The first year with your baby passes in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re cradling a newborn, and before you know it, you’re planning a first birthday. A cake smash photoshoot is a lovely way to pause and celebrate this milestone – capturing your baby’s personality just as it’s beginning to shine through.
At my garden studio in Anna Valley, near Andover, I offer relaxed, baby-led cake smash and milestone sessions for families across Hampshire. They’re gentle, joyful, and designed to create timeless images you’ll treasure long after the cake crumbs have been swept away.
A cake smash session is usually held around your baby’s first birthday, though some families choose to celebrate a little earlier or later. The session typically begins with classic milestone portraits – simple, natural images of your baby sitting, crawling, or standing – before introducing the cake.
This approach gives you a beautiful mix of clean, timeless portraits and fun, expressive moments as your baby explores the cake in their own way.
I recommend booking your cake smash photoshoot 1 month in advance, especially if you’d like the images ready for birthday celebrations or invitations. Most sessions take place when babies are around 11 months old, once they’re confidently sitting and curious about the world around them.
If your baby isn’t keen on mess or takes a while to warm up, that’s absolutely fine. Every session is unhurried and led entirely by your baby.
My cake smash sessions are designed to feel relaxed and pressure-free. There’s no expectation for your baby to “perform” – some dive straight in, others prefer to poke cautiously, and some would rather cuddle Mum or Dad instead. All of this is part of their story.
I provide a simple, neutral cake and a clean, timeless setup that keeps the focus on your baby, not busy props or trends that date quickly.
I always offer a gentle splash bath at the end of the session. This gives your baby a chance to clean up, relax, and often results in the most joyful smiles and splashes. It’s a lovely way to finish the session and adds another layer of variety to your final gallery.
Cake smash sessions aren’t just about the cake. They’re about celebrating your baby’s first year – the expressions, the curiosity, the tiny details that are already beginning to change.
Many of the families I photograph first visit me for their newborn session, then return for sitter and cake smash milestones. Watching little ones grow and documenting those chapters over time is one of the most special parts of my work.
My cake smash and milestone sessions take place at my cosy garden studio in Anna Valley, easily accessible from Andover, Basingstoke, Winchester, Salisbury, and across Hampshire.
If you’re planning your baby’s first birthday and would love a set of natural, timeless images to mark the occasion, I’d love to hear from you.
