Baby Starr: Adelaide's First Birthday Cake Smash with Giant Floral ONE Letters

Our sweet girl is officially ONE, and it’s hard to believe that we’ve had her in our lives for a whole year now. Time truly did fly by at warp speed, and I feel like we just brought her home from the hospital and our son was cuddling her on the couch and saying in his tiny little voice, “Hi, Adelaide. Hi, honey. I love you!”

For Adelaide’s first birthday portraits, I wanted to do a classic floral cake smash with a twist. I purchased these 3-foot tall 3D metal letters and filled them with greenery, blush, and peach florals, with a few pops of anemones. I absolutely love how it turned out (and I can’t wait to use these letters in so many more cake smashes — check out another one here with BALLOONS inside the letters!).

This backdrop was truly a labor of love. The letters were handmade by an artisan in the Ukraine, and shipping took a few extra weeks to arrive. I needed a truly ridiculous amount of garlands to fill them with, and then I had so much fun adjusting the peach and white peonies, pink hydrangeas, white roses, and anemones to get them **just right** in the final setup.

It was all worth it, and our girl LOVED her cake smash!

Big brother Grayson wanted to help me in the studio. He has always loved being a part of sessions, and this one was no exception because it involved his baby sister and CAKE. He brings out the biggest smiles in her, and some of my very favorite portraits from this session are the ones where she is grinning and laughing at her big brother just over my shoulder.

I was sooooo happy when she leaned into her cake to take a big bite out of it! And I just adore those itty bitty fingers holding on to the frosting on the side of the cake.

Just look at how Grayson is making Adelaide smile in the one below! I love the bond that these two are developing.

Of course, baby girl absolutely loved her bathtub splash at the end. She didn’t want to get out of the tub when it was over! We had so much fun doing this session, and I can’t wait to frame a few portraits and add them to an album for our ONE YEAR OLD daughter!

A First Trip Around the Sun Cake Smash

Happy birthday, Brandon! This little astronaut came to my Saratoga Springs NY studio for his first birthday cake smash - complete with an outer space theme. When Brandon’s parents inquired and began planning their portraits with me, I was super excited about the theme they mentioned. As we dove further into possible colors and ideas, we settled on some blues and oranges, with silver accents. Everything felt super space-y and was the perfect fit for their little birthday boy! Brandon was an absolute joy to photograph. He loved the spotlight and was excited to dig into his cake from Kelly Skitchenny! I don’t blame him… it looked delicious!

We rounded out his first birthday portraits with family portraits on the sofa in my studio. I love the classic and simple feel to these portraits - just these three and lots of smiles! What a perfect way to celebrate a first birthday!!

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A Pink, Lavender & Peach Cake Smash with Balloon Garland

You guyssss!!! This is one of my favorite cake smash balloon garlands to date. I love this combination of soft pink, lavender, and peach, and it was so perfect for Lyla’s first birthday portrait session at our Saratoga Springs studio.

She wore the most adorable lace and tulle dress, an Amazon find that we see often on baby girls in the studio, and a recommended dress in our What to Wear/Where to Shop for your Cake Smash post!

Seriously. How cute is this joyful baby?!?! So adorable.

What I love about this dress is that it’s short enough for babies to move around in without getting caught under their legs when they’re trying to crawl or stand up. Lyla was able to move about happily, and once we gave her a spoon she was all smiles! (until the very end, when we captured a really cute sad face!)

Bathtub splashes save the day! Our baby-sized clawfoot tub is the most requested prop in the studio, and for good reason! It’s perfect for little ones who love the water, and it’s 100% cute.

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How to Choose a Cake Smash Theme for Your Baby's First Birthday Portraits

When my son turned one I had the hardest time deciding what to do for his cake smash theme. I mean, seriously, I’m a cake smash photographer so you’d think this would be easy for me! But no.

I went back and forth with so many ideas and finally settled on one that tied into our family’s story. My husband and I spotted a llama in downtown Saratoga Springs on our very first date, and over the years it became a lucky find for us whenever we spotted a llama. So llamas were kind of our thing years before they became “trendy”, and we settled on a llama theme for our little boy! It worked out perfectly because he had so many llama books and toys, and it was now his thing, too!

So if you’re like me and you’re wondering how in the world to pick a theme or an idea for your child’s first birthday portrait session, don’t worry! This blog post is filled with ideas to inspire you!

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Just pick a color - no theme!

I love working with just a few colors and incorporating them into a festive setup with balloons, confetti, garlands, and cutouts.

PRO TIP: Choose the nursery colors and you’ll have the perfect spot to hang your portraits!

Pick a favorite song or book.

Baby Shark, Oh the Places You’ll Go (travel theme), Peter Rabbit, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star are just a few that we’ve done based on books and songs!

Special Holidays

Was your baby born on a special holiday or in a particular season? Incorporate that into the cake smash! Christmas, New Year’s, Winter Wonderland, Fourth of July, Spring, Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving (with a pumpkin pie smash). These are all a few fun ideas!

Nautical - always a popular theme!

This is definitely one of the most popular requests I get for boys, and I love customizing it for each baby!

Florals - another popular request!

Blush pink florals and peonies are always a popular request for little girls, and I love coming up with new ways to design the cake smash setups so that each one is unique. Here are a few favorites!

Favorite toys

Maybe your child has a favorite stuffed animal and you’re planning his birthday party to match. That’s how we came up with this panda bear theme!

Favorite family activities

Does your family love to go camping? Bake cookies? Have pool parties? Travel? Visit the farmer’s market? Make that a theme for a very unique session!

Still not sure what to choose? That’s why I’m here! I love helping families come up with the perfect idea for their baby’s cake smash, and I’m happy to help you, too!

But if you need more inspiration, here are a few on my wish list this year:

• Ice cream shop

• Farmer’s Market/Flower Market

• Cookies & Cream/Oreos

• New Year’s Eve

• Little aviator

• Pastel balloon wall

• Ballerinas

• White & Gold

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Aiden's Campfire Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Look who’s ONE!

Another NSP Baby celebrated his first birthday, and I can’t believe that Aiden is one already!

We started with family portraits on one of my favorite neighborhood streets in downtown Saratoga Springs. I love the colors and layers that the houses and porches add to our photographs, and I’m always excited when a family is eager for a non-traditional location for their family portraits. Sidewalks are some of my favorite places for portraits, and this family shows us just how beautiful these spots can be for families!

Then we headed back to the studio for the birthday boy’s cake smash! His mama wanted a colorful campfire theme, with a cake made to look like a giant toasted marshmallow. I love how it all came together with the pine trees, starry night backdrop, buffalo plaid tent, and the campfire!

Aiden loved it, too!

Hahaha, we all laughed so hard when he took the most massive bite of cake! This little guy was REALLY into his cake smash, and he was so much fun to watch!

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A Sailboat Cake Smash for Baby Jonas with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

It’s always such an honor to watch babies grow and photograph them throughout their first year, and it amazes me every single time just how quickly a year can pass, and how much these little babies can change in twelve months!

I feel like it was just last month that we were snuggling Jonas during his newborn session, and now he’s ONE!

We celebrated his first birthday with family portraits at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga. The studio is only two miles from here, and it’s one of my favorite spots to meet at before the cake smash because there are so many gorgeous and unique locations within the park for family portraits.

Jonas was in the best mood, super curious and playful. And just so happy & smiley in every single photo!

Then we headed back to the studio for a nautical cake smash. This year we had a few coastal elements and colors in his newborn and milestone sessions, and it was perfect to weave those same colors into his cake smash so that all of his portraits will complement each other up on the walls of their home.

Jonas LOVED eating his cake with a spoon, and we captured so many cute moments of him enjoying all of the frosting!

Time for a bathtub splash, and so many more smiles! Honestly, he had to have been one of the happiest cake smash babies I have ever photographed!

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Our Latest baby plan graduate - a pretty floral cake smash for Ella

We have another Baby Plan graduate! And ohhhhh my goodness, she is just perfectly adorable and the cutest little one year old you ever did see!

If you haven’t heard about our Baby Plan, it’s a way to celebrate all of your little one’s milestones with beautiful portraits throughout the first year. From a newborn session, to a sitter session, all the way through a cake smash with family portraits at the end of the year! We even include maternity portraits, making it FOUR SESSIONS to document all of the special moments in your baby’s first twelve months. I love working with our Baby Plan clients so much, and I only take on a few per month to give them all the attention they deserve!

Ella turned one, and she was very excited about it! We started with family portraits, soaking up the last rays of sunshine of the summer while celebrating her first steady steps with mom and dad.

Then we headed back to the studio for a very special cake smash filled with fluffy pink peonies and twinkle lights — two of my favorite things!

Don’t you just love those cute little rolls on her arms? And the finger dimples make my heart melt! So, so sweet!

We finished her session with a bathtub splash, and she loved getting all sudsy and playing with the rubber duckie!

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All Around the World - Kaylen's Travel Themed Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

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Some Bunny is One! Charlotte's Cake Smash

We have another Baby Planner graduate!

I can’t believe that Charlotte is ONE! Her mama first reached out to me early last year and we discovered that our due dates were only one day apart! Charlotte came early, and then our Grayson arrived early, and the two have enjoyed a bunch of play dates & walks together this year!

We had such a great time at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her birthday session, and I just love all of the cute family cuddles that we captured to celebrate their first year as a family of three.

Charlotte brought her favorite little elephant and she was so sweet and cuddly with her toy! This is what ONE looks like for their sweet baby girl!

With a spring birthday close to Easter, we planned a simple floral cake smash with a “Somebunny is One” theme to go along with her birthday party theme. I love how it came together with this cute bunny cake topper!

While dainty, she was definitely cute digging into her birthday cake for the cake smash!

I think the wooden spoon was her favorite part of the whole thing! Just look at that beautiful smile!

An English Garden Cake Smash with Peonies

Sweet little Ellie came to the studio for her first birthday session, and it was absolutely perfect! We started her beautiful session with family portraits, and this baby girl just lit up everyone in great big smiles and laughs!

I loved planning this session with her mama to bring her dream of an English garden and tea party to life. We used a white backdrop and billowy curtains, loads of fluffy pink peonies, and a few beautiful bird cages, too! We have an itty bitty tea set in the studio, and Ellie played with her favorite stuffed animal and shared a tea party with her elephant. It was the cutest thing ever!

Ahhhhh!!! Don’t you just love how excited she is about her cake?!?! I love when babies show off their clapping skills during their first birthday sessions!

Bathtub splash at the end! Guess who wanted to eat all of the soap bubbles?!

Natalia's Cake Smash with an Amethyst Balloon Garland

Balloon garlands are getting popular for our cake smash sessions, and this gorgeous amethyst purple one might just be my favorite balloon garland yet!

Natalia came to the studio for her newborn session last year, and we incorporated purple because that was a prominent color in the nursery. Naturally, we wanted to use this color for the cake smash, too! But first we captured some incredibly sweet portraits of Natalia and her big sister together .

This sweet birthday girl was a little hesitant about her birthday cake, and spent a good amount of time crawling away from her cake at first… but eventually she really dug in and really rocked her cake smash!

Haha, this little stretch of hers is my favorite!

Big sister joined in at the end!

A Baby Shark Cake Smash by Nicole Starr Photography

Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo…

Every family that comes to the studio knows this song, and just about every family with a little one under 5 recognizes the tune. The Alexa in the studio basically plays this song on repeat!

I was so excited when Wells’ mama asked for a Baby Shark/under the sea cake smash for his first birthday! This was definitely a fun theme to design, and I loved creating all of the ocean elements by hand and pulling them together for a perfectly cheerful set up with just a hint of “Baby Shark” for the sweet birthday boy.

Even the birthday cake was made to look like ocean waves with graham cracker “sand”!

Wells wasn’t totally into the cake, and we spent a good bit of time following him around the studio because he LOVED showing off his crawling skills during his cake smash session.

His big brothers and sister joined in at the end, which is always so much fun! Hahaha, he may not have been so happy about sharing that delicious cake, though!

Thankfully this baby boy LOVED the bathtub, and the smash & splash was an absolute success with so many smiles and lots and lots of splashing!

A Pink and Silver Winter Wonderland Cake Smash for Kataryna

Winter ONEderland is always a very popular cake smash theme this time of year, and I loved pulling together this beautiful first birthday session for little miss Kataryna’s birthday! Lots of snowflakes, bottle brush trees, fluffy white snow, and pink and silver accents all came together beautifully for the most perfect first birthday photo session.

How sweet is her little ponytail?! Her mama found the perfect tutu months in advance, so I designed her cake smash decor to match.

This baby girl LOVED standing up! She was walking all over the studio, and I found frosting in all sorts of interesting spots when I was cleaning up after her session. That’s always the fun part of our cake smashes — they get MESSY and these birthday babies always have us laughing!

Kataryna finished her cake smash with a splash in the bathtub, and she even brought her own bath toys from home for a special little touch!

Nora's Pastel Cake Smash

Pumpkins and Leaves for an Autumn Cake Smash

It’s hard to believe that little miss Evelyn is ONE! I’ve enjoyed seeing this Baby Plan sweetheart every few months throughout the past year, and I was excited to plan a beautiful autumn cake smash for the birthday girl.

We chose a fall theme because her parents LOVE everything about the fall — the colorful leaves, crisp air, pumpkins, and delicious foods, to name a few! I incorporated as many of those things as possible into Evvie’s cake smash decor, and I love how it came together with the birch trees and falling leaves, and of course the twinkle lights!

It’s not often that we get one-year olds in the studio who are standing and walking at the time of their cake smash, so it was such a treat to capture this cutie in action as she towered over her cake! The funniest part was when she toppled over right on top of the cake and hugged the cake to stop herself from falling!

A Rose Gold Cake Smash Session for Anastasia

It feels like summer wasn’t that long ago, and already I miss the warm days and gorgeous green leaves that made for such a beautiful backdrop for our family portrait sessions.

We celebrated Anastasia’s first birthday with family portraits at Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs, followed by a rose gold cake smash here at the studio! This little miss was the star of the show, and she was all smiles for her family portraits.

Her cake smash decor was inspired by this beautiful tutu that her mother found on Etsy. Sometimes the outfit is what inspires an entire set-up! I had been eager to make a balloon garland so I pulled together some gorgeous rose gold balloons and confetti for the perfect birthday backdrop.

Anastasia loved it!

We finished up her session with a bathtub splash, and Anastasia had a blast playing with the rubber duckie. I love how she looks like she’s talking to it here!!

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.  

Product feature | Blake's First Birthday: Our Linen Storybook Album

If you haven't figured it out by now, our albums are my absolute FAVORITE keepsake to create from our portrait sessions.

Album details:
8x8 Storybook Album
Linen color: Tundra
Font color: Gold

Whether it's a first birthday,  a Fresh 48, a family session, or a newborn session, there is nothing sweeter than having all of your favorite memories woven across the pages of a beautiful album that you can hold in your hands, turning the pages and reliving a chapter of your family's story.

With this particular session, one of my favorite memories from this family was when they were telling me that their baby girl is obsessed with babies.  She loves all things baby.  They have an album from her newborn session with me, and she likes to start every day flipping through the pages of the book and looking at all of the baby pictures.   Of course, she doesn't realize that she's looking at Baby Blake on the pages of the album, but it's her favorite book and one that I'm sure she's going to have many memories of looking through as she gets older.

That's what our keepsakes are all about.  Creating memories with your family and enjoying them every single day. 

The storybook albums are petite, 8x8 albums with a gorgeous linen cover.  The pages are printed on press paper, and they are so beautiful in person!  Each book is custom designed to hold your favorite images from your portrait session.

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Our beautiful storybook albums have 5 beautiful linen cover options to choose from, so you'll be able to find the perfect shade to suit your style.  A few of the most classic ones are Tundra (this dark gray shown here), Sand (a beachy beige), and Tusk (a creamy white).   

Plus we can write your baby's name & birthdate on the cover, or your family name & the year if it's a family session.  These can be debossed in gold, silver, or rose gold font.
 

Curious about our other keepsake products?  We truly believe that you'll enjoy your memories more when they are printed -- check out a few of our options here!

The Wooden Keepsake Box
Heirloom Wooden Wall Art
Accordion Albums
Birth Announcements
Thank You Cards
The Storybook Album

Product Feature - Birthday Invitations and Thank You Cards | Saratoga Springs NY Cake Smash Photographer

Everyone is used to seeing our custom designed birth announcements and holiday cards, but did you know that we offer THANK YOU CARDS and PARTY INVITATIONS, too?   

These are perfect for your cake smash photos, and they make the cutest little mailers!  Friends & family will love receiving your little one's birthday portraits in the mail with a special note from you, plus it takes one more thing off of your to do list after the birthday party!

Just like all of our other custom cards, these thank you notes include personalized envelopes with your return address printed on the back.  All you need is a stamp and an address label for the front, and you're done!  Simple & sweet!

Planning your cake smash session?  Aim to do the shoot 4-6 weeks before the birthday party, and that way we'll have plenty of time to edit the images, do your gallery reveal, design your cards, and get them to you in time to send out right away!