The Number One Thing I Wish Parents Knew When Planning a Cake Smash

Okay, so usually I only do happy stuff on the blog, but I just have to share something that’s been happening a ton lately that kinda makes me want to cry.

What is this tragic thing that’s been going on?

Parents calling to book a cake smash session for their little one—way too late.

This seriously makes me so sad! I LOVE doing cake smashes and I want so much for parents to have fun and memorable pictures of this special milestone. But when they call two weeks before their baby turns one? There’s just not enough time to create the beautiful custom cake smashes that I specialize in—and that they and their little one deserve!

So… the number one thing I wish parents knew when planning a cake smash?

Book early!

When to Schedule Your Baby’s Cake Smash

I recommend booking your little one’s cake smash 4-5 months before their first birthday. 3 months in advance is probably the very latest I might be able to accommodate. Seems crazy, right? There is a reason!

Why So Early?

I believe that the personal touch is what makes the party special! All of my cake smashes are fully customized with whatever theme you choose. And when I say customized, I don’t mean that I cobble together some props I already have to make it kinda-sorta fit your theme.

When I say customized, I mean it! I not only order the perfect outfit, but I also create each and every one of my custom cake smash sets by hand. Every one of them is hand-crafted with love—and that takes time. Sometimes weeks. You can’t rush perfection!

So…Is a Last-Minute Cake Smash Even a Possibility?

Not if you want it customized. If there’s room on my schedule, the best I can offer for a last-minute booking is a very simple backdrop—no cutouts—and my “ONE” prop.

And we can do so much better than that!

So do yourself and your kiddo a favor and schedule that cake smash session nice and early! In fact, how about now? Get in touch and let’s start planning! I can’t wait to start crafting your cake smash!

About Jennifer Parrello Photography

Jennifer Parrello Photography is a New Jersey based photographer serving the Tri-State area (NJ/NY/CT.) She specializes in capturing all the best moments of baby’s first year, from newborn to first birthday cake smash, and also offers maternity and family photography so that you can have beautiful portraiture of every stage of life.

ONE-der WOman Cake Smash | New Jersey/New York 1st Birthday Photographer

Man, this year is flying by! I figured I would sneak in one more cake smash session before 2023 gets away from me altogether!

ONE-der Woman Cake Smash

This cute little Wonder Woman fan (or should I say ONE-der girl?) came to my New Jersey photography studio recently for her first birthday and we had so much fun together! I knew we would, because I’ve gotten to know this family pretty well over the last few years (I did this little girl’s newborn session and also her older brother’s newborn and cake smash sessions) and we always have a blast!

Custom Sets for Your Cake Smash

I had so much fun creating this set. Creating a custom set is one of my favorite things to do as a NJ/NY baby photographer. It’s so rewarding to see it come together and know that I’m bringing my client’s vision to life. And I love the creative process as I gather materials and combine them in a way that’s totally unique and perfect for that little one! (This is probably the biggest reason I recommend booking your baby’s cake smash session several months in advance. That way we’ll have plenty of time to plan your session and get all the details just right.)

First Birthday Party

Of course, the culmination of my effort is always when the birthday kiddo comes to my photo studio and we get to party! This little one did such an awesome job (what else would you expect from a superhero in training?) and I love the color and energy of these photos. Such a fun choice on mom and dad’s part!

Your Baby’s NJ/NY Cake Smash

Do you have a unique vision for your baby’s first birthday cake smash? Get in touch and let’s talk about it! I would be thrilled to help you plan this extra special celebration for an extra special someone!

How to Get Ready for a Cake Smash Session | New York & New Jersey Photographer

If you know my style as a New York/New Jersey photographer, you know that I like to have fun! Which means that I LOVE doing cake smashes! I want it to be fun for you and your baby too, so here’s how to get ready for a cake smash session:

Book Early!

First and foremost, you’ll want to book your session well before baby’s first birthday. Like, as soon as they turn 6 months old! I create all my cake setups from scratch, which takes 6-8 weeks, and I also like to photograph baby a few weeks before they turn one, so we want to make sure we have plenty of time.

Do a Trial Run

Practice makes perfect—and that goes for cake smashes too! Most kiddos are used to being given small pieces of things to eat, and sitting in a highchair for meals. Being presented with an entire cake and being expected to eat on the floor can feel super unfamiliar and overwhelming!

To set the birthday boy or girl up for success, I recommend giving your little one a taste of what to expect a few days before you show up at the studio. For easy cleanup, buy a cheap plastic tablecloth, lay it on the floor for your baby to sit on, and then give them something fun, sweet, and messy to eat! (A tub of cool whip, pudding or yogurt, a cupcake or mini cake are all good options.) Then, let your kiddo go to town!

I’ve found that helping them get ready for a cake smash session with a trial run at home makes them more comfortable doing it at my New Jersey studio with lights and a camera!

Bring a Few Things from Home

I have lots of props, but if you have anything special you want to include, please feel free to bring it.

If you’re doing a splash after the smash, you’ll also want to bring a bath towel. And of course, outfits!

It’s also super important to bring a few solid foods that your child really likes to eat. Some kiddos won’t eat the cake, but we can totally fake it with their favorite small snacks and nobody will know the difference!

Be Prepared for Anything!

Those are the basics of how to get ready for a cake smash session beforehand. Once you show up at the studio, the best advice I can give is to be prepared for anything! As long as you are relaxed and ready to have fun that will go a long way to helping your baby do the same as we celebrate this big milestone in their lives!

Have more questions about how to get ready for a cake smash session? I’ll send you my complete guide after you book, and you’re always welcome to reach out anytime!

What to Expect at Your Cake Smash Photoshoot

Cake smash photoshoots can be a little unpredictable because…babies are a little unpredictable! I love working with these little ones and know how to get great pictures regardless of whether they’re all about digging in or want nothing to do with their cake. No matter which category your kiddo falls into, here’s a bit about what to expect at your cake smash photoshoot.

Before You Come In

Read over the cake smash prep guide! I’ll send this to you after you book your photoshoot so you know exactly what to do to get your little cutie ready for their big day. The guide will detail what to bring (like favorite snacks and toys) and also how to prepare your kiddo. (I recommend doing a practice cake smash at home just to get them used to the idea of tackling a ridiculously large portion of food while sitting on the ground!)

When You Arrive

When you get to the studio, we’ll take things slow. One-year-olds can be a little tricky since they’re often wary around strangers and new surroundings. Instead of diving right in, we’ll just sit and chat for a bit so they can see it’s all okay. I’ll go over what the session will look like and everyone’s role. Be prepared to take an active part in your kiddo’s cake smash! If baby is mobile, then Mom might be corralling the little one. If they’re not happy, we might do the entire smash with Dad sitting two feet away making silly faces. It’s a little more work on your part, but totally worth it!

During the Cake Smash

I usually get some milestone portraits first. This helps baby warm up to the camera and also allows us to get some super cute shots before things get messy!

Once we break out the cake, like I said, be prepared to get involved…and possibly smeared with whipped cream. You just never know! The most important part here is that you, as the parent, are relaxed. Your baby will probably take their cue from you. Don’t worry, even if we have tears and tantrums (it happens) I will make it look like they had a blast!

If you’ve included a splash session with your cake smash, we’ll wrap up with some tub time!

After the Party

I don’t waste any time, because I know you can’t wait to see those cake smash photos! Right after your cake smash session I’ll send you your gallery proof and you can select your images. (You’re going to have a hard time choosing, I can tell you already!)

Book Your Cake Smash Photoshoot

A cake smash photoshoot is the perfect way to celebrate your little one’s first big milestone: Turning ONE! Are you ready to party? ‘Cause I am!

Baseball Cake Smash New Jersey

Batter up! Can’t wait to show off a few of the photos from this baseball themed cake smash in my New Jersey studio a few weeks back! This cute lil guy is a former newborn client of mine, and I couldn’t believe how much he’s grown. (I never can. You’d think I’d be used to it by now!) It is seriously the best feeling when a client books me again for a future session. Little man was amazing for his newborn session and I’d say his first birthday cake smash was a homerun too!

I always like to start out these milestone sessions with some traditional portraits and family pictures. You’re here, so we might as well, right? Doing these portraits before we really start swinging can also help little ones to feel more relaxed and ready to dive into cake when it’s time.

Since there’s nothing more American than baseball (and maybe apple pie, but we went with the cutest baseball cake instead), I set up the studio with lots of red, white, and blue balloons, plus a scoreboard as the backdrop and some genuine baseballs to finish it off. Customizing every session takes some extra work, but it’s so much fun and I get carried away with it every time! Totally worth it, don’t you think?

The birthday boy really knocked his session out of the park! He did great with his cake and loved his splash in the tub afterwards. These cake smash pitchers (sorry, pictures!) were so fun to create and this little all-star and I really had a ball together!

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

Ready to book a customized cake smash for your own little one? Don’t wait! The best time to book is at least four months prior to their first birthday, so get in touch now and let’s start planning!

Cake Smash Photo Sessions with Jennifer Parrello Photography

When your baby is a newborn, you think there’s no way they can possibly get any cuter—and then they become toddlers, and guess what? They just keep getting more adorable! How do they do it? Your little one’s first birthday is a huge milestone and such a fun age! And there’s no better way to document it than with a cake smash photo session!

If your little bundle is growing up fast and approaching their first birthday, here’s what you should know about cake smash photo sessions with Jennifer Parrello Photography:

When to Book Your Session

The first thing you should know is that I take my cake smashes seriously! Every single one of my sessions is fully customized with a one-of-a-kind set and outfit to match. And yes, that does take time. I recommend booking your cake smash about 3-4 months in advance, so there’s plenty of time to plan and create the perfect photoshoot. And don’t worry about hitting the first birthday exactly—anytime around the 11-12 month mark is a great time for a first birthday cake smash.

How to Get Ready to Party!

Cake smashes don’t require too much prep work on your part, but I do recommend a little practice with baby about a week before your session. A great way to do this is just to put some whipped cream in front of them and let them explore it. Stage fright can be a thing with cake smashes, and it really helps everything to go smoothly if kiddo already knows how fun it is to shmear themselves with edible goodness! (And don’t worry, I’ve got all kinds of tricks up my sleeve to help little ones relax and have fun!)

What to Expect at Your Cake Smash Session

I like to get some milestone portraits of your little one before we break out the cake. This can help them relax and it’s also a great time to get family photos if that’s something you’re wanting to do. Once we’ve gotten those milestone pictures and more traditional portraits, we’ll move on to the cake smash. I often follow this up with a quick splash in the tub so we can get baby all cleaned up afterwards—and yep, we’ll get photos of that too!

If you ask me, cake smash photo sessions with Jennifer Parrello Photography are THE BEST way to celebrate your child’s first birthday. Cake, cuteness overload, and professional pictures so you can remember it forever. What could be better?

Pumpkin Cake Smash | New Jersey Baby Photographer

Happy first birthday to this sweet little pumpkin! I photographed her as a newborn and was so excited to have her back in my New Jersey photography studio for a pumpkin cake smash! Get ready to fall in love with these autumn-themed birthday pictures:

Cake Smash in the Pumpkin Patch…Under the Harvest Moon!

Since we’re getting so close to Halloween, Mom requested a nighttime pumpkin patch theme for our cake smash photoshoot. I instantly knew that the studio would look so cute decked out in straw bales, pumpkins, and fairy lights, and before long I realized there was a way to make it even more incredible: A harvest moon! Ended up looking so good in the middle of that starry night sky backdrop. Yeah, I had way too much fun designing this set for all the fall feels, haha!

The Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch

This birthday girl was little Miss Smiles—how can you resist a frosting-coated grin like that? Absolutely adorable—and she knew it! She loved every second of being in the spotlight. And yes, she absolutely LOVED her cake too! Eating it, smashing it, squishing it all over her face. Nom, nom, nom! Who needs to go trick-or-treating when you can have a whole cake to yourself? :)

So glad I could celebrate this little girl’s special milestone with a pumpkin cake smash. Combining pumpkins with this sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice cutie couldn’t have been more perfect!

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

I’m already booking sessions for next year, so if your little one is approaching the big ONE, get in touch and let’s start planning some magic! All of my sessions are fully customized, so bring your ideas and we’ll  figure out the perfect theme for your baby’s cake smash photo session!

Hot Air Balloon Cake Smash in New Jersey

Phew! I am up to my ears in shooting and editing holiday mini sessions right now (my photography studio in Northern NJ was basically one big holiday pajama party last week!) but I’m taking time out to share some adorable cake smash photos with you!

Hot Air Balloon Cake Smash

As you may or may not know, cake smash photoshoots are some of my absolute faves! I love creating unique, one-of-a-kind setups for my clients, based on the theme they want for celebrating their little one’s first birthday. This mom wanted some kind of hot air balloon theme and these specific colors of blue and yellow. I took that and ran with it, and here’s what I came up with!

Color Schemes for Girls

I love doing out of the box, non-traditional colors for girls. While you can’t go wrong with beautiful pinks, a lot of parents want to do something a little different—and that’s great! Our color scheme for this hot air balloon cake smash was bright and sunny, perfect for sailing through the clouds!

Baby girl was amazing and gave me so many smiles! She brought along some animal friends (because what’s a hot air balloon without company?) and had a great time partying in the studio, eating cake, and splashing in the tub afterwards. She’s one year old and ready for adventure!

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

Nothing says happy birthday like a cake smash! Feel free to explore the blog for more information about when to book your session and how to prepare, plus lots of other cake smashes to inspire you! Book your session here, or get in touch with questions. I’m happy to guide you through the process and help you create an amazing custom cake smash for your baby!

Outer Space Cake Smash Photoshoot in New Jersey

Look out NASA, here he comes! What a blast to do an outer space cake smash photoshoot with this handsome little birthday boy! He was a former newborn client, so I was super excited to see him back in my New Jersey photo studio for his first birthday pictures.

I customize all my cake smash photoshoots, so when you book a session with me you can be assured it’s one of a kind. In this case, little man’s parents had requested an outer space theme. They wanted something unique, but not prop heavy. Not a problem! Instead of props, I created a little lunar landing pad in my studio. I love the way the moon at the bottom turned out, and all the asteroids, stars, and planets in the background (plus rocket ship, of course!) were so fun!

This little guy was such a chill and happy dude and was totally fine with just hanging out and getting photographed during the portrait part of our session. (Formal pictures with the cake smash are a must!) And when we moved on to cake, he was over the moon, if you’ll pardon the pun. ;) He dug right in and got frosting all over himself from his fingertips to his toes. Love that kind of enthusiasm!

Ended our outer space cake smash photoshoot with a SpLaSh, as always! Happy first birthday to this adorable little astronaut in training!

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

Looking for a New Jersey photographer to capture memories of your own little star? I specialize in photographing babies from their very first days as a newborn through their first year, and I’d love to design a custom session just for you! I’m already booking into 2023, so get in touch as soon as possible!

When to Book Your Cake Smash Photo Session

If you ask me, a cake smash photo session is THE BEST way to celebrate your kiddo’s first birthday. Cake, cuteness overload, and professional pictures so you can remember it forever. What could be better? Just like with newborn photos though, you’ll want to make sure you schedule your child’s cake smash ahead of time for the best experience possible.

When to Book Your Cake Smash

I recommend getting in touch with me at least 3-4 months before your little one’s big day. My schedule books up fast—especially for cake smashes, which are some of my most popular (and personal favorite) sessions! Getting on the schedule early guarantees you a spot on the calendar.

Why So Early?

Aside from making sure you get a prime spot on the calendar, there are a couple of other reasons why booking your cake smash photo session early is a good idea.

Time to Customize – Every kiddo is unique, and their cake smash should be one-of-a-kind! I create custom setups for each and every one of my cake smashes based on your requested theme and other preferences. That kind of attention to detail takes time, and I want to make sure everything is perfect for baby’s one-year photoshoot. It generally takes at least 6 weeks to plan a custom cake smash and get everything created and delivered to the studio.

Product Prep – Do you want photos of your kiddos cake smash to give as gifts to family around baby’s birthday? Or maybe you want to use these cake smash photos to create birthday party invites? Then you’ll also need to allow time after the session to edit the photos and use them in your chosen designs. But wait…wouldn’t that mean getting first birthday photos before baby turns a year old?

Yes, which leads to my last point:

Flexibility – One of the great things about cake smashes is that there’s some flexibility in when we do them. Anytime between 11 and 12 months is a perfect time to capture this first birthday milestone. You may want to get baby in a little earlier than their birthday so you can have all those photos and products ready for when the big day actually arrives.

I can’t wait to start planning for your session! Get on the schedule or reach out with questions and let’s get this party started!

Top One Cake Smash Photography Session

This little redhead was the cutest birthday boy, and his Top One cake smash photography session couldn’t have been more perfect! The Top Gun movie was coming out around the same time we had our cake smash planned for, so the stars aligned. Gotta love it when that happens.

I love customizing each and every one of my cake smashes so that it’s unique to each client, and this one was no different. We created an awesome setup for our little all-star, and he loved it! Check out that winning smile. Tom Cruise has got nothing on this guy!

We kept baby boy in the same outfit for portraits that we used for the cake smash, but with the addition of a bomber jacket that was just his size. Talk about cuteness overload! He was the happiest little guy and gave me tons of huge grins and giggles.

Although he enjoyed his portraits, the real fun started when we brought out the cake. This kid meant business and he went for it! You can see that we started with this beautiful three-layer creation—and in no time flat it was, well, flat! He was totally hilarious with his cake and thought smashing it and crawling through it was the best thing ever. At least, he did until bath time, at which point splashing in the tub became the best thing ever! He was just totally enthusiastic about everything and wasn’t shy about getting into it! His energy and enthusiasm mean that our Top One cake smash photography session was a blast from spectacular start to frosting-smeared finish.

Happy birthday, little man!

Interested in booking a cake smash photoshoot for your kiddo? Let’s talk! I’d love to help you plan an amazing themed birthday smash and can’t wait to transform my studio space to fit your vision!

First Year Birthday Cake Smash in New Jersey | Shades of Purple

First off, it was so fun to see this little birthday girl in my West Milford, NJ photo studio! She was one of the babies I photographed as a newborn, and as a cake smash photographer I always love when I get to see my little newborn clients again as one-year-olds…and beyond! This is the most amazing family and just the happiest lil girl ever! Oh, and bonus: I love the color purple, so I was super stoked when mom and dad picked that as the main color for this baby girl’s first year birthday cake smash! Can I do a purple theme? Yes. Yes I can.

I got the studio all set up with purples, whites (including a shabby chic set of barn doors that go well with so many different setups!) and of course, tons of twinkle lights. There’s just nothing to else to show off baby’s smile and the mischievous twinkle in their eyes like a few strings of fairy lights!

Birthday girl gave me all the smiles—she was so cute! Super happy and absolutely loving life! We got some baby portraits of her on a plain backdrop in the studio before moving on to our birthday setup and the all-important cake! She wasn’t quite sure what to do with it at first. But once dad stepped in and showed her how much fun it was to squish her hands in that icing, she was all over it! She even discovered that it’s just as much fun between the toes. :)

Afterwards (as is tradition in my studio!) we finished up with a good splash in the tub. Every bit as much fun as eating cake!

Happy birthday to this little ray of sunshine! She really lit up my studio space with that award-winning smile! If you and your little one are getting ready to celebrate that special first birthday and don’t mind getting your hands a little sticky, let’s talk! I’d love to help you plan an amazing cake smash!

"Where the Wild Things Are" Cake Smash

Baby’s first birthday is the perfect excuse for one wild party—and that’s exactly what we did for this little man! His mom requested a “Where the Wild Things Are” theme. I was so excited to create this custom setup! I love the story of Max and his monster friends, and the classic artwork made the perfect backdrop for our cake smash photography session!

This was actually the birthday boy’s second visit to my photography studio in West Milford, NJ. I photographed him as a newborn as well, so when his mom booked a cake smash session I couldn’t wait to see him again! He is a super sweet boy who was just as amazing for his first birthday photos as he was for his newborn pictures. All it takes is a glance at those smiles to see that this is one happy baby!

In addition to our Wild Things theme, we also wanted to personalize these photos further with some favorite toys, like his tractor and teddy bear. I love including special items like this!

Since cake can get a little messy (that’s kind of the point, when you’re a year old) we started off with our baby and family portraits first. Can I just say that I don’t think there’s anything cuter than a baby in blue jeans? Once we had a great selection of portraits, we got the birthday boy all dressed up in his bow tie and tails (okay, just one tail) and “let the wild rumpus start!” As you can see, he loved his cake—and the tub time to follow up.

Thinking of booking a cake smash for your little one? Check out more information on the blog, or get in touch with any questions. I’m here for you, and can’t wait to help you plan the perfect birthday celebration!

Cupcake Cake Smash | New Jersey Cake Smash Photography

What’s even better than birthday cake? Birthday cupcakes, of course! I had so much fun creating a one-of-a-kind cupcake cake smash to celebrate this baby girl’s first birthday!

Whether you’re talking about ponies or cupcakes, there’s something extra special about the miniature version of just about anything. And this little sweetheart and her mama know all about how special the tiniest things can be! Why? Well, let’s just say that I first met baby girl for her newborn photography session when she was right around three months old.

Wait, what?

Yep, this little one was born three months premature, so she was tiny and needed lots of TLC before she was strong enough to come home (or come to the studio). She’s obviously doing fantastic though, and she knows that sometimes tiny is code for amazing! That’s exactly what she is—and it’s also the perfect word to describe her cupcake cake smash!

Mom had always wanted to do a cupcake session so I created a custom setup especially for her. It’s super important to me that your photos—and the whole photo experience—are totally unique to you and exactly what you’re looking for. I’m always happy to design something new and special for your photography session!

The birthday girl absolutely LOVED her cupcakes—just the right size for her hands! She had a blast getting frosting all over her face and her ruffly dress. And such big smiles during bath time too! It was so much fun to see this little lady again and help celebrate her big day!

Jennifer Parrello Photography is a New Jersey photographer specializing in newborn, child, and family portraiture. And yes, that includes cake smashes! Thinking about booking a cake smash for your own little one? Check out these tips or get in touch! I’d love to hear from you!

Ladybug Cake Smash | New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

This ladybug cake smash was so special! Okay, all my cake smashes are special…after all, I take the time to customize every single one and I never get tired of celebrating with these adorable little ones! But this one was extra meaningful.

Some of you know that I lost my mom recently. She loved ladybugs and all throughout my life she would tell me that ladybugs were a sign of someone who had passed who you loved very much. This session was booked months ago, and it ended up taking place just two days after my mother passed away. You can imagine how I felt! I took it as a huge sign from my momma that she was still with me and loved me immensely and that everything was going to be okay. I really feel like this session was meant to be.

Baby girl was so cute and did amazing! She was a little bit shy at first, but once she warmed up (with some help from Mom and Dad showing her what to do) she got right into it! And the fact that it was chocolate cake instead of white made it even better! She grabbed that cake with both hands (and from both ends of the spoon) and got it all over the place. So much fun!

A big thank you to this little cutie and her parents for choosing me to be their New Jersey cake smash photographer—and for picking such an awesome ladybug theme! I loved being able to give this family the gift of a truly memorable first birthday celebration. And it was certainly a gift to me in return!

New Jersey Photographer

Looking for someone to capture your family’s memories? Please get in touch! I can hardly wait to see you and your little one in the studio!

Airplane Cake Smash Photo Session | Passaic County, NJ

Airplane Cake Smash Photo Session | Passaic County, NJ

I have been the Passaic County, NJ photographer for this family since their first child, so I loved having them in my New Jersey photography studio again! I’ve done all their maternity, newborn, and cake smash sessions. This latest was an airplane cake smash photo session for their littlest guy.

Airplane Theme Cake Smash

I customize all my cake smash photography sessions, so I always ask my clients if they have a theme in mind. This little man LOVES airplanes, so I created a special travel-themed setup for him—with an emphasis on air travel, of course!

In addition to airplanes, we added another item to his “list of stuff I love.” Cake! He had a great time digging into his treat, with the help of a big spoon at first, and then with both hands. He’s such a happy baby and he just smiled the whole time—although it got harder to see as he got more and more frosting on his face!

Tub Time!

Bath time is a good way to end a cake smash photography session. Our little world traveler was pretty sticky from his adventures, so I got out my miniature clawfoot tub so he could freshen up. We kept our backdrop up and had him wear his little aviator helmet for part of the time while he splashed! He didn’t seem to mind—I think he just imagined it was a really wet cockpit. 😊

Loved doing this airplane cake smash photo session for these long-time clients! It turned out so cute!

Passaic County Cake Smash

Looking for a customized (and super fun!) cake smash photography experience for your baby? I’d love to help you create the perfect setup and capture class images of your baby’s milestone, so get in touch! I can’t wait to see what we come up with!

Thanksgiving Cake Smash | New Jersey Photographer

Can’t get over the cuteness of this little guy and his Thanksgiving cake smash photo session! I photographed him as a newborn, so when mom contacted me about doing his one year birthday cake smash I was so excited. I love it when I get to see clients again and watch these little ones grow up.

All of my cake smash photography sessions are completely customized so that every client has a shoot designed just for them. Creating custom backgrounds is one of my favorite things to do. It’s always fun to learn about my clients’ tastes, gather the perfect props, and bring their vision to life.

New Jersey cake smash photographer, baby boy with Thanksgiving backdrop

Give Thanks

This little guy was born around Thanksgiving, so mom requested a Thanksgiving/harvest theme for his cake smash pictures. Nothing says autumn to me like pumpkins and sunflowers—so bright and fun! A rustic barn door and tractor sign made the perfect focal point. And of course—lights! If you’re familiar with my work you probably already know that I love to use lights in my baby photos. They work with any setup and add some fun sparkle to the images.

This cutie was so smiley for me! He was obviously having a great time, which is exactly the experience I want these little ones to have when they visit my West Milford, NJ photography studio. Loved the adorable plaid shirt and boots combo for his baby portraits. And when it was time for cake—well, who can resist a baby boy in a bow tie and suspenders?

It was great to spend some time with this happy little boy. We had such a fun session together and I love the images we created!

Baby boy cake smash photo session northern New Jersey, fall/autumn cake smash

New Jersey Cake Smash Photographer

A cake smash is the perfect way to celebrate that special first birthday! If you’re looking for a fun, unique, and memorable way to capture your little one’s big milestone, feel free to get in touch with me! I’d love to hear from you.

Gold Stars Cake Smash | Baby Photographer Northern NJ

It was so fun to see this family again for a baby photography and cake smash session! I previously did a Valentine’s Day mini session with them in early 2020, and now that baby girl is getting so big they decided it was time for more pictures. We had a blast together!

I believe every baby and family is unique—and deserves a session that’s designed especially for them. That’s why I create a custom setup for every photo session I do. I love working with my clients to create photos that are everything they wanted and more. This little girl’s mama knew that she absolutely wanted gold and stars incorporated in some way, so that’s what we ran with. I love how it looks like stars are falling all around her. The gold and white really caught the light and made our pictures shine in more ways than one!

This little princess enjoyed her cake—especially the frosting. Now that’s a girl after my own heart. She got it all over her hands and face. She did try to lick it all off—and did a great job—but in the end we still got out my baby-sized clawfoot tub for her to wash up in. Nothing like bath time after a cake smash!

It was so much fun to celebrate with this little cutie. Definitely a gold star session!

Cake Smash Sessions in New Jersey

Cake smash photography is such a fun way to highlight baby’s growing up and create special memories. Your time in my West Milford photography studio is about more than getting great pictures—it’s also about having a great experience. If you’re interested in a custom cake smash or other type of portrait photography for your little one, please get in touch with me. I’d love to hear from you!

Custom Stars and Light Cake Smash | Northern NJ Photographer

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is getting ready for a fun-filled holiday season! It may look a little different for a lot of us this year, but as long as we have the love of family we have a reason to celebrate!

Birthday Cake Smash

I did this birthday cake smash photoshoot back in October, when the weather was just starting to turn chilly. All of my cake smash sessions are fully customized, so I always ask parents what kind of a look they’re going for and if there’s a particular theme they want. Mom told me that baby girl’s name means “light,” so she thought it would be fun to play on that theme. What a great idea! I filled the studio with twinkle lights in preparation for their session. Also used light-up star props and lots of white to reflect the light and give our photos some sparkle. It turned out just like we were hoping.  

Although we spent most of our time in my New Jersey photography studio, we also did a few outdoor shots with baby and her parents. Including parent photos in your baby photography session is a great add-on! Lots of people book that add-on when they schedule their child’s photoshoot. It’s the perfect way to document the big one-year milestone. Plus, you get updated, professional family pictures at the same time. Win-win!

Book a Photo Session

This has been quite the year, and that’s all the more reason to document how your family is growing and thriving throughout it. Professional portraiture is the perfect way to hold on to precious memories forever. So if you want to document a major milestone, create beautiful family photos, or record the newborn sweetness of a brand new little one, I hope you’ll contact me! In the meantime, I hope your holiday season is just as merry and bright as this beautiful birthday session!

Elephant Cake Smash | New Jersey Photographer

Northern New Jersey Cake Smash Photo Session

Had a great time creating a custom cake smash photo session for this cute little birthday boy. A lot of times my cake smash kiddos are also babies I photographed as newborns, but this was the first time I’d met this little guy and his family. They are such sweet people and I loved getting to know them.

This young man was such a happy boy. He smiled almost the whole time and loved posing for the camera. Aren’t his outfits the best? Baby boy and bow ties were meant to go together!

More About Cake Smash Photo Sessions with Jennifer Parrello Photography  

Cake smash sessions are such a fun way to celebrate (or get ready for) baby’s first birthday. I recommend booking this type of session a couple of months before baby turns one so you can have the pictures ready for those first birthday invitations or decorations at the party. Can you imagine any decorations cuter than these? I sure can’t!

All of my cake smash photo sessions are fully customized, so just let me know what you want and I will make it happen! For this photo shoot I designed a custom set based on the theme of this little man’s nursery: baby elephants. Honestly though, the sky is the limit! Looking for rainbow and unicorns for your little girl? I can do that! Or maybe your toddler is getting into astronauts and outer space? Don’t worry—I can design a set that is out of this world. 😊

Book Your Cake Smash Photo Session

Thinking of booking a session for your little one? Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I’d love to chat with you and welcome you to my NJ photography studio to create some wonderful memories together!