Why Bambini Said Yes To Cake Smash Photography

Why We Initially Said No To Cake Smash

Around 2015, families started asking us if Bambini could offer Cake Smash photography for their babies’ first birthdays.

For about 18 months, our answer was no.

It wasn’t because we didn’t like the photographs. As parents ourselves, we were uncomfortable with the idea of creating unnecessary food waste simply for a photoshoot.

Before introducing a new type of photography, we also wanted to understand whether it fitted with what Bambini has always been about: preserving meaningful memories of children and families.

So we took our time.

Why We Eventually Changed Our Minds

After speaking with families, cake makers and our photography team, we began looking at Cake Smash differently.

What parents wanted wasn’t simply a photograph of a destroyed cake.

They wanted to preserve their baby’s first-birthday stage. The curiosity, expressions and reactions as their child explored something new, together with photographs of the family celebrating the milestone.

The cake was simply part of the experience.

Once we saw it that way, Cake Smash made much more sense within what Bambini was already doing.

So, around September 2016, after approximately 18 months of saying no, Bambini finally said yes to Cake Smash photography.

What About The Cake?

We had another concern too: would creating a beautiful cake only to have it smashed be disrespectful to the person who made it?

Talking to cake makers changed our perspective. For them, the cake was part of creating a happy experience for the family. Something made to be enjoyed, even if the enjoyment looked a little messier than usual.

That helped us become more comfortable with the idea.

What We Learnt About Cake Smash Photography

After photographing Cake Smash sessions over the years, one thing has become very clear:

Not every baby wants to smash the cake — and they don’t have to.

Some children dive straight in. Some taste a little icing. Some poke it cautiously. Others are much more interested in the balloons, Mum and Dad, or everything else happening around them.

We let the child lead.

That’s why we see Cake Smash as one part of a birthday photoshoot, rather than the entire reason for the session. Classic portraits, birthday celebration photographs and family photographs can all be captured too.

👉 See 3 Ways To Photograph Your Child’s Birthday: Classic, Celebration or Cake Smash.

More Than Just The Cake

A child’s first birthday is also a milestone for the family.

Parents and siblings can join the session, so we can photograph the family together before moving into the Cake Smash. For many families, that updated family portrait becomes just as important as the birthday photographs themselves.

If family photographs are your main priority, see our Family Photoshoot packages and what to expect.