Chicago's Cake Smash Specialist — Since 2009

Chicago's
Cake Smash
Photography
Specialist

We bring the cake. We style the setup.
We clean up after.

Mar 29 — 4 Left
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Apr 19 — Sold Out
Waitlist →

No spam. Just session dates when they open.

Baby enjoying a cake smash photography session in our Chicago studio

THE SMASH.
THE MESS.
THE MAGIC.

2009 Established
15+ Years in Chicago
$275 Mini Sessions From
100% We Handle Cleanup
1,000+ Sessions Photographed
What We Offer

Choose Your Session

Most families book a Mini Session — it's everything you need for an amazing cake smash. Want the whole family in the photos or need a date that works better? Book a Family Session.

Most Popular
The Cake Smash

Mini Session

$275 per session

All about the birthday child. We take portraits on the set first, then introduce the cake and capture the smash. You send us the outfits, pick your colors (or let us style it), and we handle the rest.

  • 30 minutes, dedicated studio time
  • Portraits + cake smash on one styled setup
  • Color-coordinated banner & balloons
  • Custom cake included
  • Full cleanup — we handle the mess
  • Saturday event dates, Edgewater studio
The Full Experience

Family Session

$500 per session

Want the whole family in the photos? A family session gives you dedicated time for family portraits plus the cake smash. Perfect if a mini session date doesn't work for your schedule.

  • 60 minutes max — kids don't last longer!
  • Family portraits + cake smash
  • Color-coordinated setup
  • Custom cake included
  • Flexible weekday & weekend scheduling
Mini Session Events

Upcoming Dates

Pick a date, choose your time, pay online — you're booked.

SUNDAY, MARCH 29 Edgewater Studio · $275 · 4 spots available
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SATURDAY, APRIL 19 Edgewater Studio · $275 · Sold Out
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More dates coming soon. Sign up below to be first to know.

In-Home Sessions

Don't want to come to the studio?

We can bring our camera and light kit to your house. Email us to schedule a full family session in the comfort of your own home.

Email Us to Book
Family cake smash photography session at home — parents and baby with birthday cake
The Experience

How It Works

Four steps from "book" to beautiful photos in your inbox.

Book Your Spot

Choose a mini session event date or book a family session. Mini sessions fill fast — first come first served.

Send Us the Outfits

Send photos of your little one's outfits and pick your colors — or let us style the whole setup. We'll color-coordinate the banner, balloons, and backdrop to make it all about your birthday child.

We Handle Everything

The custom cake. The styled backdrop. Show up, let your baby enjoy the moment, and we handle the glorious mess.

Get Your Photos

Professionally edited images delivered to a private online gallery within 2–3 weeks. Download, share, and print to your heart's content.

Common Questions

Everything
You Need
To Know

Cake smash sessions are a beloved first birthday tradition, and we've been doing them since 2009. Here are the questions we hear most from Chicago families.

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A cake smash session is a first birthday portrait session where your baby gets to dig into a custom cake in a beautifully styled set. It's equal parts photography and celebration — we capture your little one's reaction as they discover the cake, often with hilarious and utterly adorable results. The session produces milestone portraits you'll treasure for life.
Around their first birthday — typically 11–14 months — is the sweet spot. At that age, most babies can sit independently, have the motor skills to interact with the cake, and are expressive enough to produce a range of priceless reactions. We don't recommend waiting much past 15 months, as toddlers can become more hesitant or strong-willed about the setup.
Yes — always. Your cake is included in every session price. We work with a local Chicago baker to provide a smash-sized custom cake that color-coordinates with your setup. The cakes are designed to look beautiful in photos and are safe for your baby to actually eat. You don't need to bring a thing.
Mini Sessions are 30 minutes on pre-scheduled weekend event days — we take portraits of the birthday child first, then introduce the cake for the smash. Family Sessions are 60 minutes and include family portraits plus the cake smash. We don't do sessions longer than an hour because kids simply won't last — and we've been doing this long enough to know.
Many parents do a simple birthday outfit — a tutu, bloomers, or a little onesie — or let baby go shirtless, which is always adorable and very popular. Send us photos of the outfits ahead of time and we'll color-coordinate the banner, balloons, and setup to match. You can pick the colors yourself or let us style it. Bring a change of clothes (for you!) since cake has a way of traveling. We provide wipes, towels, and a cleanup area.
Mini sessions are focused on the birthday child (or children, in the case of twins/multiples). If you want the whole family in the photos — siblings, parents, everyone — book a Family Session ($500). That gives you 60 minutes with time for family portraits and the cake smash together.
Mini Sessions include 20–30 fully edited digital images. Family Sessions include 40–60 images. All photos are delivered at full resolution in a private online gallery — you get the digital files to download, print, and share without any print minimums or hidden fees.
Your fully edited gallery is delivered within 2–3 weeks of your session. You'll receive an email with a link to your private gallery where you can download all your images. If you have a specific deadline (like a birthday party), let us know when you book and we'll do our best to accommodate.
This happens more than you'd think — and it always makes for wonderful photos. Whether your baby digs in with both fists, pokes at it cautiously, or stares at it like it's suspicious, we get beautiful images either way. We've been doing this since 2009 and we know how to read babies. Our studio is calm, we move at your baby's pace, and we never force the moment. Some of the best shots come from the babies who needed a little coaxing.
Most cake smash sessions are held in our Edgewater studio at 6241 N Clark St — studio-controlled lighting delivers consistent, beautiful results year-round and makes cleanup a breeze. But yes, we can do outdoor cake smash sessions too. Outdoor sessions are booked as a full family session. You'd be responsible for the cake, decorations, a blanket to sit on, and cleanup. We bring the camera and light kit. Email us to plan one.
We include a custom cake with every session because we've found it creates the most consistent results — our baker makes cakes that are the right size, right texture, and right color for both smashing and photographing. However, if you have a specific dietary need (allergy-friendly, vegan, gluten-free), let us know when booking and we can work with you. We do not allow outside commercial cakes with artificial dyes, as they can irritate babies' skin during longer sessions.
We're located at 6241 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660 in the Edgewater neighborhood. There's street parking on Clark and the surrounding blocks. We're also a 5-minute walk from the Granville Red Line stop. The studio has an accessible entrance — please contact us if you need specifics. Our studio is private, climate-controlled, and set up specifically for infant and toddler sessions.