I understand that this special occasion is all about capturing the joy and excitement of your child's first year with a Dallas baby cake smash photography session. I strive to make this smash cake photography experience as stress-free and fun as possible for both you and your little one. From what to bring, to how to prepare for your cake smash photoshoot, our FAQ page will answer all of your cake smash photography questions.
Parents love capturing their children's milestones and one of the most popular and adorable baby photoshoot for babies is the cake smash photography session. Cake smash photography, is all about capturing the moment when your little one dives into a birthday cake, getting frosting all over their face and hands. This fun and messy cake smash photoshoot has gained popularity in recent years and creates the perfect memory of your child's first birthday.
But, before you book with a Dallas cake smash photographer, let's go through some cake smash photography faq's.
Cake smash photography sessions take place in my home studio at 4014 Dalton Dr. Rowlett. The studio is a custom design private space away from the rest of my home which holds everything needed for your custom Dallas cake smash photography experience. The session typically last about an hour, give or take 10-15 minutes. Setup and props are already included in the cake smash photography collection price.
However, client’s are responsible for the cake itself, due to health and diet concerns and your baby’s cake smash outfit. For cake smash baby photoshoots, I recommend something simple and inexpensive from Whole Food, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, Target..etc.
Your cake smash photography collection also includes complimentary first year and family photos. I begin each Dallas cake smash photography session with the family photos first. They’re photographed in a traditional style stance and on an all white foreground. Creative grouping are with family together, mom and baby and dad and baby and lastly, your baby alone, before the cake smash setup. Please note, the family photos are complementary to the collection and does not change the cake smash collection price if clients choose not to include them.
Continuing from the family photos, we will then begin to prep your baby for the cake smash setup. Once the cake smash session is complete, I will transition your baby from the cake smash photography, messy setup into a mini milk bath shoot. The milk bath portion is photographed on the same cake smash photography, themed setup.
Once booking has been confirm, with both the contract and retainer received and in addition to this helpful cake smash photography faq's guide, you'll receive an informative "cake smash session parent prep guide". The guide goes into detail, regarding outfit recommendations for the family photos portion and the best outfit choices for your baby and where to purchase their outfit, cake style and size recommendations, how the family photo groupings are disperse, how to help prepare your little one for their smash cake photoshoot at home, items to bring to your cake smash session and an abundant of other helpful information on what to expect.
If you have a particular cake smash photography theme in mind, please let me know and I'll send you available options for said theme. If you need a bit of assistance, I'm happy to send possible options, as well.
***Please note, the price point is for a basic/minimal cake smash set up; backdrop/balloons. If you clients decide not to use what the studio has available, clients will be responsible for providing their own props in addition to the basic cake smash set up decor, the studio will provide.
As much as I understand and love the sweet idea of having your fur baby involved, pets are not allowed to be apart of any studio photography session. If you’re wanting your pet involved, I would recommend an outdoor cake smash photography session. Family photos are for immediate family members only; parents and siblings.
Since cake smash photography sessions are indoor, we’re not limited on the weather and because I also specialize in weddings full time, cake smash sessions are not scheduled on weekends. They must be booked during the week, Monday - Friday. Earliest start time, would be an 9am and latest would be 5:30-6pm.
I’m vaccinated with the both COVID dosages and Tdap vaccine. I continue to wear a face mask during all studio sessions and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Clients are required to wear a mask when entering my home but have the option of removing it when they arrive to the studio. Shoes must be taken off at the door.
I have begun the process of booking studio sessions full time, however on the contingency of, every other day. During that rest period, it will allow me to adequate time to thoroughly disinfect the entire studio; door handles, light switches, camera gear, floors, couches, seating chairs, walls, floor..etc and also run my air purifiers throughout the entire day to clean the air. Garments/props that are worn and not machine washable, are put on a 3 day rotation of no studio use after disinfection. Frequent hand washing breaks and the use of hand sanitizer is used throughout the whole session.
Please note, there is absolutely nothing more important to me than the health and safety of all my clients. Taking all the necessary steps to ensure the studio environment remains safe and clean for your studio session is my utmost priority so if there’s anything else I can do to help alleviate concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Within a week of your scheduled session, I will email you the gallery link of the unedited files for soft proofing. Meaning, once the images have been narrow down to the deliverable files, clients get to pick and choose the digital photography files they would like, edited and delivered. The median range for this gallery is anywhere between 40-60 files. All relatively similar, just different expressions.
No worries, this tends to happen quite often but I don’t want you to worry. Depending how everything is progressing, it might run a little longer or shorter so please don’t feel as though you have to rush through it all. I understand not all families are the same, especially when working with babies. Although the time listed in your collection is a generalized time of how long the sessions typically take, cake smash photography session aren't complete until I have captured a reasonable amount of photos. I am to edit and deliver.
Turnaround on your cake smash digital files is 21 days from your session date. Once your cake smash photos you've selected have been post processed, files will be added to another online viewing gallery. I will text you once the gallery has been emailed. From the gallery, you’ll have a "download all" button displayed to download all your high resolution non-watermarked images to your computers. You will also receive a PDF of your print release/usage rights.
You’re more than welcome to share the gallery with family and friends. Online gallery also has the option to also purchase prints directly from the printing lab. Prints start at $15.00 and orders are shipped directly to the lab and arrive within 2 weeks of order date.
If you're needing a few files before the 21 day turnaround, when the gallery link of unedited files is emailed, feel free to let me know which 3-5 files you'd like before the 21 day time frame. I will have those to you with 48-72 hours. The rest of the digital files will be ready for delivery within 3 weeks.
Cake smash photography is not only a fun and memorable baby photoshoot, but it also creates the perfect memories for you and your little one to treasure forever. While arranging a cake smash photoshoot can seem overwhelming, taking into account our cake smash photography faq's guide, it will help you go through it, with ease. By understanding these cake smash photography faq's beforehand, you'll be able to better prepare for your baby's cake smash photoshoot and create the most adorable pictures of your toddler's first birthday.
If you have any additional questions not listed on our Dallas cake smash photography faq's guide, please submit and inquire here.
• $35 retainer fee due upon booking
Lily Hayes has always kept her newborn, maternity and cake smash photography collections simple, transparent and all inclusive. Our booking process is seamless and hassle free with only amount due upfront is a $35 booking fee. However, $35 booking fee only applies to newborn, lifestyle and maternity sessions. Cake smash photography sessions require a $150 booking fee. Booking fee, is applied to the total amount due. Remaining balance is due 24 hours prior to your session date.
All inclusive pricing; you select the collection that include the said number of files and you pay the listed price. The collection price includes photographers time, creative talent, session design, editing of your images. As well, as the rendering of high resolution digital gallery. Gallery is available for digital download. The photos are yours to share, print, treasure and adore for years to come.
Lily Hayes is highly ranked Professional Dallas Newborn Photographer, Dallas Maternity Photographer. Also, specializing in Cake Smash Photography in Dallas & Dallas Family Photography. Servicing Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Carrollton, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Wylie, Rockwall and surrounding cities. Studio is located east of Dallas right off George Bush.