Everett's Backyard Cake Smash


There is just something about kids in hats and suspenders that just make my heart swoon.  In this backyard cake smash session, we celebrated Everett’s one year birthday just before sunset. Spread out on a blanket on top of the hill, we just had to get some shots of that cute outfit before it got smeared with cake. The bowtie, the button up shirt, the suspenders, the hat...and then those big beautiful blue eyes. He is a ladykiller for sure.


I have been lucky to know Everett for his entire first year, and his smile will literally light up a room. I don’t think I have ever seen a smilier (is that a word?) kid. It is truly infectious.  He was a good sport to start the session off, but if you have ever met a one year old, they don’t sit still for long. Once I had chased him around long enough, it was time to bring in the cake...and take off some of the clothing. He was a bit skeptical at first, but once he realized he was allowed to sink his fingers into this huge sugary blob, it was game time.


Cake smashes are so much fun to photograph. How fun is it to just go to town on a whole cake. I feel like this is a tradition that should keep happening every year throughout our lives, but I guess it isn’t quite as cute for a grown adult to stuff cake in their face without a shirt on. The funny thing about cake smashes is the kids don’t even usually care about what the cake tastes like. It is hilarious to photograph those first few confused bites, and then the inevitable picking up of the whole thing and most likely throwing it, squishing it between the fingers, and smearing it on anything in a 10 foot radius.


Everett did the whole thing in style, with that sweet smile beaming throughout the whole photoshoot.  Then, he was nice enough to share a little bit with Mama (my favorite shots).


Tips for a cake smash photoshoot:

  • Wear an outfit that you don’t mind getting dirty (this goes for kids, parents, and photographer).
  • Use props/blankets that you can wash excessive amounts of cake off of.
  • Don’t worry too much about making sure it is a healthy cake, typically very little of the cake actually gets into the mouth.
  • If you want perfectly posed pictures...good luck. Let it happen naturally with a little bit of guidance. The more fun they have the more fun the pictures will be.
  • Be prepared to go straight from photoshoot to the bath. It is going to be a sticky mess.


Little boy with hat, suspenders, and bowtie posing for picture
Little boy holding koala stuffed animal on blanket for Asheville photoshoot
Little boy sits on white blanket and looks up at camera during Asheville photography session
Boy with blue eyes, hat, and bowtie looks at camera for Asheville family photoshoot
Black and white image of boy with hat, suspenders, and bowtie crawling toward Asheville photographer
One year old boy wearing hat, suspenders, and bowtie looking grumpy while sitting on grass
Boy wearing hat without shirt on sticking finger in cake at cake smash photoshoot
Shirtless boy with hat sticks hand in cake with one year old balloon behind him
Shirtless boy with hat sticks face in cake on cake stand at family photoshoot
Boy without his shirt looks at camera while sticking hand in cake at birthday photoshoot
Black and white image of one year old boy turning face toward camera with a hat on
Boy without shirt plays with a whole cake on cake stand at his one year cake smash photoshoot
Boy with a hat and no shirt sticks hand in white cake and looks at camera for photograph
Little boy smiles at camera as he sticks fingers in cake during Asheville cake smash photoshoot
Little boy without shirt looks up at the sky while he sticks his fingers in birthday cake at Asheville photoshoot