Skip to content
All sessions
Sessions · Cake smash

First-birthday cake smash.

A short session in the Cashmere studio. We start with a few clean portraits, then hand over a giant cupcake and let the rest happen. Cake and themed setup included.

When to book

Around the first birthday, give or take a week or two. The practical milestone is sitting up unaided; until that's reliable, the smash bit is harder than it should be. Most families book four to six weeks ahead so there's time to settle on a colour scheme and prep the backdrop.

If the actual birthday lands awkwardly, do the session in the lead-up. That gives you a fresh online gallery to share at the party.

The studio is in Cashmere, twenty minutes north of the Brisbane CBD and a short drive from Eatons Hill, Albany Creek, Brendale, Strathpine, Mitchelton and Ferny Grove. Street parking is straightforward and there's room out the front to unload a stroller and a sibling at the same time.

How it runs

An hour in front of the camera, plus a bit at each end for setting up and cleaning down. We do the clean portraits first while baby's interested in everything new: a few sitting on the backdrop, a few with parents if you'd like, a few of the cake itself before any hands have been on it.

Then the cake. Most babies pause for a moment when it lands in front of them (sometimes a long moment) before deciding what to make of it. Some go in immediately. Some stare suspiciously and need a parent to demonstrate. All of it photographs well. Within ten minutes there's icing in places you didn't think were possible.

There's a basin and warm water at the studio for cleaning up. Bring a change of clothes for the trip home.

What's included

  • The themed setup: backdrop, balloons, a small banner, props in your chosen colour palette.
  • A giant vanilla cupcake or nude cake with icing in your choice of colour.
  • Pre-cake family and sibling portraits. Most parents print at least one.
  • 25 high-resolution images, fully edited, in your private online gallery.

If your baby has an allergy, or you'd rather bring a bakery cake the family is going to enjoy afterwards, just say so when you book.

What baby wears

Whatever's going to look good and clean off easily. A simple romper in a colour that works with the theme is the most popular pick. A themed outfit also works (tutu and crown for a first princess birthday, denim overalls for a more casual look). Plenty of parents go with bare skin or a nappy cover for the messy part; it photographs beautifully and there's nothing to scrub afterwards.

Bring a change of clothes for after, plus a towel for the car if you've got a long drive home.

First birthday cake smash, baby with icing-covered hands
About ten minutes in. Eight minutes earlier, the cake was intact.

See the cake-smash gallery

Read more

From the journal: it walks through the order of the morning, plus a few practical notes for parents thinking about it.

Inside a first-birthday cake smash →

Pricing is on the investment page. Cake smash sessions are a flat $400 with everything above included. A bubble bath add-on is available for $30, and if you'd prefer to bring your own bakery cake, $65 comes off the session fee.

Book your cake smash.

Send me your child's birthday and the colour you've got in mind. I'll come back with the next available dates.

Enquire about a cake smash

Frequently asked questions

Is the cake included in the session?
Yes — the cake and a themed setup are included in every cake smash session. I organise the cake, decorations, and backdrop so everything is ready when you arrive.
What age is best for a cake smash?
Right around their first birthday — anywhere from 11 to 13 months is perfect. They're sitting confidently and curious enough to dig in, but not yet too mobile to stay put.
Do you take clean portraits before the cake smash?
Always. I start with clean, pre-cake portraits in the themed setup so you have beautiful images before the icing starts flying. Then we bring out the cake and let the fun begin.
How long does a cake smash session take?
About an hour to an hour and a half, including the clean portraits and the cake smash itself. I also include a bubble bath at the end for some adorable clean-up shots.
What themes do you offer?
I work with a range of themes and can customise colours and styling to suit your little one's personality. Popular choices include florals, rustic, boho, and classic pastels. We'll chat about your vision beforehand.