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Celebrating a Sweet First Birthday Milestone in Bergen County NJ
When mom, Christina, reached out to me in May about a cake smash session for her sweet girl, Mila, she was apologetic about her last-minute inquiry. She had previously booked a cake smash with another photographer who unfortunately had to abruptly close her business. So she found herself scrambling to find a Bergen County cake smash photographer before her daughter’s first birthday.
Naturally, I wanted to help! First birthdays are such a special milestone, and I didn’t want her family to miss the opportunity to celebrate and document this exciting season.
Christina already had the cutest theme in mind: “Our Little Sunshine is Turning One.” She even sent me a photo of the birthday dress she planned to use for the party, which gave me the perfect starting point for designing the set. As soon as I saw it, I started searching for backdrops and props that would capture the bright, cheerful feel she was envisioning.
Bringing a Sunshine Cake Smash Theme to Life
One of my favorite parts of planning a first birthday photoshoot is helping parents personalize every cake smash session and using your baby’s favorite colors! After gathering several backdrop options that fit the sunshine theme, I sent them over to Christina so she could choose her favorite. She ended up going with this bright orange and white balloon arch backdrop from Kate Backdrops. I expedited shipping to make sure everything would arrive in time for the session.
From there, I started pulling together all of the little details that would make the setup feel complete for a sunshine themed NJ cake smash photography session. I found beautiful faux orange sunflowers along with pink, yellow, and orange daisies displayed on wooden stands to add color and texture to the scene.
To give the clouds in the backdrop a more dimensional look, I used polyfill to make them appear fluffy and realistic.
I also incorporated a sweet “You Are My Sunshine” sign that tied the entire theme together.
To finish the setup, I used my light-up marquee letters that spell out O-N-E, along with a cake stand and coordinating props. Christina brought her own cake topper, which worked perfectly with the overall design.
By session day, everything came together beautifully for this one year cake smash session. The finished setup felt bright, cheerful, and full of a lot sunshine; perfect for celebrating such a happy milestone.
Sweet First Birthday Portraits in Bergen County NJ
Before bringing out the birthday cake, I always like to start with portraits of just baby. This allows us to capture beautiful milestone images and plenty of personality before frosting and cake inevitably end up everywhere!
The birthday girl wore an adorable peach colored outfit that matched the sunshine themed cake smash perfectly. I incorporated a small chair and one of my wooden crates as props.
With a little help from Mom and her aunt, we were able to capture lots of genuine smiles, giggles, and playful live moments. These images are always some of my favorites.
Check out all the details on my cake smash photography page!
Cake Smash Fun with the Birthday Cake
Once we finished Mila’s clean portraits, it was time for everyone’s favorite part of the session: the cake smash!
Mom changed her into a second outfit that could get messy: a white onesie with the word “ONE” on it written in gold and a matching gold headband. I love this part of the session because every baby reacts differently. Some babies dive right in, while others take their time investigating before deciding whether cake is actually worth touching.
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For this session, mom Christina made the cake herself and decorated it with white frosting. This is always my preferred choice color of frosting because it photographs beautifully, easy to wash afterwards and does not stain outfits!
At first, the birthday girl was mostly interested in tasting the frosting. She needed a little encouragement to really dig in, but once she realized how delicious it was, there was no turning back. Before long, she was grabbing handfuls of frosting, smashing pieces of cake, and thoroughly enjoying herself.
One of the funniest moments happened when she managed to knock the entire cake off the stand! Rather than ending the fun, we simply removed the stand and let her continue enjoying her cake from the clean floor. She was completely unbothered and happily continued eating and exploring every bite.
Watching her curiosity, excitement, and pure joy unfold was such a reminder of why I love cake smash sessions so much. These moments are messy, unpredictable, and full of personality; which is exactly what makes them so special.
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Wrapping Up with Tub Time
To finish the session, we moved on to tub time, which is included in two of my cake smash packages. It is always a huge hit with little ones. This sweet girl absolutely loved it!
The moment she got into the tub, she started splashing, laughing, and playing in the water. Her big smiles and happy expressions made for some of the sweetest images of the entire session. Not only does tub time help clean off all the frosting and cake, but it also gives us the opportunity to capture another fun experience before wrapping up.
It was the perfect ending to this cake smash photography session in Bergen County!
Looking for a Bergen County Cake Smash Photographer?
First birthdays are such a special milestone, and a cake smash session is a fun way to celebrate your little one’s first year. As a Bergen County cake smash photographer and Bergen County NJ newborn photographer specializing in newborn photography and first birthday portraits, I love creating customized first birthday photography experiences that reflect each family’s unique style and vision.
Whether you’re dreaming of a sunshine-themed cake smash, a classic cake smash, a whimsical floral setup, or something completely unique, I’d love to help bring your vision to life.
If you’re looking for a Bergen County cake smash photographer and live in Ridgewood, Northern NJ, or nearby New Jersey towns, contact me today to start planning a custom cake smash session designed just for your family!
Here is a behind-the-scenes video from this cake smash:
