First Birthday Cake Smash photographer in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas including Northampton, Bedford, Buckingham and Luton.
What Happens During The Photoshoot
Cake smash sessions are a perfect way to capture your little ones 1 year mile stone. From experience I know that children loose their attentions really quickly, that’s why the cake smash session is great for this age. At the beginning of the shoot I take some nice portrait pictures with a mixture of different props and just when the child starts getting a bit bored we put the cake in front of them! This usually stirs a lot of curiosity in them which means I get the opportunity to to take some lovely photos of them and the cake. I always try to capture some images before the cake gets destroyed and then I let them destroy it. Some children get right into the smashing and love it but sometimes the children don’t know what to make of it as this is probably the first time they have had a cake put in front of them. It’s understandable they don’t know what to do so I ask the parents to help them a bit :-) When the birthday girl or boy are finished with the cake and I have captured some lovely images, it’s time for the bath. This is the part that all children love, this means I usually get some lovely smiles during the splashes :-)
The colours or theme of the cake smash are your decision and your options are endless :-) I am of course happy to help and give advise or completely surprise you but I would always ask for at least some basic idea of what you like or dislike. The set ups can be simple with bunting and a few balloons or I can go all out with a balloon garland and lots of other props. It can be a one colour theme or multiple colours that go nicely together. You can see some examples in the pictures below. Themed set ups such as jungle, candy world, flower garden, animals etc. are also very popular.
Outfits
I provide an outfit for the cake smash part. I have a wide collection of colours for both girls and boys. If I haven’t got something matching your chosen colours or theme, I am always happy to buy it if time allows. I usually ask parents to provide an outfit for the portrait part of the photoshoot. What they choose depends on the their likes and the colours of the set up. Boys look lovely in jean or chinos with simple shirt and/or braces and girls always look cute in some pretty dress.
Cake
The cake is included in the package price and you can choose from two shapes. Either a giant cupcake or a round cake. The cakes are always decorated to match the colours of the set up. I use an experienced baker called A Slice of Life who has many years of experience, an exceptional 5 hygiene rating and can cater for any dietary or allergy requirements. You can check her their Facebook page here.
Older siblings
The cake smash photoshoot is designed especially for your one year old to celebrate their special milestone but if you have an older child I am happy to take one or two images of them together (if he/she is happy to do that). I usually do that in the first portrait part without the cake. From my experience the older sibling gets bored after that, so I usually ask if one of the parents can take them for a walk or home for a short while. If that's not possible then its useful to have some snacks, toys or IPad so they stay entertained and don't disturb the rest of the photoshoot.
Price
The price of the cake smash photoshoot starts at £345. It includes the colour coordinated cake and a set up which is completely bespoke and based on your requirements. I have a lot of props, decorations etc that I can incorporate. It also includes the outfit they wear during the cake smash part, unless of course you want to use something specific that you already own. Finally it includes 10 high resolution, edited and printable digital images of your choice. The payment is divided into two parts : firstly I ask for £50 at the time of booking (this is a non-refundable booking/session fee, which secures your slot and a cake). Finally the remaining balance of £295 is payable before or on the day of the photoshoot.
As we are sure you will love loads more of the images taken, the additional files are available at just £30 each or in a bundle of 5 for £100.
All INCLUSIVE PACKAGE
£345
(£100 non-refundable deposit paid at the time of booking)
10 high resolution images via download
Cake and props in your chosen colour scheme included
The remaining balance is due on or before the photoshoot day.
Booking your date and time
I always try to offer dates as close to my clients’ wishes, however it’s not always possible. Some parents want to have the cake smash photoshoot on the actual birthday of their child or as close as possible. When thinking about the dates please bare in mind that the final images will be ready for you to download in 1-2 weeks from the photoshoot date. Because of this most parents want the photoshoot about 2 weeks before the birthday date as they usually want to have the pictures ready to share with family and friends on the actual birthday.