If you’re planning a cake smash session and want the photos to feel meaningful, unique, personal, and timeless, choosing the right theme is an important first step. When planning a cake smash photoshoot, many parents want something timeless rather than overly themed. A classic cake smash theme keeps the focus on your baby while still feeling personal and meaningful.
As a cake smash photographer, I customize each session for every little client. That require a lot communications with parents. Parents often ask me where to begin, especially when they want something classic and simple rather than overly themed or trendy.
As an award-winning cake smash photographer, I’d love to share a few of my favourite sources of inspiration to help guide your decisions.
Choosing a Neutral Color Palette for a Classic Cake Smash Theme
When it comes to creating a classic and simple cake smash theme, colour is the foundation.
You don’t need to choose a very specific colour right away, but having a general colour tone in mind is helpful. Are you imagining soft pinks, creamy whites, gentle blues, warm neutrals, or maybe even a subtle rainbow?
To keep the session timeless, it’s important not to introduce too many colours at once. Using four or five different colours can quickly distract from what matters most, your baby. A simple palette allows your little one to remain the focus of every image.
When parents aren’t sure where to start, I often ask:
- Which colour best describes your baby’s personality?
- Does your baby have a favourite colour?
- What season was your baby born in, and what colours remind you of that time?
Most parents find that one of these questions helps them land on a colour that feels right.
Decide on the Emotion You Want to Capture
Colour doesn’t just affect how a setup looks, it also influences how it feels.
Think about the overall emotion you’d like your cake smash photos to convey. Do you imagine something energetic, calm, playful, elegant, or joyful?
- Bold, saturated, or metallic tones often create a lively, energetic feel.
- Pastel colours tend to feel soft, calm, and gentle.
- Some parents want something vivid and celebratory, a way to honour the excitement of a first birthday and the freshness of new life.
In those cases, a rainbow-inspired theme can work beautifully. If you choose multiple colours, keeping them within a similar tone (such as pastel rainbow shades) helps maintain a cohesive, timeless look.
If you notice that your colour choice doesn’t fully align with the emotion you want, decide which matters more to you, the colour itself or the feeling you’re hoping to capture, and adjust from there.
Additional Colours (When and How)
While minimalist sessions sometimes use only one colour, most parents prefer to introduce one or two additional colours for depth and balance.
There are two simple and reliable ways to do this:
1. Stay within the same colour family
For example, if your main colour is dusty rose, adding another soft rose tone creates a monochromatic palette. This approach is elegant, cohesive, and always works well.
2. Choose neighbouring colours on the colour wheel
Using colours that sit next to each other, such as dusty rose paired with caramel or plum, those colours add interest while still feeling harmonious. Just be sure all colours share a similar emotional tone so they complement rather than compete.
Decide How Much of Each Colour to Use
Once your colours are chosen, the final step is deciding how much of each colour should appear in the setup.
If you’re using two colours, you might choose:
- Two-thirds main colour and one-third accent colour
- Or an even split, depending on your preference
There’s no strict right or wrong here, it’s simply about what feels most balanced to you. I often sketch out a simple visual for my clients so they know exactly what to expect on session day.
Final Thoughts
A classic and simple cake smash theme doesn’t need to be complicated. With thoughtful colour choices, clear emotional intention, and a balanced design, a custom cake smash session can feel deeply personal and meaningful for your baby’s first birthday.
And most importantly, you are part of this process. As parents, you put love and intention into creating a theme for your baby—one that celebrates the journey of the first year and joyfully welcomes everything that lies ahead.
If you’re looking for cake smash photography in Edmonton and want a custom-designed session that feels timeless and personal, you can contact me here.
Samantha, the visionary behind Little One Photography, is a passionate photographer with a special gift for capturing the essence of newborns and families. As an awarded newborn photographer, she has honed her craft to create timeless, emotive portraits that families cherish for generations. Samantha’s warm personality and patient approach put even the tiniest clients at ease, allowing her to capture genuine moments of connection and love.
