Your baby’s first birthday is such a fun milestone to photograph, but your session does not have to revolve around a cake smash.
For me, first birthday sessions are really about capturing who your baby is at this stage: their expressions, their personality, the way they interact with you, and all of those little details that change so quickly during the first year.
If you want to add a cake at the end, absolutely. Cake smashes can be adorable, messy, and so much fun. But the cake is only one optional part of the experience.
When Should You Schedule First Birthday Photos?
If you want to have your photos back before your baby’s first birthday party, I usually recommend scheduling the actual session when your baby is around 10 to 11 months old.
That gives us time to photograph the session, edit your gallery, and get your images back before the celebration.
This can be especially helpful if you want to use the photos for:
• Birthday invitations
• Party decorations
• Social media announcements
• Framed photos or displays at the party
• Thank you cards
But there is absolutely nothing wrong with waiting until your baby officially turns one.
Some parents want the session itself to mark the actual milestone, and that is completely fine too.
The biggest thing to think about is not necessarily, “When does my baby turn one?” but rather, “When do I want these photos back?”
When Should You Reach Out to Book?
Even though I often recommend photographing the session around 10 to 11 months if you want the gallery before the birthday, I would not wait until then to start planning.
Reaching out earlier gives us time to choose a date, talk about your baby’s schedule, discuss outfits and colors, and plan any custom elements we may need for the setup.
If you already know you want first birthday photos, reaching out a month or two before you would ideally like to photograph them is a great place to start.
Your Baby’s Nap Schedule Matters
One of the most important things I like to know when we are planning a first birthday session is your baby’s nap schedule.
Whenever possible, I want to schedule the session around the time of day when your baby is normally rested and happiest.
At this age, a beautiful setup is great, but a tired baby is still a tired baby.
Of course, babies do not always follow the schedule we expect. But starting with their normal routine gives us the best opportunity to capture their smiles, funny expressions, curiosity, and personality.
Can Parents Be in First Birthday Photos?
Yes. Absolutely.
I actually recommend showing up photo-ready even if you only think you want to be in a couple of images.
Around this age, some babies are starting to become a little more cautious or shy in unfamiliar environments.
Sometimes they walk into the studio and immediately want to explore.
Other times, they need a little extra time in your arms before they feel comfortable.
Both are completely normal.
Having you ready to step into a few photos gives us flexibility if your baby needs some reassurance, and it also creates some really sweet images of you together during such a special milestone.
Even if your goal is mostly solo portraits of your baby, I recommend planning as though you may be photographed too.
You may only end up in a handful of images, but those can easily become some of the most meaningful photos from the session.
You Do Not Need to Have the Whole Theme Figured Out
Most of my clients do not come to me with a completely designed setup already planned.
Usually, they give me a starting point.
That might be:
• A color palette
• The birthday invitation
• A birthday outfit
• A general theme
• An inspiration photo
From there, I work with you to bring the vision together in a way that still feels true to my photography style.
My birthday setups tend to be clean, soft, and simple. I love muted or soft color tones, bright natural studio light, and thoughtful details that add to the celebration without taking the focus away from your baby.
My standard setups typically include simple balloons along with props and pieces I already have available in the studio. Small touches like flowers, teddy bears, banners, or other accents can help personalize the setup even more.
If you are envisioning something more elaborate or fully customized, we can absolutely talk through that too. Specialty pieces or items purchased specifically for your session may require an additional investment.
And if you have inspiration photos, send them my way. I am always happy to see what you are drawn to and use those ideas to help shape a setup that fits your vision while still feeling like my work.
You can also look through the examples in this post and my previous birthday sessions to get a feel for the style I typically create.
We Photograph More Than the Cake Smash
Before any cake comes out, I want to photograph your baby.
My style for these sessions is centered around capturing their personality at this stage.
We create clean portraits first so you have photographs that really document what your child looked like and who they were around their first birthday.
Then, if you choose to bring a cake, we finish the session with the cake smash.
And cake is absolutely not required.
Some families love the traditional cake smash experience.
Others would rather skip it completely.
Either way, your first birthday session is still about celebrating this milestone.
If You Want a Cake Smash, Keep the Cake Simple
For families who do want to add a cake smash, the cake is always provided by the client.
One of the biggest reasons I do not provide cakes myself is food allergies and dietary needs.
You know your baby’s needs far better than I do, so I want you to feel comfortable choosing a cake that works for them.
And while elaborate cakes can look beautiful at a birthday party, I have found that simple cakes often work best for photos.
I recommend:
• A small cake, usually around 4 inches and no larger than 6 inches
• Soft buttercream frosting
• Whipped cream frosting also works really well
• No fondant
You want something your baby can actually grab, squish, taste, and interact with.
The softer and simpler the cake, the easier it usually is for little hands to dig into it.
Birthday Session Inspiration
TEDDY BEARS
For this first birthday session, the theme had a really special connection to this baby’s story.
I had photographed him as a newborn, and mama wanted his first birthday photos to pull inspiration from the teddy bear theme she had used for her baby shower.
I asked her to send me photos from the shower so I could see the colors, decorations, and overall feeling she wanted to carry into his birthday.
Instead of trying to recreate the baby shower exactly, I used those images as inspiration for a first birthday version of the same theme.
One of my favorite details was using miniature teddy bears with little neutral party hats.
I also selected balloon colors based on the original images mama shared with me, which helped connect the two celebrations while still making his birthday session feel like its own moment.
There is something so special about photographing a baby during the newborn stage and then seeing them again around their first birthday.
Birthday Session Inspiration
My First Fiesta
For this session, mama sent me something incredibly helpful: the birthday invitation.
The invitation gave me a clear direction for the colors and overall style of the party, and I was able to build from there.
This theme was especially fun because I had also created a My First Fiesta setup for my own daughter’s first birthday the year before.
But even though the two birthdays shared the same general theme, the final setups looked completely different.
For my daughter’s celebration, I used more of a rainbow color palette.
I especially loved the way the paper flowers and papel picado banner came together, so those were details I wanted to bring into this session in a new way.
I found similar decorative elements in colors that worked with this client’s invitation and then incorporated balloons and a small arch to create a completely different interpretation of My First Fiesta.
That is something I really love about custom birthday sessions.
Two families can choose the exact same general theme and still end up with photographs that feel completely different because we are pulling inspiration from their colors, outfits, party details, and personal style.
What Should You Tell Your Photographer Before the Session?
You do not need to have every detail figured out before you reach out.
But there are a few things that are especially helpful for me to know while we are planning:
• Your baby’s birthday
• When you hope to have the finished photos back
• Their typical nap schedule
• Their birthday outfit, if you have chosen one
• Party colors or theme
• Invitations or decor you are already using
• Inspiration photos
• Whether you would like to finish the session with a cake
If there is something sentimental or especially important to your family, tell me that too.
Sometimes the smallest detail gives me the inspiration I need to pull everything together.
Your First Birthday Photos Should Feel Like Your Baby
I love a beautiful backdrop.
I love balloons.
I love a fun theme.
But ultimately, I want the photographs to be about your child.
Their little smile.
Their serious face.
The way they clap their hands.
The look they give us when everyone starts singing.
The frosting-covered fingers if we bring out the cake.
The things you know about them right now that you will desperately want to remember later.
The setup helps tell the story, but your baby is always the main focus.
Planning a First Birthday Photo Session in Sacramento
If you know you would like birthday photos before your baby’s party, I recommend reaching out before the 10 to 11 month mark so we have time to plan the session and get your finished gallery back before the celebration.
And you do not need a Pinterest board or a perfectly planned theme before contacting me.
Send me the outfit.
Send me the invitation.
Send me the three colors you love.
Or simply tell me you are not sure what you want yet.
We can build the session from there.
And if you want to finish everything with a little cake and a lot of frosting, we can absolutely do that too.
