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WWYD?

lelekaylelekay member
in Hawaii Babies

Henry's birthday is next Friday.  We had wanted to go to a photographer to do one-year photos a few days before his party, since all of our families are coming out of town, and then they could go over the photos and choose what they want.  I'm aware that can all be done online these days, but I guess I just thought it'd be nice to have the photos at the party, too.  Plus, I'm making a photo book of his first year (it's done, just need to add the last two pages with these one-year photos), and I also thought it's be nice to have that completed at the party.

So, the only day that worked out for me and MH's schedules is this Wednesday, 9 days before his actual birthday.  No problem....a little on the early side, but not bad.  We made an appointment at Flash Digital Photography.  They're just a place in the mall, but they did a fantastic job with our engagement photos back in the day, and they are much cheaper than most photographers (though not as cheap as Picture People, who unfortunately just went out of business by us :(  )  The plan is to take some photos of Henry in a nice outfit we got (plaid shorts and an aqua blue button-down) first, then maybe a few family shots, then strip him down to a red diaper and do some smash cake shots.

Well, my sister was over a few days ago, and was asking about the photos.  When I explained all this to her, I got the impression (she didn't come right out and say it, but she implied) that the thinks the whole smash cake thing is trite.  Too staged, not real, and at a week before his actual birthday, just plain fake.  Now she's got me thinking......

I LOVE smash cake photos.  Or at least I thought I did.  They are so adorable, and I'm so looking forward to Henry trying cake (or any sweets for that matter) for the first time, and I'd love to get his face on camera.  But now I worry she's right.  Is it trite?  Too staged and fake?  Should he wait to have his first sweets at his actual party?  I asked MH, and he's pretty neutral about the whole thing.   My sister wondered why we can't just take photos at his actual party instead.  We will, of course, but it's not the same as a smash cake shoot with a photographer, you know?

I thought about waiting until after the party, but we really do not want to pay for two separate photo shoots, and I rather not wait to take all of them until afterwards, either.

Now I'm thinking about scrapping the whole smash cake thing, and instead, after the nice outfit part of the shoot, changing him into the caterpillar t-shirt he'll wear at the party and give him a bunch of balloons and shoot that instead of cake.  But I do still think the cake thing is cute!  What to do, what to do???

ETA: sorry this ended up being so long!

EagainTA: It might be helpful to add that my sister is the one making his actual birthday cake for the party.  I wonder if part of the reason she might be displeased with the idea is that her cake won't be Henry's actual first cake? 

 

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Re: WWYD?

  • inamrainamra member

    FWIW, I also love cake smash pics, but we never did professional photoshoots, so the only cake smash we were able to get was actually him smashing the top layer of the cake at his party. So based on that, I feel like it could really go either way, which is probably of no help. But if you'd really like professional photoshoot pics of the cake smash (which sounds like you do), then you should definitely do it instead of missing out on the chance (and I definitely wouldn't pay for two photoshoots either). Instead of seeing it as "trite", I see it as practical--getting it done in the photoshoot beforehand, even if it's "staged" before the actual birthday or party so you don't have to pay and do two photoshoots. So in the end, I vote for doing the cake smash at the photoshoot =)

    Sept 2008 Wedding | May 2010 & Mar 2012 Babies
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  • lola808lola808

    I don't think a photo shoot is trite, but I like the spontaneity of doing it at the actual celebration. Cake smashes can be super cute, but not all babies react in the same way. A got his own cupcake, but he was barely interested! We had to feed him bits of it, and even then, it wasn't a big deal to him. That was a surprise to me. If I'd saved a whole photo shoot for that, I might've been disappointed, but at the party, it was just an "oh well!"

    That said, if it's not a big deal to add the extra outfit and cake smash thing to your official photo shoot, why not? Either way, you'll get photos and a fun experience, and that's what counts!

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  • vanilla15vanilla15

    I am not going to be much help either, but FWIW, I don't think the cake smash photos are trite at all.  I think they are super cute, but I do see what Lola was saying about maybe he won't be interested.

    For A's one year photo shoot, I plan on taking pics of her in her bday outfit for sure, but I hadn't really thought about the cake smash.  Could you do 3 outfits?  button down, caterpillar & then cake smash?  That way you get a little of everything?

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  • MauiWedding08MauiWedding08

    I don't think cake smash photos are trite.  I do think it's one of those things sometimes doesn't work out though so it's a good idea to have some alternate shots planned.  I have seen some really cute cake smash photos but from lurking around on TB I have also seen some really forced ones where it is obvious the kid isn't really into it.  Since you have other outfits planned I'm sure you will get plenty of great photos regardless.

    I'm not sad we didn't do them b/c it was fun to let J have his first go at cake in front family at his party and know that it was his first experience with it. (fwiw, his PARTY was actually a week early since we went to Disneyland for his actually birthday so I don't think timing matters!!).  He was also a terror while getting his one year pictures because he just wanted to run around the studio.

    I bet your sister is more bummed at the thought that she (and others) won't actually see the "real deal" cake smash.  For some reason people look forward to that so much.  I know that DH's family that joined us in Disney were bummed that we had a party at home before hand.  Didn't matter that they were with us for his actual b-day and it was a totally different experience...

    Also, I think it will be neat to have the photobook ready to go, but have you considered holding off in order to include photos from the party?  You have shared your cute projects, I bet it would be fun to include some festive shots from the party too.


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  • cecigcecig

    I voted for A....go with what you originally planned! I think the smash cake photos are super cute. Even if it doesn't go as planned and he cries, you'll still have those reactions captured. Some of the best cake smash photos I've seen are where the babies are crying Stick out tongue

    Can't wait to see how the party turns out!

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