What is a Smash Cake Session?
A smash cake session is a milestone photo opportunity celebrating a baby’s one year birthday. Typically, your little one eats/smashes/gets messy with cake! It’s a fun and simple way for your child to experiment with something new. Turning one is a big deal, so this photoshoot is a great way to capture this season of life. Scroll down to see what the session all entails at our Milwaukee studio!
What to Expect During The Session
Smash cake sessions will take place at our Milwaukee studio. After you book a session with us, you will receive an email on what to expect and how to plan. A few weeks before the session, you and I will work together to come up with a theme, decorations, and an overall look for your photoshoot. On the day you come into the studio, we will take a few photos of just your child, give them the cake and let them have fun and enjoy all its deliciousness! Because I love to photograph parents with their children, I stronglyencourage the parents to get in on the fun as well, so plan accordingly. Want one less thing to carry with you? Order from our exclusive cake partner and get the smash cake delivered right to the studio!
Interested in a photoshoot or want to know more? Click the button below to get more details on booking a session!
As much as I would love to take all the weddings and photo sessions, (believe it or not) I am only one person. A lot of times I get multiple inquires for the same dates and I have to refer them out to other photographers. Enter this blog post. Below are some of my all time favorite photographers in the Milwaukee area. I’ve either worked with them personally or have heard wonderful things about them through other industry leaders.
Mo Schultz. I’ve known Mo since middle school, so we go way back. She has photographed my family and when I was interested in photography and weddings, she took me under her wing and trusted me to second shoot a GORGEOUS wedding with her without any prior experience. She is talented and loves on her clients with her whole heart. A true Enneagram 2 to her core 🙂
Hannah Toldt. I was introduced to Hannah through a mutual friend of ours and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to photograph her beautiful face multiple times. She truly is a joy to work with and brings so much FUN to her sessions. She is wildly talented and brings such good energy to everyone around her.
The Uttkes. An incredible husband/wife team, who I’ve heard nothing but great things about. While I’ve never actually met these two, I feel like know them pretty well. Social media plus having mutual friends will do that. They’ve referred a few amazing clients to me which I’m grateful for. They’re a fun couple and I admire their photography work. And they have a really cute kiddo!
Naomi Love. Through the power of social media, I found this beauty through mutual friends, photographers, and our hairstylist. Naomi has second shot with me a few times this year and I’m forever grateful for her and her talented eye.
Stephanie Koppa. I’ve worked with Stephanie quite a few times and it’s always a fun time. Stephanie is sweet, funny and has a great eye for capturing those in between moments. I love working with her and I find her work so refreshing.
Sarah Glick. I met Sarah at a networking event and we became fast friends. Sarah is real, loves on her clients, and captures a wedding day in such an artful way.
Stephanie Sanchez. A natural visual storyteller. I found Stephanie through a friend of mine and she’s done family photos for me and my girls. Stephanie is wonderful to work with and her photography work is beautiful beyond words.
Chelsea Matson. Another photographer who I’ve never actually met, but we chat quite frequently on Instagram. Her work is real, emotional and something to be admired.
Jen from Dogs of MKE. If your fur baby is the center of your photoshoot (and your life), I cannot recommend Jen enough. I’ve known Jen for a few years now and I had the pleasure of photographing her family to include her Goldendoodle, Gino. She’s truly amazing at what she does. And if you don’t have a dog but love them, you should just follow her Instagram for an instant mood boost.
Santiago Murillo. I’ve admired Santiago’s work for years. He’s extremely talented and does an amazing job capturing the wedding day in such an artist and real way.
My 2019 was one of my busiest seasons so far. I had the opportunity to photograph a destination wedding, work with some talented, local vendors, and check out quite a few of Southeastern Wisconsin’s best wedding venues. I also had the honor of working with some of the sweetest couples. From small and intimate to large and lively, I covered just about every type of wedding. Except a brunch wedding, I definitely want to photograph a brunch wedding! Here’s a run down of some of my favorite moments of the 2019 wedding season.
- Lake Tahoe. Getting to work with this couple in this location was the highlight of my wedding season. I love their adventurous personalities, impeccable style and the way they interact with one another. They are just that couple that everyone loves to be around. They bring the fun wherever they go!Â
- The floral Wallpaper at The Covenant at Murray Mansion. This wedding was small, intimate and gorgeous. I’m a sucker for mixing modern wedding decor in an old, vintage location. The Covenant at Murray Mansion did not disappoint. The mansion is beautiful and the coordinators are amazing to work with.
3. The Sanger House Gardens. As a little girl, I was a big fan of the movie & book, ‘The Secret Garden.’ This is kind of what this place reminds me of. John and Millie had a very small and intimate wedding reception here, hosting mostly family and a few very close friends. I can honestly say this was the only wedding that I’ve photographed where I actually cried. I’m pretty good at keeping my emotions in check! Millie’s touching speech about John and her daughters really hit home for me. If you’re looking for a mansion style wedding, definitely check out The Sanger House.
4. The ‘Til Death sign at The Ivy House. This place offers so many “Instagramable” photo ops but this one is by far my favorite. I’m so excited to be back at the Ivy House this May!
5. Dog-friendly venue spaces. When Kyle and Ali told me that they wanted to include their pup, Jax, in their wedding at Birch, I was all for it. I love dogs and I really do love when couples incorporate them into their wedding. I photographed two weddings this year where the couples incorporated their pups and I love that Birch is a dog-friendly venue!
6. Villa Filomena. Another Milwaukee mansion that doesn’t disappoint. I loved everything about Dave and Alexis’s wedding. The day was absolutely perfect and personal in every way. From the handmade hair piece to the game themed reception decor, this couple put their personal touch on every aspect of their wedding and they did it in a very tasteful way.
7. Carving out time for sunset photos. There are a few reasons I love when your wedding timeline allows for sunset photos. First, it’s my chance to pull you away for just a few minutes to really soak up your time as husband and wife. It gives couples a chance to check in with one another and make sure everything is going well, and many couples appreciate the “breath of fresh air” after visiting with lots of loved ones during the day.
8. Brides with a sense of humor. Cassaundra contacted me a few days before her wedding and explained to me how she wanted to play a practical joke on Craig, her husband to be. They were planning on doing a first look, but instead of seeing his bride when he turned around, Cassaundra worked with Craig’s best man to give him a good laugh and relieve any nerves he might have about seeing Cassaundra for their first look. The two enjoyed a “real” first look afterward and it was perfect.
9. Dessert Bars. Not everyone loves cake (I get it, but I don’t…). When you’re not big on wedding cake, hosting a dessert bar is another great option and Miss Molly’s does not disappoint. These brownies were the best I’ve ever had. I’ve worked with Molly for a styled shoot and now for a real wedding and I hear nothing but great things from anyone who eats these delicious baked goods.
10. Vingettes and champagne parades. When your mom owns a rustic and chic decor and home furnishing store in the Third Ward, you better be ready for an amazing wedding day set up! Terry set up vignettes around their property for Alex and Garrett’s gorgeous backyard wedding. When I was photographing the details, I kept thinking about how I wanted to put some of the decor into my new home! This wedding was so wonderfully done in many ways, I can’t wait to share more from their day. Alex and Garrett also did something I’ve never seen any couple do before. They led a champagne parade from their ceremony site to where the guests were to enjoy cocktail hour! That’s definitely a parade I want to be part of.
To the many, many families I was able to serve over the course of the year. THANK YOU! Thank you for trusting me with your families’ most cherished memories and for giving me the opportunity to laugh, play and run around with your little ones.
To all of the lovely married couples and engaged couples…THANK YOU!!! Taylor and Kyle, you will forever hold a special place in my heart as being my first ever wedding. Thank you to all of this year’s couples who trusted me with documenting their most important day. For booking me and putting your faith in me when I had yet to shoot a single wedding.
If I had to choose one word to describe 2017, it would be incredible. Never did I think a long time hobby could turn into something like this. I’m so excited for 2018 and can’t wait to work with more wonderful families and couples. Thank you to all of my clients, my family and other seasoned photographers for all of your love, support and advice! 2017 wouldn’t have been this amazing without all of you!
Kristin and Bryce met while they were each out with friends. It’s so funny to hear the story according to Kristin, because it just reminds me how much communication and the dating world has changed since I started dating my now husband. Bryce actually called Kristin as opposed to texting her! These two hit it off and the rest is history. We headed down to the Milwaukee Lakefront for their engagement session and I can’t wait to hang out with these two again at their wedding next summer.
It was a beautiful September day. Unseasonable warm for this time of year in Wisconsin. One of the hottest days we’ve had all summer. When I drove down the wooded driveway and approached the house, there was a sense of calm. None of the hustle and bustle you’d expect on a wedding day. When I walked into Mauria’s mom’s house, the girls were sitting around the table, finishing up breakfast, drinking mimosas, laughing and listening to chill music. They had under eye patches on-the same ones I had been wearing earlier that morning. I knew right then and there that I was in great company. Mauria introduced me to everyone, but because they were all so close, I had a hard time keep track of who her real sisters were when I first got there.
I met Mauria for coffee a few months back. She told me about her wedding, her bridesmaids and what they were wearing. She went on to describe her wedding as a simple backyard wedding with about 100 of their closest family and friends. When I arrived on site, it was much more than what I had envisioned. The property was lined with tall trees and fields. Mauria and Sarandi were married under a willow tree in her parents backyard and it was perfect. On our coffee date, Mauria had mentioned how artistic Sarandi was. It was one of the things she loved about him. Sarandi was responsible for painting all of the table numbers at the reception. They were beautifully done.
Mauria’s sisters went on to talk about the many phases of Mauria. There was lots of laughter in the audience. Some of these phases I could even relate to. And then they talked about the Sarandi phase, which is her forever phase. Sarandi and Mauria lit each other up the whole day. If there was a brief moment of stress that arose, Sarandi instantly brought a calm to Mauria. It was as if the two just kept front of mind what the day was about: the two of them starting their lives together and nothing else mattered.
I asked them toward the end of the night if there was any last minute pictures they wanted before I headed out. They said no, so I went inside and packed up my gear. When I came back to find them to say goodbye, they were dancing off in the distance by themselves. I always advise my couples to take a few moments by themselves to just take in the day. It goes by so quickly. I’m glad they listened and had their own moment separate from me taking them out for pictures.
Sarandi and Mauria, thank you so much for choosing me to document your wedding day. Congratulations to you two! Cheers to a lifetime of love and happiness!
Special thanks to these vendors for making these photos possible:
Photography: Maria Campbell Photography
Hair: Betsy Arsnow
Dress Designer: Cristiano Lucci
Bridal Boutique: Amelishan Bridal
Groom Attire: Calvin Klein at Men’s Wearhouse
Caterer: Saz’s
Flowers (Bouquets,boutonnieres, corsages): Parkway Floral
Flowers (Centerpieces, Table arrangements):Â Shoua Vang’s Bouquet
Jeweler: Custom designed at A Trio
Bakery: The Cake Lady
Planners: Cara Turkowski and Dianne Hofmann
Melissa & Victor have been on the blog before and this more than likely won’t be the last time you see them. Melissa is due with my NIECE in July and I can’t wait to photograph that little bundle of joy. For their maternity shoot, we chose Hubbard Park in Shorewood, WI. I couldn’t wait to photograph here and play around with the tunnel. A few weeks ago, Victor contacted me asking me for my opinion as to how he should pop the question. He threw around a few ideas, one being at her maternity shoot. I said it would be perfect and I knew exactly how I wanted to set up the shot. It took a lot for me to keep this secret and I did my very best not to let anything slip. I’d say I did a pretty good job 🙂 The ring is absolutely gorgeous and neither one could stop smiling all morning long. It was adorable. Congratulations Melissa & Victor! You both have so much to look forward to and I can’t wait to be there right beside you both.
Melissa and Victor. Two of my favorite people. Melissa is my younger sister and Victor is her boyfriend. Melissa has always been my biggest supporter and cheerleader. Whenever I have expressed any self-doubt about what I was doing in life, she was the one to set me straight. She’s honest, has the biggest heart of anyone I know, and is the greatest sister in the world.
I was excited when she told me that she and Victor wanted to a couples’ session in the Third Ward. We originally were trying to hold out for snow, but Wisconsin had a pretty strange winter this past season, so we worked with what we had. A couples’ session turned baby reveal (yay!) back to where they had their very first date: Milwaukee Public Market. I’m so excited that these two found each other and that they will be giving me a niece or nephew come late July!! They’re perfect for one another and they will make amazing parents. They are already a wonderful Aunt and Uncle to my two little ones and their baby is going to have the best smile ever.
