Birthdays are always worthy of a celebration, but a first birthday is extra special. Not only has your baby reached a big milestone, but you’ve survived your first year of parenthood! *cue the confetti!*

We love helping families celebrate the big day with a session in our Houston studio for portraits of your baby and a cake smash. Here are 3 tips to help make your 1 year session a smashing success (pun totally intended).

1. Portraits First!

I know you and that baby are anxious to get the party started, but we always recommend starting with some simple portraits first.  These images will be perfect to hang on your walls to complete a first year gallery wall, and they also give your baby a chance to get to know me before diving head first into that birthday cake.

2. Simple Cakes and Sets Help Your Baby be the Star

I advise all our cake smash session clients to choose a simple white cake and then we set them either in our vintage high chair or directly on our white wood studio floor. We want your baby’s cake smash session to be about them, not about a theme. Babies have the sweetest (and funniest!) reactions to having a big cake all to themselves, and we don’t want anything to distract from those moments.

The other reason is a very practical one. Your baby is about to eat about 2% of that cake and destroy the rest. I don’t want you wasting your money on an elaborately decorated bakery cake. Instead, pick up an inexpensive grocery store cake (this one is from H-E-B!) and save the expensive, themed cakes for their party.

3. Be Prepared for Unexpected Reactions

While the idea of getting a whole cake to yourself might sound like your idea of heaven, for your 1 year old, it could be bit overwhelming. In fact, the most common reaction is poking the cake for about 3 seconds and then crawling away, but don’t worry! I have dealt with everything from tears to disinterest, and I have a few tricks to help get your baby engaged and adorably frosted.

I hope these tips gave you some ideas to create the perfect cake smash session for your baby! We love coming alongside our Houston families to celebrate their baby’s first year and would love to work with you. Send us a note to start planning!