often have cute outfits & one pieces that change almost monthly, and they are excellent quality & with unique details.

Carters. This is where I find knit pants for boys in neutral colors (white, navy, gray).

Primary. If you’re going for a more colorful theme and looking for basics that your child will be sure to wear again, head on over to primary.com and choose leggings or a romper in a color that matches your theme!

Trish Scully Child. Absolutely gorgeous dresses for little girls, with all of the feminine details that you are going to fall in love with! Lace, tulle, florals. Their dresses are so beautiful!

Janie & Jack. Classic looks that they will wear again, and beautifully made.

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