Simple Sophistication
Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ • Sessions by appointment only
Southern California & Arizona
Orange County ● PHOENIX
Baby’s first year is a blur of excitement and milestones. Now that you’ve reached the end of it, it’s time to party! A cake smash portrait session is the perfect celebration to capture all the joy of the last twelve months, to send out to family and friends or on a birthday announcement, and images you’ll cherish forever.
The point of the cake smash session is just that—the SMASH! The messier, the better! We start with the non-cake smash outfit and do a nice one-year-old portrait. Then we will have an outfit change and dig into the cake smash portion of the session.
We’ll talk with you ahead of time and decide on the theme (you can do a color scheme, a sports or hobby theme, favorite toy, book, simple, etc.) you’d like for your photos. Some sets take longer to prepare (depending on if it is custom) so please book 4-6 weeks prior.
We work with our local bakery to create the perfect (and perfectly yummy!) cake. The naked design is included in our session fee, but you are welcome to upgrade to a custom cake.
Our studio is full of a huge assortment of backdrops and props and is usually the best place to photograph a cake smash. We have sets you can choose from that we have already designed or you can have us come up with a custom set to match your one-year-old’s birthday theme.
Browse our wide variety of cake smash studio sets ready for your Southern California or Arizona cake smash session.
If you'd like a custom set design it is a additional upgrade.
Cake Smashes are the best way to celebrate your baby's first year. Simply pick your set design and reserve your date, Gilmore Studios will take care of the rest.
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*Add additional milestone sessions for $ during the 1st year. Digital files & photo products sold separately.
Photography products, digital files, and wall collections are purchased separately from your session fee. Please see our product guide for photo product collections & pricing.
We suggest scheduling 4-6 weeks in advance so we will have time to gather the props for your theme, the backdrop, and get the custom cake ordered.
No, we work with a local bakery for your session. Each cake included is naked. You are welcome to upgrade to a custom cake for the baker's additional fee. We will even box it up for you to take home afterward if it doesn’t get completely smashed. If your child has allergies - please bring your own cake.
We recommend bringing two outfits for the cake smash that coordinate with your chosen backdrop and theme, plus something clean for the baby to wear home. We can supplement with our huge assortment of hats, headbands, and tutus if needed. We also recommend an outfit change for the parent. Sometimes you can get messy with little hands on you.
All cake smash sessions are done in our studio, typically in the early morning or lunchtime.
Your images will be available online 7-10 business days after your session. You will be able to download the digital images you purchased as well as order prints, albums, canvases and more. If you would like to do an online ordering session with Gilmore Studios, that works great too.
Don’t worry! This is very common at this age. We have a few tricks for these kids and we will still get plenty of great shots, even if they refuse to touch the cake. We do recommend practicing at home incase that is the situation.
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1. Your baby sets the pace and that’s how it should be.
Newborn sessions are slow, quiet, and flexible. Diaper changes and cuddles? All expected. We’re on baby time, always.
2. The simple shots are the ones you’ll treasure.
You don’t need a dozen props. Some of the most timeless images are the ones where baby is just wrapped up in your arms, barely posed, just…loved.
3. Your only job is to show up.
You don’t have to clean the house, bring Pinterest ideas, or stress about how your baby will behave. We’ve got it covered, you’re doing great already.
1. Your baby might not “smash” the cake and that’s OK.
Some babies dive in face first, and some barely touch it. Either way, it’s adorable, and we’ll get great photos no matter how messy (or tidy!) it gets.
2. Keep the outfit simple and comfy.
Tutus and bow ties are cute, but comfort is key. If your little one isn’t loving the outfit, it’ll show. We always say: one outfit for portraits, one for smashing, and keep it soft and easy to move in!
3. Timing matters more than you think.
We’ll plan your session around your baby’s happiest time of day, usually after a nap and snack. That way we get smiles instead of meltdowns.
The difference is in the details….
This is the part you don’t always see… but it’s where the magic happens.
The hours spent editing every image by hand.
Adjusting color, light, skin tones — without losing the realness.
Bringing out the magic you might not have noticed in the moment.
📸 Want that kind of attention to detail?
You know where to find me.
Because you can feel their love in this shot.
There’s always one photo from a session that just sticks. It’s not always the most perfect… but it’s the most them. This is one of mine from this session. ❤️
Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ
Session by appointment only
