A Simple Woodland Cake Smash Setup for Baby Boy’s First Birthday

How is Lucas already a one year old?! This was our fifth session together thanks to our Collective Membership, and Lucas absolutely loved the camera! He was so comfortable in the studio, and he had a blast digging into his cake to celebrate turning one. Seeing babies be super comfortable with me is definitely a huge perk of being a part of the membership! 

For Lucas’ first birthday portraits, his mom and dad wanted to keep the setup super simple. We brought in elements of the woods, including the gorgeous pine tree trunks and greenery. With lots of fairy lights intertwined with the leaves on the floor, the setup became more whimsical and fun for this sweet boy. His outfit was also simple, but Lucas looked absolutely adorable in his overalls! 

My favorite portraits from his cake smash are actually where Lucas is smiling up at his mom and dad. His eyes just light up when he sees them, and I hope they always look back at these portraits and see the love that they reflected right back on to him. It was so precious to see those moments happen in real life and to have saved them forever for Lucas and his parents is beyond special to me! 

Happy first birthday, Lucas! I can’t believe you’re already such a big boy!! 


Save this post for later:

A sugarplum fairy winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs baby photographer

Happy 1st birthday, Ella Kate! We’ve been documenting all of her milestones during her first year as part of the Collective Membership and yet, I can’t believe she’s already one! To celebrate the end of her first year, we created a beautiful Sugar Plum fairy winter wonderland cake smash inspired by her mother’s ballet memories! 

Ella Kate’s Mom was a ballerina as a child, and she brought her old ballet slippers and pointe shoes to incorporate into the setup. I loved that sweet personal touch to the winter setup - and it was fun to sneak in something that means so much to her mom, too! Winter wonderland is always a popular theme for babies, so I love that we learned more into the Sugar Plum fairy inspiration for Ella Kate’s portraits! The setup really came together with soft whites, peachy pink, and the sweetest ballet dancers lined up across the backdrop.

As always, I incorporated some portraits of milestone portraits of Ella Kate before we even got to the cake. I’ve fallen in love with using my white wooden high chair with my babies in the studio! It’s always been one of my favorite props because it’s so classic, but it’s fun to be using it regularly again. Paired with the wooden cake (a popular prop for the babies, too!), it’s a great touch to any cake smash. After Ella Kate got to play with her cake, we also wrapped up with my favorite bubble bath setup. I’m all about sending you home with a clean baby! Plus, who doesn’t love a little one playing in bubbles?! Parents always love these portraits! 

Happy birthday again, Ella Kate! Thank you for allowing me to capture another beautiful milestone for you!


Save this post for later!

Pink and Silver Winter Wonderland Cake Smash

Gabriella is one! To celebrate her first birthday, I had the chance to photograph her and her family again, as well as her winter one-derland cake smash! Andrea, Gabriella’s mother, is a member of our Collective Membership. We’ve documented all of her milestones with 4 sessions that follow her family from maternity all the way through the first birthday! It’s been so fun to watch her grow into the sweet little one-year-old she is now! PS. We’re currently  booking membership clients for 2024! This is perfect for your family if you’re planning to do 2 or more sessions over an 18 month period (not just for baby’s first year clients, either!).

Winter wonderland is a super popular theme in my studio. I loved the chance to put together another classic version of the winter wonderland cake smash. For Gabriella, we focused on a pink and silver color palette. I even got to bring in my new blush pink backdrop fabric that I have already used many times this winter (ha!). The sparkly cone trees were the perfect addition to her winter theme. Gabriella looked adorable in her pink and white tutu, complete with a silver crown. She was a winter queen for her winter wonderland smash, for sure! 

As I always do with cake smash portraits, I captured new family portraits for this sweet family of four. They chose a beautiful blue and white color palette, which was the total opposite of the pinks and silvers we used for the cake smash. Side by side, the entire session looks amazing together and I hope that this family will treasure the portraits forever! 

baby girl in pink tutu with silver crown eats icing off fingers during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink tutu looks up while touching icing on cake during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink tutu touches icing on cake during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl laughs by pink and white cake with silver one topper and snowflakes during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl lifts up piece of pink and white cake during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big sister uses wooden spoon to help baby sister eat cake during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in pink tutu and silver crown laughs during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits in bath tub with bubbles wearing pink flower headband after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler cries in bath tub with bubbles wearing pink flower headband after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on tan couch with two daughters in matching blue and white dresses on their laps during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on couch in blue and white dress with blue patent leather shoes during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on tan couch holding daughter on their lap in matching blue and white dresses during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad stands holding one year old’s hand as she balances on one leg in blue and white dress during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad stands holding one year old’s hand while mom hold's big sister’s hand standing in front of white wall during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sister pushes one year old girl in wicker stroller in matching blue and white dresses during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl sits on studio floor wearing a blue and white dress with blue flower bow during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl sits in white high chair playing with wooden cake wearing a blue and white dress with blue flower bow during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later!

pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash for baby girl in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Best of 2023 Milestone & Cake Smash Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs

I have been a baby photographer for more than a decade now, and there is still something so special about welcoming these tiny little babies into our Saratoga Springs portrait studio to capture their portraits. I adore the baby phase, and I know all too well just how quickly it passes. That’s one of the reasons that I feel like our milestone portraits are just so classically “baby”. Timeless and simple, with a focus on the little moments that I know their parents are going to treasure looking back on years from now — the way they grab their toes, their puffy little hands pushing up on the floor, those tiny feet, their elbow dimples, and their gummy smiles and first teeth peeking out when they belly laugh. I’m a mama to two little ones, and there are so many stages that pull at my heartstrings, which is why I love slowing down time with my camera and documenting these moments before they’re gone.

2023 was a beautiful year in our studio, and I loved welcoming so many babies (and Collective Membership families!) into our studio for their milestone and birthday sessions. We did cake smashes, tub splashes, tummy time, rolling over, and everything in between!

Enjoy a peek at some of my favorite moments captured in 2023 of our older babies, and then go back and check out our Best of 2023 Newborns and Best of 2023 Family Sessions, too!

Just look at how adorable these milestone babies are! We typically do milestone sessions between 6-11 months old when babies are sitting up, playing with their toes, and learning to crawl. I just love this happy baby stage!

2023 saw some really beautiful cake smash themes in our Saratoga Springs baby photography studio. I loved creating unique backdrops for each session, and our new giant metal ONE letters were a popular with our families this year. My favorite new addition to the studio was a new pre-cake smash setup with a vintage wooden high chair and an adorable wooden cake with candles. So classic & beautiful, and it wound up being a favorite setup for nearly every single family, too!

And of course, every cake smash finished with a splash in our baby-sized clawfoot tub! The bubble bath always brought out the best smiles in the birthday babies!


Did these portraits brighten your day? Maybe inspire you for your own little one’s upcoming session? I’d love to chat and create some beautiful portraits for your baby!

A horse racing themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs

Happy birthday, Ivy! This darling little girl was born last year during the famous annual Whitney Race and upon her arrival, Heather immediately knew what her first birthday portrait theme would be: horse racing! I always love a chance to break out this uniquely Saratoga Springs backdrop and setup, and to do so in honor of a Whitney Race baby was even more special to me. Ivy’s mom not only used the theme for her portraits, but planned the entire birthday party around this theme too! SO fun. 

Before our cake smash, I met Ivy, Heather, and Lee in a wildflower field that they’ve grown to love over the last year. It’s a field the family frequents to gather their fresh fruit and veggies, so it holds a lot of meaning to the three of them. Ivy had the cutest little blue and white dress for our portraits in the field. She looked absolutely adorable, and everything just had this soft flowing vibe to it. 

After our time in the field, we headed back to the studio for Ivy’s first birthday portraits. Heather loved my vintage high chair and big ONE letters made of metal, so we made sure to incorporate them in our studio time. Heather chose the sweetest blue linen dress for Ivy to wear during her smash. She actually pulled some of the pastel orange and peach out of the backdrop for her cake, too. Such great attention to detail! It really helped everything for the smash come together. 

Ivy was gentle with her cake but had a blast. I loved seeing her little smile come out as she touched the icing and even got to play in our bath after the smash. She was utterly adorable and I had a great time with her and her parents marking this major milestone! Happy first birthday, Ivy! 

one year old sits in vintage high chair with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in vintage high chair in pastel flower outfit with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in vintage high chair in pastel flower outfit with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in vintage high chair in pastel flower outfit with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in white lace dress crawls on floor in front of gold metal ONE letters filled with greenery and mauve flowers photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in white lace dress sits on floor in front of gold metal ONE letters filled with greenery and mauve flowers photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue linen dress eats peach ombre cake in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue linen dress eats peach ombre cake in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue linen dress eats peach ombre cake in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old laughs sitting in clawfoot tub in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old laughs sitting in clawfoot tub in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop for cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of three stands in field of yellow and orange wildflowers during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of three in blue outfits stand in field of yellow and orange wildflowers during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue and white striped outfit sits on knit blanket during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue and white striped outfit holds parents’ hands during family portraits in wildflower field with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in blue gown holds toddler on her hip during family portraits in wildflower field with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
father hugs toddler in blue dress leaning to kiss her cheek during family portraits in wildflower field with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later!

A horse racing themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A horse racing themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A Celebration of Adelaide's First Year: My Favorite Baby Portraits

Our sweet baby girl turns ONE this week, and I can’t even believe that a whole 365 days have gone by since her arrival. Adelaide is an absolute ray of sunshine that brings so much joy to our lives, and we love this girl to pieces!

Of course I’ve gotten all sentimental going back through her portraits from the past year, marveling at how quickly she has grown, and ooooohhhh-ing and aaaaahhhh-ing over her perfect, tiny little features.

As a second time parent, this first year with our daughter feels a lot different than the first year with our son felt. We know a lot more about parenting, so we are wayyyyyy more relaxed about a lot of the baby stuff. We’re constantly juggling work-life-kids in a truly impossible balance, but we’re being very intentional about slowing down and really savoring these moments because they are sooooo sweet and we’re fully aware of just how fast they go by.

Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite portraits from her first year. I may not have used by big camera as much around the house for our day-to-day lives as I did during my son’s first year, so all of our lifestyle photos are on my phone and are getting turned into a photo album soon, but these are some of my faves from her arrival, sessions that I trusted other photographers to capture, and my studio!


Our sweet little Adelaide was born 6 days ahead of her due date thanks to a scheduled induction. We had a smooth, easy delivery, and I’ll never forget how empowering I felt in that room with the all-female team supporting me (& Jeff) — our midwife, a pregnant nurse, and one other nurse who also happened to be there for Grayson’s arrival, too. It was an incredible moment of being surrounded by these amazing, encouraging women, and such a special way to welcome our girl to the world.

Then began all of her mini newborn sessions back home in our studio! I found it incredibly challenging to summon the energy to do her newborn portraits while recovering, taking care of her, and making sure to give enough love and attention to our son, the new big brother! Thankfully, I knew ahead of time that I wanted to prioritize the family portraits this time around, and in order to do that, I would need to hire a photographer for a full session. We went to a dream photographer on my bucket list, Saren Cassotto Photography in Connecticut. She captured the sweetest family portraits for us, and some of my favorites of Adelaide solo, too!

By Saren Cassotto Photography

By Saren Cassotto Photography

By Saren Cassotto Photography

I did finally make it into my studio with our girl, and I prioritized simple and timeless portraits with soft textures, and baby’s breath as a special nod to both my & my mother’s wedding day.

This girl’s bright blue eyes melt my heart!

Oh my goodness, I just loved this simple Christmas setup, and the rattan baby doll stroller was the perfect prop for this joyful Christmas portrait!

I started a tradition of gingerbread house portraits when Grayson was a baby, and it continued for a few years. Now it’s Adelaide’s turn! Hers will hang on the wall besides Grayson’s first year gingerbread house portrait every holiday season.

There is something so timeless about a simple, all-white setup, white outfits, and zero distractions. I love this look for documenting her first year!

I wanted to capture some cuddly mommy-and-me portraits before she turned one. Allie T. Photography captured this bond perfectly, and I love these so much!

By Allie T. Photography

We did monthly milestone portraits on this floral blanket, just like I did for Graysons first year. I can’t believe we’re all done with these milestones!

Happy birthday to our little ray of sunshine, and the happiest, smiliest baby that we are so lucky to call our own. We love you, sweet Adelaide!

A Tiger Jungle Themed Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

 I can’t believe Rhys is a year old! It seems like just yesterday, we were planning his newborn session and then he came in for his milestone portraits. Now, he’s a one year old and we had to celebrate with a fun tiger and jungle themed cake smash in my Saratoga Springs studio. I have worked with Rhys and his family to capture all three boys’ first year - so I knew his mom wouldn’t disappoint with another fun theme! I absolutely loved creating a playful jungle setup for Rhys to smash some cake!! 

Like his brothers, Rhys’ cake smash centered around an animal: a tiger. Both of his brothers also had animal inspired cake smashes, each one had a special significance for the baby. Rhys was born in the year of the tiger, so we incorporated a tiger into both his newborn & milestone portraits. We made sure to bring the tiger into his cake smash, too. I absolutely love how this came together with the jungle leaves and the stuffed tigers! His mom brought him in a super cute tiger outfit to tie it all together, too! 

During the cake smash, Rhys wasn’t super into his cake, but his big brothers loved digging in! It’s one of the reasons I always say “yes” to big siblings who come to join us - so someone will enjoy the cake!! Happy birthday, Rhys! I’m so happy I was able to watch you grow this past year. You’re such a little sweetheart!! 


Save this post for later!

A tiger and jungle themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Throw the Confetti: A fifth birthday cake smash with friends

My son Grayson and his friends all have birthdays within 2.5 weeks of each other. I met these moms when we were pregnant – one at prenatal yoga, another at the hospital birth class, and another was a maternity client of mine. Our babies were all born at the same time, and we have been so lucky to have a built-in support group going through exactly the same stages at the same time as one another.

four five-year olds pose in front of Saratoga Springs racetrack backdrop in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography

When the babies turned 1, we did a cake smash with a Saratoga race track theme. It was cute and chaotic, and so much fun! With their fifth birthdays coming up, we knew this was a big milestone that we wanted to celebrate. For many of them, it was their first really big birthday celebration in years because of the pandemic. We got the original four together to do a (cup)cake smash with a confetti theme, and it was such a blast! All of their personalities came through, and it was amazing to us moms as we watched them in this session and reflected on how their personalities today were so similar to the way they each acted during the one year old session.

I chose a confetti theme because it was bright & colorful, and oh-so-classic. Each child’s cupcake had their favorite color confetti sprinkles on top (and yes, I painstakingly sorted the sprinkles by color one at a time the night before the session!). This setup was so much fun to make, and while adapting my regular cake smash set (baby sitting on the floor) to accommodate four grown 5 year olds was a challenge, we pulled it off with a bench covered in white fabric and confetti dots to match the decor. I love how it all turned out, and I’m so happy that we’ll have these memories to look back on years from now and show our little ones these early friendships.

four confetti cupcakes for cake smash with friends in front of rainbow streamers in Saratoga Springs studio with Nicole Starr Photography
four confetti cupcakes for cake smash with friends in front of rainbow streamers in Saratoga Springs studio with Nicole Starr Photography
fine year old boy in white shirt and jeans sits on studio floor holding confetti beach balls in front of rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
fine year old girl in white dress sits on studio floor with confetti beach balls and rainbow streamers behind her for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
blonde girl in white dress blows confetti from hands in studio with confetti beach balls in front of rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
blonde girl in white holds beach ball in studio with confetti beach balls in front of rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four five year olds play in studio with confetti beach balls in front of rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers play with confetti and beach balls in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers play with confetti and beach balls in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
fine year old boy in white shirt and jeans dances with confetti beach balls in front of rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers play with confetti and beach balls in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
girl with brown hair in white dress throws confetti and beach balls in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers in white dresses and white shirts with jeans pose with giant silver 5 balloon in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers in white dresses and white shirts with jeans sit eating cupcakes in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
blonde toddler in white shirt with jeans eats cupcakes in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
four toddlers sit together eating cupcakes in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
blonde girl with purple bow in white dress eats cupcake and licks icing off her nose in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
boy in white shirt laughs holding confetti beach ball in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer
boy in white shirt laughs with girls in white dresses holding confetti cupcakes in studio with rainbow streamers for cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs children’s photographer

Save this post for later!

Rainbow inspired cake smash for five best friends to celebrate their 5th birthday in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography

A Girly Woodland Cake Smash with a Hint of Pink

Happy birthday, Reilly! Reilly is turning the big ONE, so we planned a sweet cake smash in my Saratoga Springs studio to celebrate this darling girl. When we began planning, her mom sent me an inspiration photo from Reilly’s nursery (which is gorgeous, by the way!). She knew that they wanted to incorporate the birch tree trunks, greenery, and a hint of pink into her cake smash setup. I immediately LOVED the idea - and I was thrilled she wanted to use inspiration from their home.

We were originally going to do Reilly’s session in November, but thanks to daycare germs and multiple illnesses, we had to postpone and wound up finally getting together in December. While I had initially planned a hint of pink with flowers and a few blush pumpkins, the holiday season found me changing it up a little bit with some rose gold ornaments and this gorgeous sparkly felt flower wreath. Either way, I absolutely adore the final results and this sweet family did, too.

After their session, Reilly and her parents had their reveal. We designed a gorgeous heirloom album with all of their favorite images. I love knowing that Reilly will get to turn the pages and look back on this celebration for years to come! It’s one of Grayson’s favorite activities and to think of other little ones doing the same with their own photos means the world to me.

baby girl in white lace dress sits on stool in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in white lace dress sits on stool in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown claps hand in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown reaches for cake by woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown holds up part of cake by woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown eats cake off wooden spoon by woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown plays with wooden spoon by woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown plays with wooden spoon by woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown plays in white clawfoot tub in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown plays in white clawfoot tub in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl with green floral crown plays with rubber ducky in white clawfoot tub in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in white clawfoot tub in front of woodland background with rose gold flowers and ornaments for cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom sits on grey sofa holding one-year-old daughter on lap during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and dad sit on grey sofa holding one-year-old daughter on lap during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and dad sit on grey sofa holding one-year-old daughter on lap during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in burgundy sweater holds one-year-old girl during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one-year-old girl sits in cream sweater and jeans on grey sofa during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one-year-old girl sits in cream sweater and jeans on grey sofa during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one-year-old girl scrunches up nose sitting on sofa during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one-year-old girl crawls in cream sweater and jeans with wooden blocks on white floor during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later:

A Girly woodland cake smash with a hint of pink and rose gold photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography.

A Party Animal Cake Smash for Rocco

Happy birthday, Rocco!! I can’t believe that Rocco is already a year old. He was my first newborn session for the year. Now 2022 is almost over, and this guy is ONE! Time is flying by, seriously. We planned a fun cake smash in the studio to celebrate his milestone birthday. Leah, his mom, asked if we could plan a theme that matched his party invitations, so we designed a “party animal” theme! 

Between Leah and I, we were able to create a gorgeous setup for this little guy. We used lots of fun confetti filled balloons to create a garland backdrop and Leah brought in some stuffed animals she’s planning to use for the birthday party. While everything was colorful and bright - perfect for a one year old - we still managed to keep a pretty clean style, which I absolutely love (and am known for!). This style allows us to really focus on the birthday boy during his portraits!

As with all of my cake smash sessions, we made sure to capture some updated family photos of Rocco and his parents. We also got the most adorable updated photos of him alone in a sweet little plaid shirt. He even had a baseball cap for one photo! I love when we do these milestone photos, because it’s a great time to photograph your baby’s personality and new skills. Once those were done, it was time for cake! Rocco loved digging into the icing and even knocked his cake off the stand at one point. I’m here for it!! We ended their session with a little bath for him, which he loved. He was seriously so happy the whole session and that makes me super excited! 

baby in teal jumper crawls across confetti on floor during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal jumper knocks small white cake with confetti icing off stand during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal jumper smiles in front of confetti balloon garland during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal jumper eats icing during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal jumper eats icing off wooden spoon during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal jumper eats icing and stretches during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby in teal crawls around on floor with confetti after knocking cake over off stand during party animal cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in bathtub after cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in bathtub surrounded by stuffed animals wearing party hats after cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in bathtub surrounded by stuffed animals wearing party hats after cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby claps in bathtub surrounded by stuffed animals wearing party hats after cake smash with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in ONE hat sits in black plaid shirt with jeans during milestone photos in studio with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in green dress holds son on lap sitting on sofa photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in forest green shirt holds son on lap sitting on sofa photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in green dress laughs with one year old son in plaid shirt photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in forest green shirt holds son on lap sitting on sofa photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and dad hug one year old son in plaid shirt photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in plaid shirt claps hands sitting on white floor in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in plaid shirt crawls on white floor in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later:

a colorful party animal cake smash with stuffed animals in party hats and confetti balloon garland photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Mauve flowers and twinkle lights for a beautiful floral cake smash

Karina is a year old! I can’t believe this sweet baby girl is already a year old. To celebrate, we planned a gorgeous floral themed cake smash in the studio for her. To tie into her newborn portraits, we chose mauve flowers and twinkle lights. For those portraits, we used mauve accents and greenery. Put together for Karina’s cake smash, everything looked so beautiful. The entire setup felt super classic and elegant for this little girl!

Before Karina’s cake smash, we started with family portraits in Congress Park here in Saratoga Springs. We had a beautiful fall day and with all of the leaves on the ground, everything looked perfect. Karina’s big brother, Kaylen, was so excited to show her off and shower her with lots of hugs. It was sweet to watch them together!

When we were done, we headed into the studio to start her cake asmsh. Featuring a cake from Leah’s Cakery, Karina went right into it. She absolutely loved the icing! Kaylen couldn’t wait until he was asked to help, too. They were adorable together and I loved celebrating Karina’s first birthday! Enjoy a little peek into her cake smash!

baby girl in lace romper climbs on white bench during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with mauve flower during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with mauve flower during Saratoga Springs cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake topped with mauve flower and wooden topper during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake and wooden spoon during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper plays with white naked cake and wooden spoon during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper licks icing off finger during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper eats icing off wooden spoon given to her by big brother during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brother licks icing off wooden spoon while sister reaches for cake during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in lace romper pulls on cake topper during cake smash with mauve flowers and twinkle lights in Saratoga Springs studio with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in bathtub after cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl plays in bathtub after cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hug during fall family portraits in Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four hugs together standing in leaves at Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hug and brother kisses sister’s forehead during fall family portraits in Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four hugs together standing in leaves at Congress Park during photos with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds one year old daughter during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
brother holds sister in leaf pile during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
mom in black lace gown holds one year old daughter during fall family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later!

Cake smash for baby girl with mauve flowers and twinkle lights in Saratoga Springs NY studio with New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A tugboat themed cake smash for Baby Walter

Happy first birthday, Walter! We celebrated Walter turning one with a sweet tugboat themed cake smash in the studio. When we began discussing possible setups for his birthday portraits, Walter’s mom told me that his dad works on tugboats and she had a sweet tugboat romper that she wanted to pick up for him. Originally, we were just going to do a nautical theme for the smash – but once I saw that romper, I knew that we had to focus on the tugboats! Everything came together perfectly after that and I’m so happy with how these portraits turned out. 

During the smash, Walter was seriously one of the happiest cake smashers I’ve ever had in the studio. He was all smiles and very interested in his cake. At one point, his big brother Caleb jumped in for a few bites. It was hilarious seeing how quickly he was able to demolish the cake after his baby brother had been delicately picking at it for awhile before that.

Before the smash, we also captured updated family portraits in Congress Park! This is one of my favorite spots for portraits in Saratoga Springs. It’s important to me to always document the entire family – and a few non-cake smash portraits of the birthday boy or girl – at the start of each cake smash. Cake smashes are so much fun, but it’s nice to have a sweet and simple portrait of your little one, too! 

Enjoy a look into Walter’s tugboat cake smash today! 

baby boy sits in wooden chair during tugboat themed cake smash for first birthday with Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with cake topper during tugboat themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby eats blue cake during tugboat themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with wooden spoon and blue icing during tugboat themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with wooden spoon and blue icing with big brother during tugboat themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits with arms up covered in cake during tugboat themed cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
baby makes silly face in bathtub after cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
baby makes silly face in bathtub after cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
big brother holds one year old on his lap during portraits in Saratoga Springs park with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
big brother holds one year old on his lap during portraits in Saratoga Springs park with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
one year old crawls through grass during milestone portraits in Saratoga Springs park with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
big brother hugs one year old brother and kisses his cheek during milestone portraits in Saratoga Springs park with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
parents and big brother hug one year old for milestone portraits in Saratoga Springs park with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
dad lifts one year old up playing in Saratoga Springs park photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds one year old baby on hip during family photos in Saratoga Springs with NY Family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad poses with two sons during Saratoga Springs family session with Nicole Starr Photography
mom stands with two sons during Saratoga Springs family session with Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy sits in grass during milestone photos in Saratoga Springs park with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four stands together in Saratoga Springs park for family photos with Nicole Starr Photography
pre-teen boy sits in grass wearing shark polo photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
pre-teen boy leans against tree trunk in park wearing shark polo photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save it for later:

A tugboat themed cake smash for first birthday with navy blue nautical details photographed by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A succulent themed cake smash for baby boy

Happy first birthday, Colton! This little guy is a Baby Plan graduate. I’ve had the pleasure of documenting all of his milestones this year… from his newborn portraits, tummy time milestone, sitter milestone, holiday portraits, and even an extended family portrait session. Now, it’s time to celebrate with his very own case smash session. I’ve known this family since Colton’s big sister, Elliana, was little too. It’s been such a joy to watch them both grow.

When we began to plan Colton’s cake smash, we looked to his sister’s cake smash for inspiration. Elliana’s cake smash was also succulent themed. We wanted to change things up and make sure the entire session felt a little more “masculine” for Colton. WIth that in mind, we stuck to natural textures with gold accents. It was just perfect for this little guy!!

As with all my cake smashes, we also took the time for some updated family portraits in the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Spa State Park. I’m so happy I got to see everyone again and I can’t wait until their next family photos!

siblings sit on wooden crate while big sister kisses baby brother during family photos at the Hall of Springs with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom kisses daughter during Hall of Springs family portraits at Saratoga Spa State Park with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four poses at the Hall of Springs during Saratoga Springs NY family session with Nicole Starr Photography in the spring
family of four poses at the Hall of Springs during Saratoga Springs NY family session with Nicole Starr Photography
siblings sit on wooden crate during family photos at the Hall of Springs with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad and son hug during family photos at the Hall of Springs with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in green jumper sits on white chair during succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in green jumper sits on white chair during succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in olive green jumper plays with wooden cake topper during succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in olive green jumper plays with wooden spoon and icing during succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in olive green jumper plays with wooden spoon and icing during succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in olive green jumper and sister play in front of succulent themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
sister plays with wooden spoon while baby brother looks at cake during first birthday cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in green jumper plays with wooden “one” sign on cake during first birthday cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in tub after succulent cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this for later:

Succulent themed cake smash for baby boy with gold details in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

First birthday portraits with a sage green and beige balloon garland

Happy first birthday to Kodah! We celebrated his first birthday with a stunning cake smash in the studio this spring. Like many babies, his cake smash decor was inspired by his nursery decor - which I absolutely love! There’s just something wonderful about using the colors and themes you already know and love for your baby! His mama sent me her mood board from when she designed his nursery and we used a similar color palette of soft green, beige, and white. With a few greenery accents, the setup was complete!

During our session, we photographed a few family and milestone portraits without the cake first. I love starting sessions this way because I get to immediately capture how you are as a family - and your little one has time to warm up to me before we try the cake! Kodah looked so cute in his little white button up and his parents looked so proud of him!!

They had even more to be proud of during our session. Kodah had a huge milestone - he fed himself for the first time during our portraits! His mom and dad were so surprised and happy, and it was such a fun way to celebrate him taking his first bite and bringing food to his mouth all by himself. Apparently cake was the magic food he was waiting for all this time! ;o)

Happy birthday again, Kodah!

baby boy sits in curved chair in front of sage green and beige balloon arch for first birthday portraits with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in khaki pants by naked cake for first birthday cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with icing on naked cake during sage green and beige cake smash for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with icing on naked cake during sage green and beige cake smash for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with icing on naked cake during sage green and beige cake smash for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby eats icing on naked cake during sage green and beige cake smash for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby chews on end of wooden spoon during  cake smash with sage green and beige balloon garland for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby licks fingers during  cake smash with sage green and beige balloon garland for first birthday with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby claps hands sitting by cake for cake smash with sage green and beige balloon garland with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits by cake for cake smash with sage green and beige balloon garland with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash for first birthday with sage and beige balloon garland photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash for first birthday with sage and beige balloon garland photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in tub after cake smash for first birthday with sage and beige balloon garland photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with son on sofa in Saratoga Springs studio for family photos with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family and cake smash photographer
mom and son sit on sofa during family portraits in studio with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
mom kisses one year old son sitting on sofa during family portraits in studio with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
dad and one year old son sit together on sofa for milestone photos in studio with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
one year old laughs sitting on couch in studio during milestone photos with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old laughs sitting on couch in studio during milestone photos with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold one year old in studio during milestone portraits for first birthday with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold one year old’s hand in studio during milestone portraits for first birthday with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on studio floor by white curtain in Saratoga Springs with NY milestone photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby crawls on studio floor in white button up shirt during first birthday photos with NY milestone photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this session for inspiration later!

first birthday cake smash with sage green and beige balloon garland photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Cake Smash Portraits with Inspiration from Wedding Decor

I can’t believe Grace is one! I feel like she was just here for her newborn portraits 12 months ago. Now, we’re celebrating her first birthday. She (and her two big brothers, Charlie and Henry) came to the studio recently for her cake smash portraits and we all had a great time.

When I began talking with Grace’s mom about a theme and setup, she told me that she wanted to include similar colors and textures as they used at their head table in the wedding. First off, I LOVE that idea! How special and unique is that theme? The pictures had peach peonies, birch logs, eucalyptus and twinkle lights. I tied everything in the studio together with a beautiful wooden arch. The best part of this setup was that her Dad had no idea that would be the theme, so when he walked into the studio for portraits, he exclaimed, "Wow, this looks just like our wedding!". It was such a wonderful moment!

Grace had a lot of fun with her cake smash, especially once Charlie and Henry came to help her. They tried to feed Grace some icing and cake, then helped her smash it into the floor. That was when she really got into it. It was perfect!

Happy birthday, Grace!!!

baby girl sits in pink tutu during cake smash with peach peonies and fairy lights photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby reaches for ombre pink cake during cake smash inspired by wedding decor photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with wooden spoon by ombre pink cake during cake smash inspired by wedding decor photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink dress sits by ombre pink cake in front of wooden arbor and peach peonies for first birthday photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings help birthday girl with cake during woodland inspired cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings try to feed baby sister during cake smash for first birthday in studio photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
siblings help birthday girl with cake during woodland inspired cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl smashes up cake with wooden spoon in front of wooden arch and peach peonies photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old toddler stands in peach and white outfit by white stool in studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brothers in blue sweaters hug baby sister on couch during studio family portraits with Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in peach and white onesie on sofa during milestone portraits with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in peach and white onesie on sofa during milestone portraits with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
three siblings sit on sofa during family photos in studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old sits in peach and white onesie on mom’s lap during milestone portraits with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old toddler stands in peach and white outfit by white stool in studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of five sits on sofa in studio for family portraits with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in blue sweater sits on sofa during family portraits in studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of five laughs together on sofa during family portraits with Nicole Starr Photography in studio
boy in blue sweater sits on white stool during family portraits in studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this post for later:

Cake smash portraits with inspiration from wedding decor including wooden arches and peach peonies photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

A cake smash with muted blues

Happy first birthday, Baby John! I loved photographing John’s classic first birthday cake smash here in the studio. It was a simple setup featuring a balloon garland of muted blues… and it was perfect for this little guy. When I began chatting with his parents about the theme and setup for his portraits, we knew that classic was the way we wanted to go. With a simple and muted color scheme, it was easy to achieve that look!

His parents decided on two sweet outfits for his portraits. John looked so grown up in his button down during his milestone portraits! And the little romper he wore for his smash reminded me of what we wore as kids. Definitely classic! With a taller and simple white cake from Kelly’s Kitchen, the setup was complete!

baby in blue onesie with birthday cake poses by blue balloon garland in Saratoga Springs NY studio photographed by Nicole Starr Photography

After John’s session, his family had their ordering session! They decided to order a gorgeous, hardcover linen album from his cake smash. It complements his newborn album perfectly! I love that they’re going to have both albums to enjoy for many years to come.

baby reaches for cake topper during cake smash with muted blue color palette photographed by NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby laughs sitting by cake during muted blues cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays with wooden spoon in front of blue balloon garland in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy tilts cake off stand during cake smash with muted blue balloon garland behind him photographed by Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in blue jumper poses in front of muted blue balloon garland during cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby eats cake during cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy plays in tub during cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
baby reaches out of tub during cake smash photos with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold one year old on lap during studio family photos in Saratoga Springs with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
parents hold one year old on lap during studio family photos in Saratoga Springs with Nicole Starr Photography, NY family photographer
mom hugs toddler during family portraits in studio with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad and son hug on couch during milestone portraits before cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue button up sits on couch during milestone photos with NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue button up sits on couch during milestone photos with NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue button up shirt plays in studio with wooden toys during milestone photos with NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old in blue button up shirt stands by wooden stool during milestone photos with NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save this classic cake smash for later:

classic cake smash with muted blues color palette for little boy photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Grayson's Fourth Trip Around the Sun - An Outer Space Cake Smash

I say it every year, but I can't even believe that our sweet boy is another year older! Grayson is FOUR. I don't know where the time goes, but it really does move at warp speed once you become a parent. It feels like we were just doing his other cake smash sessions not that long ago (check out his first birthday, second birthday, and third birthday portraits here!)

four year old laughs during outer space cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Every year I plan birthday portraits around a theme that is special to Grayson. When he was a baby, his favorite stuffed animal was a llama so we did a llama cake smash -- and it's still his favorite stuffed animal to this day! At age 2, he was obsessed with school buses, so naturally that's what his theme was. Last year at age 3, he was all about the mail truck.

But now this year feels different because he's not just into things with wheels anymore. As he likes to tell everyone, he's "really into space" and "obsessed with the planets."

Our little guy is super interested in learning everything he can about space. This future astronomer first saw pictures of the planets in a little card game a few months ago, and ever since then he can't get enough information about space!

toddler reaches for stars during cake smash with outer space theme photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

It quickly turned into trips to the library to check out informational books on space and a visit to the planetarium. He asks to read his space books multiple time a day, and his favorite ones are called "Wonderbooks" and they have a read-aloud story built right into the book so he can listen to them on his own. Grayson loves them and plays them over and over. He draws the planets on his chalkboard and rattles off a million and one facts about the planets, their moons, which ones are gassy, which ones are bigger than others, and why some are so cold. He talks about asteroid belts and comets, galaxies and the big bang. It feels like we've been living in a seventh grade science class relearning all of this information alongside him, but he LOVES it and it's amazing to see what he has absorbed and understood.

Grayson asked me to do a cake smash with him, and I told him he would have to help me plan it. Naturally, we chose a space theme for his fourth birthday! He helped pick out the decorations, he chose his outfit, and helped me get it all set up. I make his cakes because of his peanut allergy, and we had fun baking this sweet concoction.

Now that he's getting older he wants to be a lot more involved in the studio, and it's really fun watching that excitement blossom inside of him. He's a pretty cool kid, and I'm excited to watch him come into his own even more this year as a four year old!

outer space cake smash for four year old photographed by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler laughs during cake smash with outer space theme photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
4 year old licks blue icing off wooden spoon during outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler eats cake pop off top of cake during outer space themed cake smash photographed by Nicole Starr Photography in Saratoga Springs studio
toddler poses during cake smash with outer space themed photographed by New York cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with blue icing and wooden spoon during 4th birthday cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler runs around cake during outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler smiles during planet inspired cake smash in New York studio photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with outer space cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY Cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler poses with space inspired cake for birthday photos in studio with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
four year old sits on navy backdrop with gold stars during outer space cake smash with NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with space themed cake during outer space inspired cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on stool in front of outer space backdrop during four year birthday photos with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY milestone photographer
toddler smiles in space themed pajamas during outer space inspired birthday session with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler shows off spoon with blue icing during Saratoga Springs NY cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits with blue planet inspired cake smash in Saratoga Springs NY studio with cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during cake smash for fourth birthday in Saratoga Springs NY studio photographed by Nicole Starr Photography

Planning your own little one's birthday portraits?


Save this for later:

A Music-Themed Cake smash for Baby Easton

I can’t believe Baby Easton is already one! It feels like yesterday that he came into the studio for his newborn session and now he’s a year old. I was so happy when his mom reached out to me to plan this cake smash for him. It’s the perfect way to celebrate your baby turning one! Cake smashes are completely personalized to your family and your baby, which makes them a great way to document this big milestone!

Since Easton loves going to weekly mommy & me music classes, his mom knew that they wanted to incorporate this into his cake smash. With a requested color palette of light blue, grey, and white, I was able to work on the setup. I love how all of the pieces came together - and I think Easton agrees. He was SO happy our entire session - and super chatty. We had a great time watching him enjoy his cake and crawl around the studio.

Happy first birthday, Easton!!

toddler bites into cake during music-themed cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits eating cake with silver cake topper during music-themed cake smash with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer
baby eats icing from cake during music-themed cake smash photographed by NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays with wooden spoon on teal cake stand during musical-themed cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in bath tub with rubber duck during cake smash photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents pose with toddler during Saratoga Springs family session in studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom and son sit on sofa in studio during NY family session with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs family photographer
dad and son sit on sofa during studio family session with Nicole Starr Photography, Saratoga Springs NY family photographer
toddler sits on sofa during studio milestone portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby plays in curtains during studio family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family plays together during studio family session with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Save it for later:

A Winter ONEderland Cake Smash with Blue & Silver with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer

Happy first birthday, Leo! I recently welcomed Leo and his wonderful parents to the studio for his first birthday cake smash. Since he’s a winter baby, we went with the ever popular theme of a Winter ONEderland. This is honestly one of my favorite themes for babies born in the colder months, and I’m always looking for ways to make it unique. For Leo’s session, we decided to use blue and silver as the main palette. And you may even recognize some of the snowflakes from our holiday sessions! They were the perfect final touch to Leo’s setup.

You never know how babies will be during their cake smashes. Some of them absolutely love the cake and others don’t. But, Leo absolutely LOVED it. He went for the cake and totally smashed it. He was definitely one of the most enthusiastic smashers I’ve ever had in the. Not to mention, one of the happiest babies! His little smiles made me giggle. Just wait until you see them!

If your baby is turning one this year, let’s talk about their cake smash portraits! I love helping families decide on the perfect theme for their little one, and making it all their own! In the meantime, enjoy scrolling through Leo’s winter cake smash portraits!


Save it for later:

A Winter ONEderland Cake Smash with Blue & Silver with Saratoga Springs cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Your Cake Smash: What to Expect

Celebrating your baby’s first birthday is such an exciting milestone! Not only is your baby ONE, but there’s so much you’ve achieved as a parent, too. It’s honestly one of the reasons I love photographing cake smash portraits so much. These babies are adorable and have some incredible new skills to show off. Plus, they’re just a lot of fun! But, cake smashes are a pretty unique type of session… and since it’s meant to be fun (and not stressful!), I want to make sure you know what to expect when you come into the studio.

Let’s celebrate together.

Today, I want to share a peek into what cake smash sessions are like, how you can prepare yourself and your almost one-year-old, and really enjoy this special time!

Choose a photographer that has plenty of experience with babies & toddlers.

Let’s start with the very first & most important thing. If you haven’t chosen a photographer yet, be sure to keep this in mind because all I want is for your little one to be comfortable and safe during their session, and for you to feel at ease the entire time.

A photographer who has plenty of experience photographing babies will be able to draw out the best smiles and expressions from your little one during your session. They know how to engage the baby and get them interested in their cake, the very best angles to capture your perfect little baby, and all of the must-have shots that will come together for a cake smash session that is more than just a smattering of portraits but that truly tells a story.

Choose a photographer who’s style and creativity you adore!

Cake smashes are one of the most creative types of sessions that baby photographers can do! Most photographers create their backdrops and props by hand, pulling together decor and other elements to bring your vision to life. Study a photographer’s portfolio to see which style you adore, and have specific requests for your cake smash setup. If you’re not sure of a theme or decor style, your photographer should be able to talk you through it to help you discover the perfect theme for your baby’s first birthday portraits.

When you arrive at the studio


When families come to my studio I have them take their shoes off at the door to keep the floors clean for the babies and toddlers that we have in our space. I let parents settle in on the studio sofa and I show them where the snacks and drinks are, and if big brother or sister is there we spend a little time in the toy corner to help them get acclimated to the new space.



Parents can change baby into their outfit for family portraits (this is usually a different outfit than we use for the cake smash). Sometimes baby will need a little more time to acclimate, and we don’t rush things! There is plenty of time for cuddles, a snack, songs, and playing before we begin your portraits.

First up come family portraits!


We start with family portraits to ease the baby into the new situation, and being in mom and dad’s arms helps make that a smooth transition! We capture a mix of family portraits, sibling portraits, and individual portraits of the baby. In the cooler months we do these in the studio in our white room setup and on the loveseat. In the warmer months we often meet at a nearby park for the family portraits before heading back to the studio for the cake smash.

Then it’s time for the cake smash!


After the family portraits we change the baby’s outfit. I usually capture a few portraits of baby on our setup without the cake before we bring out the cake. Parents are on baby duty to bring a moving baby back to the setup when they crawl off the backdrop, and we coax the baby to get comfortable with their cake. Sometimes a parents will sit right by their side if the baby prefers to be close to them, and often a parent will show them how to take a bite of the frosting or put a little on their lips to show them that it is food. Some babies need a little more help to dig into their cake, and we hide puffs or yogurt drops in the frosting to get them to dig in. I also have a wooden spoon that we pull out, and babies LOVE playing with the spoon. This always gets the biggest smiles!

Finish up with a bathtub splash!


The baby will let us know when they’re done with the cake, and we take off their outfit and get them ready for the bathtub. I fill the studio’s tiny clawfoot tub with warm water and bubbles, and then the baby gets in! This is an adorable opportunity for happy baby portraits, and I always love the smiles that we capture at the end of the session!



After we have captured a variety of portraits of your little one, we are all done! You have time to change and dress your baby, and if you need to give them a snack again before getting in the car you can absolutely do that, too!

After the session


If you’re comfortable with a sneak peek on social media, I usually share that 4-5 days after your session.

Then we will get together about 2 weeks later for your ordering appointment! We’ll choose your favorite family and baby portraits to hang on your walls, and select your favorite images for an album or a collection box. This is always my favorite part when families fall in love with the images we created of their birthday baby!

Once I send everything to print you’ll get it back in 2-6 weeks — certain products take closer to the 4-6 week mark, but others are always ready much, much sooner. When everything is ready I will either come drop it off or put it in the mail to you, or you can come pick it up at the studio. Then you’ll start enjoying your images right away at home!

Any questions? I’d be happy to chat with you about your little one’s portrait session. Click on the button below and let’s connect!


Save it for later: