Floral Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

I first met Miss Lila for her 6-month milestone portraits, and it was such a joy to welcome her back to the studio to celebrate her birthday with a cake smash & family portraits!  

(Psssst!  Check out her 6 month session here to see how much she's grown!)

We planned a floral theme with a little bit of sparkle, and this dainty little miss wore the perfect dress and the most beautiful smile throughout her session.  

Lila's mom, dad, big brother, and big sister were all in the studio for the cake smash, and they worked hard to get her to laugh!  Her dad succeeded the most, and before long he had Lila in an endless round of giggles and belly laughs.  It was truly so much fun!

Once she dug into her cake, Lila realized that she LOVED it!  These action shots are oh-so-adorable!

I always love the crying shots as a fun way to show the ending of the cake smash story!  

After being so patient and helpful, Lila's big brother & sister wanted in on the birthday action, so they jumped in for a few bites at the end.  The remainder of the birthday cake was gone in seconds, but Lila didn't mind sharing!

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Did you love this cake smash?
We've been all about the fresh flowers lately!
Check out these two sessions with beautiful florals, too!

Abigail's Tea Party Cake Smash
Gianna's Boho Floral Cake Smash

A Tea Party Cake Smash for Abigail with Saratoga Springs, NY Cake Smash Photographer

When Abigail's mom told me that she's more of a vintage lace & pearls kind of girl than a glitter and glam kind of girl, I was so excited to create the perfect session for her birthday girl. 

We went with a tea party theme and used lace doilies, teacups, and the most beautiful dresses that looked like vintage china patterns.  They did the same theme for Abigail's birthday party, and many of the decorations they actually used at their wedding a few years ago!  How perfect to be able to use them again to celebrate their little girl turning one!

When we photographed Abigail's newborn session last summer, we captured a few sweet moments of her big brother Oliver holding her in this chair.  I'm so glad we recreated this for her first birthday!  Click on the link to see how much they've both grown!  

No tea party is complete without fresh flowers & cake!  These purple hydrangeas came from the front yard on my way to the session that morning, and they were the perfect addition to really make the decorations pop.  Add in a sweet little birthday girl, and it's magical!

We wrapped up her session with a little bathtub splash, and Abigail soaked everything in sight. This girl LOVES her baths, and she had so much fun splishing and splashing in the tub.  

Willem's Nautical Inspired Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer

Oooooh baby!

Willem is ONE!  We celebrated this little cutie's first birthday with family portraits in downtown Saratoga Springs, and a nautical cake smash back at the studio.  I just love this little spot in Saratoga for family photos, and it was the perfect tree-lined street for their portraits.  

Right on the brink of toddlerhood, this little man is testing out his independence and learning to do things on his own.  It's hard for mom & dad to let go, and that's why I adore this photo with his dad's arm reaching for him as he takes a few unsteady steps down the sidewalk.

This tiny sailor was so much fun for his cake smash!  I love the little nautical outfit that mom picked out for the birthday boy, and he had so much fun with the hat that his family brought in, too!

Willem even tested out his standing skills with his cake!  We were certain he was going to topple over on top of the cake, but he stood strong and instead used his spoon as a sword to swat at his cake!

Boho Floral Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

Our cake smash sessions are a whole lot of fun, and as much as I love watching babies try their birthday cake for the first time, I also ADORE the sweet cuddles and giggles during the family portraits that we do at the start of every cake smash session.

This summer has been so much fun as we start all of our family portraits outside.  Gianna's family was absolutely wonderful to work with, and I love how playful they were with their one year old baby girl.  Plus, the light in this little spot in downtown Saratoga Springs is absolutely dreamy!

Gianna's mom brought a big pink balloon to their session, and I was so excited to capture these sweet moments with the birthday girl.  Just look at her striking a little pose!

Those first steps are such a momentous milestone for every family, and I always enjoy capturing these little babies as they start to test out their walking feet at this age!

We went back to the studio for Gianna's boho floral cake smash.  This is a very popular theme at the studio, and I love challenging myself as an artist and finding new ways to design each set.  We did a floral wall for Gianna, and it was perfectly soft and whimsical.  She loved it!!

A little help from mom...

Baby toes in the cake!

We finished Gianna's birthday session with a bathtub splash at the end.  This is always a fun way to capture more smiles and so many adorable expressions, and Gianna absolutely loved it!

A Fourth of July Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer

When you're born on the 4th of July, a red white and blue photo session is definitely in your future!  Oscar's family has been coming to our Saratoga Springs portrait studio since their oldest son turned one, and this summer I got to celebrate their littlest one's first birthday with them, too!  

We started with some gorgeous family portraits outside, and the location matched their wardrobe choices perfectly.  I just love these classic colors in the summertime!

Brothers!!  How cute are they?!?!

This turned out to be one of my FAVORITE cake smash sets.  I especially love how it photographed from up above with all of the stars covering the floor and surrounding the birthday boy.

Seriously, he was SUCH A LITTLE HAM!  Oscar loved the camera, and he couldn't stop smiling and giggling the entire session!

Now that is how you smash a cake!  

We finished Oscar's cake smash session with a tub bath, and he loved splashing in the water and was all smiles for us.  See that wide-open laugh below?  His big brother made THE EXACT SAME FACE during his tub bath after his cake smash session in 2017.  (It was a cookies and milk session, and oh so cute!  Go check it out on the blog!)

Killian's Newspaper Inspired Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

This sweet little guy came to me for his newborn portraits a year ago, and it's hard to believe that he's already a toddler!   Killian joined me at the studio for his first birthday cake smash session, and we had so much fun with this spunky little boy filled with personality & smiles.

Plus, how dapper does he look in his little newsboy hat and vest?  This was the perfect outfit on Killian, and he absolutely rocked it!

He was all smiles with mama and daddy, and they definitely enjoyed lots of tickles on the couch!

A year ago, Killian's dad brought his police hat to the studio for the newborn session.  We wanted to incorporate this into his cake smash to show how much their baby boy has grown, and Killian was the perfect little model posing with his daddy's hat!

That newsboy hat gave us the idea to use newspapers in his cake smash, and I love how this simple backdrop turned out with the white balloons in the foreground!  Killian was a little hesitant about his birthday cake at first, but once he picked up the most massive hunk of cake and took a bite (and we all exploded in laughter), then he really got into it and had so much fun smashing his cake.

Here is his with that huge hunk of cake...

And right after that first bite when he was deciding whether he liked it or not!  In the end, he decided that it's cake and it's AMAZING, so he dug right into the rest of it!

When he stood up at the end to walk away, and wound up toppling over right onto the cake, that was the most perfect ending!!

Declan's Hot Air Balloon Inspired Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

Declan is another one of our Summer 2017 babies who came back for their cake smash this year, and I love looking back at his newborn portraits and seeing how much that tiny squish has grown!

His family is planning an "Up!" themed birthday party (like the movie), so a hot air balloon cake smash was the perfect way to complement that theme by using the same pastel colors from the balloons in the movie.   His mom found this aviator hat, and I am in love with it!  I'm going to have to find one for the studio because it is oh-so-adorable!

We had the most perfect cake decorated to look like a sky with puffy white clouds, and it matched the hot air balloon backdrop beautifully.  Plus, it was delicious and Declan definitely approved!

Though he did have the most adorable crying face at the end!

We finished his session with a bathtub splash, and I love the second photo below where he looks like he's in an airplane ready to take flight.  That one is going to hang large in their home, and it's such a fun memory from his first birthday session!

Cameron's Blue, Navy, and Gold Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

Handsome little Cameron turned one, and celebrated with a cake smash at our Attleboro studio!  This little guy was full of smiles, and he LOVED the camera.  We couldn't stop laughing over his adorable little poses and how he couldn't take his eyes off of the camera!  Plus, how cute is he in his newsboy cap?

The very first day we started planning their session, Cameron's mama sent me a photo of this dress and asked, "What do you think of this for family pics?"  Ummmmm, YES!  It's perfect and it photographed so beautifully for really classic images, and she was able to coordinate the other two outfits around the white & navy color scheme by adding in some gray as well.  Don't you just love how perfectly styled they all are together?

This photo below still makes me laugh.  Cameron is an active little toddler (of course!) and he was crawling all over the bed in the studio.  The second I'd put him on mom and dad's laps, he'd be racing off to the foot of the bed before I had the chance to move back down there with my camera.  I love how he's just hanging out at the edge here -- such a daredevil!

We planned a NAVY & GOLD CAKE SMASH for the birthday boy.  We used gold beaded curtains, a balloon banner.  This was my first time making one and I'm officially in love!  You'll be seeing more of these balloon banners in our sessions now!

At first, he wasn't quite sure what to make of his cake...

But he figured it out quickly, got excited, and dug right in!

We wrapped up the session with a bathtub splash!

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Love this blog post?

Check out a different cake smash with the gold beaded curtains here, and another fun birthday session that ended in a bathtub splash here!

Boho Cake Smash with Floral Hoops | Saratoga Springs, NY Cake Smash Photographer

Luiza traveled to our Attleboro studio all the way from Cape Cod to celebrate her first birthday with a cake smash session, and I had so much fun with this happy, smiley birthday girl and her sweet family!

She enjoyed lots of cuddles with her brother, mom, and dad in the studio, and she didn't stop smiling and laughing the entire time!  

For her cake smash, we used a new backdrop of floral hoops for a boho feel, with pops of light pink per mom's request.  I absolutely love how this backdrop came together for Luiza's session -- check out a DIY tutorial to make your own on the blog!

We have SO MANY BIRTHDAY BABIES on the calendar for this summer.  Have you booked your cake smash session yet?  Be sure to reach out with at least one month before your baby's birthday to ensure a spot on the calendar for your little one's birthday session!
 

Blake is ONE! A Sparkly Pink and Gold Cake Smash with Boston Baby Photographer

I love when our newborn clients come back to celebrate their first birthday at the studio!  It's hard to believe that it's been a year already since Blake's newborn session, and I truly enjoyed getting to celebrate this vibrant baby girl's first birthday with a very special cake smash session at our Attleboro baby photography studio.  

Our popular paper flower backdrop is at it again, this time with a little SPARKLE!  This drop is now for sale with our Designer Line at Baby Dream Backdrops.  Check it out here!

Blake LOVED her cake, especially once she was able to dig in with a spoon!  She surprised us all by keeping her birthday crown on the entire time (rare for a one-year old!), and she had the best time giggling away while we did her cake smash.  Isn't she adorable?!?!

Of course, I can never resist clicking the shutter on a good crying photo, and Blake ended the smash with the perfect reaction.

No birthday session with Nicole Starr Photography is complete without some family portraits!  We did some classic portraits for this Boston family, with neutral colors and a simple background to let them shine together.  This sweet little girl is so, so loved!

Go Patriots! A Football Cake Smash Session with Boston Baby Photographer Nicole Starr Photography

This family LOVES the Patriots.  Their son was born in 2017 during the Super Bowl, and of course they wanted to incorporate their favorite sport into his first birthday session.  Ryan is probably the tiniest Pats fan in New England, but you can bet that be brings a lot of spirit to cheer on his family's favorite team!

We planned a football cake smash for Ryan's first birthday session at our Attleboro portrait studio.  I love getting everything ready for these sessions down to the very last detail, including this adorable Pats jersey cake topper that I designed just for his session!

Like a true rough-and-tumble football player, Ryan did not mess around when it came time to dig in.  Look at him shoving fistfuls of cake in his mouth!  We couldn't stop laughing at this cute baby boy's enthusiasm!

What does your family enjoy doing together?  Watching sports, reading books, painting, cooking, dancing, listening to music, playing make believe?  Whatever you love, we can incorporate it into your little one's session to infuse your family's interests and personality into your portraits.  Let's chat and plan your session together!

Elijah's Winter Wonderland Cake Smash - Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

First birthday sessions are always SO. MUCH. FUN!

Elijah is the smiliest one-year old, and he absolutely loved the camera.  This little guy had a short nap right before his session, but that didn't dampen his mood at all and he did such a wonderful job during family portraits, baby portraits, a cake smash, and a bathtub splash at the end!

When I first met his parents, they told me that Elijah's favorite toy is his sock monkey, so of course he had to bring that to the studio for a few portraits!  I always love incorporating a favorite toy or book into our first birthday sessions to give you a beautiful portrait to remember their first favorite plaything, and I was so happy when this adorable sock monkey came along for the session!

We planned a winter wonderland cake smash to go along with his birthday party theme.  Birch trees, twinkly lights, snow, and lots of snowflakes were a beautiful and simple way to create this theme, and I love the final effect!

At first, Elijah wasn't too impressed by his cake.  After a few tries, he really got into it, especially once we gave him a spoon to dig in!

My favorite part was how he decided to show off his standing skills mid-smash.  He braced himself against the floor and slowly (while wobbling!) raised himself up to look at us with the biggest, proudest smile on his face!

We finished Elijah's session with a bathtub splash, which is definitely my favorite way to end a cake smash at the studio.  Most babies love bath time, and this is always a fun opportunity for portraits while also washing off the sugary frosting.  We got lots of smiles from this sweet boy, and he LOVED splashing around in the tub!

Check out Miss Riley's adorable bathtub splash here on the blog, too!
 

Best of 2017 Cake Smashes with Boston & Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Sugar, sprinkles, and lots of belly laughs!  That’s what our cake smash sessions are all about here at the studio.

Your baby’s first birthday is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it deserves a little celebration!  You’ve survived 365 days of parenthood, and you’re raising an amazing, funny, and loving little child whose smile melts your heart every single day.  

I love our cake smash sessions for this very reason — we freeze time, just for an instant, and we celebrate your baby and your family as you are right this very moment.  Many of my cake smash babies I saw as newborns when they were just a few days old, and it’s always amazing to me to see how much they’ve grown in the past year.

Each birthday session is unique and includes family portraits, baby portraits, and a celebration at the end — usually with cake, but sometimes with a different food alternative (donuts, pie, cheerios, so many possibilities!).  Plus, some families like to add a bathtub splash to their session after the cake smash!

Every year I love going back through our sessions and sharing a few favorites on the blog.  Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable birthday babies from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Did you love this BEST OF 2017 post?
Check out our other top posts on the blog!
 

Best of 2017 Maternity Sessions
Best of 2017 Family Sessions
Best of 2017 Lifestyle Newborn Sessions
Best of 2017 Studio Newborn Sessions
Best of 2017 Fresh 48 Sessions
Best of 2017 Brothers & Sisters: Candid and Fun Sibling Portraits
Best of 2017 Beach Sessions on Cape Cod
 

A Bathtub Splash after the Cake Smash - Saratoga Springs NY Baby Photographer

We have the most adorable new prop in the studio, and I think you're going to LOVE it!  It is simple, classic, and just perfect for our littlest clients! 

Just look at this adorable baby-sized bathtub.  Riley LOVED using it after her cake smash session for a little SPLASH (with a rubber ducky, of course)!

At this age, I love capturing all of the little details that make your baby so beautiful and unique.  Thick eyelashes.  Beautiful curls that are just starting to take shape.  Perfect little lips.  Finger dimples.  And those adorable leg rolls that you just want to squish and cuddle.

Many babies spend the happiest part of their day splishing & splashing in the bathtub.  For them, it's a playground filled with so many giggles and the biggest smiles.  Riley, of course, adored her bath time and she made the biggest splash!  

Huge smiles.  Lots of happy squeals.  And non-stop laughter as she played with her rubber duckies.  

Are you ready to book your SMASH & SPLASH?  What about a petite session with just a baby bath?  Email me and let's chat to plan your baby's perfect session together!
 

Happy Thanksgiving! A Pumpkin Pie Smash at our Saratoga Springs Studio: NY Cake Smash Photographer

Who says that birthdays can only be celebrated with a cake smash?
How about a PUMPKIN PIE SMASH?

This Thanksgiving-themed birthday session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio was the perfect way to celebrate the season for sweet little Riley.  With her first birthday coming up soon, this baby girl got to enjoy an alternative to our traditional cake smash session with a pumpkin pie! 

Of course, I can't resist a handmade one-of-a-kind backdrop, and gold calligraphy has always been my favorite.  "Gobble 'til you wobble" was the perfect saying for this very fun birthday photo session!  Combined with a few simple fall accents and an adorable outfit, Riley was the star of the show for her birthday session! 

And just look at that tiny little tooth poking through her smile!

I always prep parents before a cake smash session that some babies love their cake, and others need a little more convincing.  But don't worry -- I have so many tricks to get babies interested in their cake, and we're always able to capture the most adorable portraits!

Sometimes giving the baby a spoon is all it takes because it's something that they're familiar with and that they've enjoyed using at home lately.  A tiny silver spoon did just the trick for our birthday girl, and she went to town on her pie with that spoon!

Is your little one's birthday coming up soon?  We're now booking cake smash sessions (or pies, cheerios, avocado, and other favorite food smashes!) through March 2018, which is perfect for babies who will turn 1 between now & May!  You can read all about our birthday sessions here on our website.  
 

A Pastel Cake Smash at our Massachusetts Studio - Boston Cake Smash Photographer

Mia's pastel cake smash at our Attleboro studio was the perfect way to celebrate this sweet girl's first birthday!  

We brought in all of the whimsical elements with twinkle lights, a sparkly dress, a handpainted backdrop, and a "unicorn swirl" cake -- what a fun name for those colorful swirls, right?

Mia brought the adorable expressions and so much excitement!  Seriously, how cute is she?!?!

Some babies don't love getting their fingers all messy, and a spoon makes all the difference!  Mia wanted two spoons, and before we knew it she was digging in and making a great big mess with her chocolate cake.

Her big brother Tai wanted to join in, and he did such a great job showing her how to eat her cake instead of just swirling it around.  Tai was a HUGE fan of the cake, and kept coming back for more!

Two miles from the studio is a beautiful park with so many options for family portraits.  I love going here at the beginning of our cake smash sessions to start with family portraits, giving the kids space to run and explore while warming up to the idea of having a photographer take their portraits.

We found a cozy little spot underneath a low-hanging tree, and the dappled sunlight against the leaves was the perfect backdrop for this sweet family.

Before our session Tai's mom told me multiple times that he really doesn't like having his picture taken, and that we'd be lucky if we got one good image of him.  So many parents worry about this, and it is a completely normal concern to have before your session.  BUT, my goal is to make everyone feel comfortable and capture your true selves together.

With room to play, lots of tickles, and some silly games, this sweet boy warmed right up and showed us his playful personality!  We captured so many beautiful laughs and giggles, and I just love how animated he was during the family portraits!

SUPERMAN!

Did you love this playful session?  Check out some more fun family sessions here!
 

A Donut Smash for Dylan's First Birthday with Union Square Donuts | Boston Baby Photographer

Who said cake smashes can only include cake?  Dylan celebrated her first birthday with donuts from Union Square Donuts in Somerville, and I'm in love!!

This donut smash was such a fun way to celebrate Dylan's first birthday, and I love that her mom came to me with a totally unique idea, inspired to try something new and give her daughter a birthday experience that was extra special to their family -- they are regular Sunday morning customers at their local donut shop, of course!

Of course, dad couldn't resist jumping in for a bite!  I always love it when babies get to happy to share their birthday smash food with family, and this is definitely a favorite moment captured from Dylan's session!

All of our birthday sessions include family portraits, and one-year olds are so much fun to play with!  Dylan's mom and dad enjoyed cuddles, tickles, and so many sweet little giggles from their birthday girl!  She was just learning to walk at the time of her session, and I am obsessed with the images of her walking with her daddy.  Her expressions are priceless!

Did you love this session?  Looking for inspiration for your cake smash?  Check out our blog post with 70+ theme ideas (including food alternatives!) for your baby's cake smash session.

Cake Smash Series: 70+ Theme Ideas for your Next Cake Smash Session

Your baby's first birthday is coming up, and it's time to party!  What better way to celebrate than with a portrait session?  Personally, cake smashes are my FAVORITE! 

We've come up with a list of the most popular (and also some of the most unique!) ideas for first birthday sessions and cake smashes.  We hope that you'll be inspired to plan a one-of-a-kind cake smash for your baby's first birthday!

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Classic themes:

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Construction/Trucks
Baseball
Nautical
Tea party
Circus
Flowers
Airplanes
Dr. Seuss
Rubber Duckies
Music/Band/Instruments
Sock Monkeys
Superheroes
Rainbow colors
Bohemian
Circus
Camping
Shabby Chic
Ballet

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Animals:

Unicorns
Teddy bears
Farm animals
Woodland animals
Ocean animals
Zoo animals
Bumble bees
Monkeys
Owls
Whales
Butterflies

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Seasonal:

Winter wonderland
Valentine’s
At the beach
Surf’s up
Cherry blossoms
Spring garden
Falling leaves
Halloween
Christmas
New Years Eve
Snowmen

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Classic Children’s Books:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Guess How Much I Love You
Corduroy
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Oh the Places You’ll Go
The Little Prince
Peter Rabbit/Beatrix Potter books
Where the Wild Things Are
Make Way for Ducklings
Blueberries for Sal
Goodnight Moon
Harry Potter
Winnie the Pooh
Peter Pan
Alice in Wonderland
 

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Food alternatives:

Spaghetti & meatballs
Watermelon
Pumpkin pie
Pancakes
Seasonal fruit (strawberries, blueberries)
Cheerios
Pineapple
Apples/apple pie for fall
Tacos
Waffles
Donuts
Ice cream
Pie
Cookies & milk

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You've got the perfect theme -- now what do you decorate with?  I provide all of the decor for my cake smash sessions at the studio.  Here are some of my favorite items I like to keep on hand to make our sessions a little more whimsical, creative, and fun!

Decor ideas:

Paper bunting in many shapes
Tulle balls
Tissue paper puffs
Twinkle lights
Patio lights
Lanterns
Cotton clouds
Hanging flowers
Ribbon streamers
Flower garlands
Eucalyptus garlands
Fake flowers to hang from the ceiling
Mason jars
Beaded curtains
 

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Don't forget to check out the other posts in our Cake Smash Series!

After the Cake Smash : 11 Ideas for what to do with your cake smash photos

12 months have flown by, and in the blink of an eye your baby is 365 days old.  You're going to celebrate with a first birthday portrait session, of course.  But what will you do with the images AFTER the session?  

The last thing you want is to let them sit on a USB in a drawer somewhere, to forget about these moments that you captured of your baby's big smile, excitement, and curiosity.  You want to remember the dimples on their finger, their first few teeth poking through, and those tentative first steps.  But maybe you don't want to fill every wall of your home with cake smash pictures.  Read on for 11 ideas on what you can do with your cake smash photos after the session!

1.  Design birthday party invitations.

This is a perfect option for families that plan their cake smash at least 1.5-2 months before the baby's first birthday party.  Most families do a theme for the party, and we can incorporate that theme into the invitations.  From the shoot, to the gallery reveal, to holding your artwork in your hands, the entire turnaround time is typically one month from start to finish.  So plan ahead and get those invites printed with your photographer!

2.  Or, use the images for thank you cards!

Most families plan the cake smash close to the baby's actual birthday, so it's not always possible to send them out on party invitations.  This is where thank you cards are the perfect alternative -- we'll even leave a little blank space on the back for a heartfelt handwritten note!

3.  Hang them up at your party!

Many families like to share a canvas or a fine art album with their family & friends that come to celebrate at their baby's first birthday party.  Bring a little easel and set it up on the gift table, or find a spot on the wall!  After the party, move the canvas into the nursery for a playful pop of color on the walls!

4. Create a keepsake album.

Our fine art albums are my absolute favorite product that we offer, and they are the perfect way to enjoy every single image from your cake smash session.  This will quickly become your child's favorite book, and you'll spend hours curled up on the couch telling the story of their first birthday while they point out "mama", "dada", and "baby".  Bring it out every year on their birthday for a new tradition!

5. Complete your baby's first year book.

No baby book is complete without a first birthday.  Use your cake smash images to end with a celebratory note!

6. Give the grandparents their favorite gift EVER.

Grandparents love photos of their grandbabies.  Print a few 8x10s, or give them a small album from the session.

7.  Enjoy an accordion album!

Speaking of albums, our accordion albums are wonderful grandparent gifts!  These pocket-sized books hold nearly a dozen photos, and they are available in sets of three so that you can give a few away and keep one for yourself!

8. Tell a story with a storyboard collage.

A cake smash is all about the story -- weave 9 images together in a 3x3 grid and share all of the sweetest moments from your baby's session!

9. Hang a gallery wall in the nursery.

These playful images are the perfect addition to your nursery, and they're going to put a big smile on your face every time you see them -- even on the sleepless nights!  Hang them in a spot in your home where you'll enjoy them every single day, and where they'll bring a little bit of joy to your day!

10.  Do a "Smash & Splash", and hang them in the bathroom!

I love finishing our cake smash sessions with a splash in our adorable white clawfoot bathtub that is the perfect size for one-year olds.  Most babies love water, and they have so much fun splashing around.  We capture so many smiles and excited laughs during this portion of the session!  This makes great wall art for your bathroom, and it's definitely a talking piece that all of your houseguests will ask you about, sure to put a smile on everyone's face!
 

11.  Create a keepsake you'll add to every year with mementoes and letters for your child.

Next to our fine art albums, the wooden keepsake box is my favorite interactive product and the perfect way for you to enjoy your child's birthday memories.  Frame the photos, or display them in the little wooden easels that are tucked inside of the box.  Keep the box, and every year add little mementoes from your child's birthday -- a photo of them blowing out their candles, their birthday party invitation, a special card that they received.  Or, have friends and family write them a letter each year on their birthday and tuck them away inside of the box for an extra sweet surprise to gift them with when they turn 18!

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Let's get real for a minute here -- who has time for all of this?  

Time to design albums, party invites, thank you cards, and keepsake boxes?  That's where hiring a professional photographer comes in.  Let me do all the work for you, and you can sit back and enjoy your baby's birthday celebration, knowing that I will create the wall art, the heirlooms, and the thank you cards so that you don't have to worry about a thing!

Three of Hearts Cake Smash | Down Syndrome & CHD Awareness

Meet Harper, Catherine & Mae.  These birthday girls are our "Three of Hearts."

These three baby girls met for the first time at our breastfeeding photoshoot on the beach with Julia's Way in June 2017.  During the photoshoot we discovered that they all were born three days in a row, and they all underwent major heart surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital in their first few months of life.  

These girls are now thriving -- they are heart warriors and breastfeeding champions.  When we also realized that their first birthdays were coming up, we knew we had to do something special to celebrate!  

TIME FOR A VERY SPECIAL CAKE SMASH!

I'm pretty sure that Mae is the smiliest of the bunch -- she has such a wide range of expressions, and I love how excited she was during our session together!  Her sparkling eyes and auburn hair will melt your heart!

You'll see that every baby's journey is unique, and Mae's mom shared a little bit about what makes her daughter "Mighty Mae."

“Mae has had quite a first year. 3 separate heart surgeries including a pacemaker all before 7 months of age. She was inpatient for 75 days before coming home for the first time! A total of 136 days in the hospital in her first year of life. I can’t wait to celebrate her resilience and beauty in this photoshoot. She’s our “Mighty Mae””

— Mae's mom

Little miss Catherine (Cate) is adorable & sweet, and oh-so-dainty.  This sweet little girl didn't want to get her fingers too messy during the cake smash, and she spent most of the time trying to figure out how to get the frosting OFF of her fingers.  Oh, and she has the most adorable eyes framed by her purple glasses!

Cate has come such a long way, and I love this message from her mom!

“Cate was in the hospital for 80 straight days starting right when she was born. She has had 3 major surgeries, one of which was open heart surgery. She has come so far from a 5lb 3oz sick little heart baby to a 17lb happy little girl who sits up, babbles, and plays with toys. ”

— Cate's mom

And Harper was the frosting queen!  Not one to shy away from sugar (this is a girl after my own heart!), this cuddly little girl was immediately covered in frosting and loved making a great big mess.  She had her fingers in the cake before I even picked up my camera, and she definitely loved this birthday experience!

Harper's mom shared a few inspiring words on her heart warrior's journey:

“This session is so important to me because prior to her diagnosis we were expecting a “normal” healthy baby. The news of her Trisomy 21 devastated us, but her heart defect caused us to mourn her. We anticipated the worst and grieved her loss prematurely. I want others to know that neither diagnosis is not necessarily a terminal one and that she has brought so much love, joy, patience and understanding into our lives. She has changed every member of our family for the better!!!”

— Harper's mom

Loved this session?  Leave a little love for our "Three of Hearts" in the comments below, and please share this session on Facebook to help us spread the love for these heart warriors!