My little guy recently turned one, and I couldn’t wait to take his birthday portraits, complete with a cake smash. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, you plunk the birthday boy or girl down for some instant photo fun — just add cake! The results are always messy and memorable once they dig in.

In addition to capturing my son covered in frosting, I also wanted some images of him outside — exploring, reacting to his surroundings for those natural expressions I know and love.

First birthdays are a major milestone and a popular reason for booking a portrait session. But rather than just picking outfits and props randomly, if you give it just a little extra thought, you can plan and style an amazing first birthday session so all of your images (although very different) are coordinated and look amazing when paired together for an album, wall display or however you choose to enjoy them. And because I just went through it myself, I have real examples to illustrate — which always helps, right?

Need another reason to read to the very end? I lined up some awesome deals for you from some very incredible vendors.

Okay, for Evan’s portraits I opted to go with the colors of his nursery because I know I’ll display some of the photos there. (For more on matching your outfits to a room in your home, see this Wardrobe Wednesday post.) Evan’s nursery is filled with light blue, navy and red, so I knew I’d have a ton of options. If you’re interested, check out his room here.

I did a little shopping and came up with a few great outfits and props for outdoor portraits as well as his cake smash in my chosen color palate.

Okay, so how awesome is that giant cupcake cake? Well guess what? I made it! That’s a photo I took in my studio. And you can make one too!

Wait. Just wait. Before you get all, “Yeah, but you’re super creative … I can’t do that” on me, I am the World’s Worst Baker. I ruin just-add-water brownies. (Just ask my family.) But I really, really, really wanted one for Evan’s cake smash photos, so I did a little research online and decided to give it a try.

Here’s what I purchased:

Yes, you could certainly use your own cake batter recipe, but being the World’s Worst Baker, I decided to keep it simple and leave it to the expert Duncan Heinz. You could keep it even simpler and apply the frosting with a spatula, but I was feeling adventurous, so I went for it. The decorating tools were fairly simple to use, and the little turntable was a minimal investment and really saved the day when it came time to add frosting. My 4-year-old spun it while I applied the vanilla.

In my research process, I checked out a lot of photos of other people’s cupcake cakes and decided I didn’t really care for the bottom half when it was unfrosted or frosted. I thought it either looked unfinished or weird. Then I found this incredible tutorial on how to make a giant cupcake liner using chocolate melts! Brilliant!

I followed the directions exactly and nailed it on the first try. It was super easy and slid right out of the pan. I didn’t even have to trim the sides of the cake for it to fit, just a little off the top. Easy, peasy.

The last tip I found that really made things simple was how much batter to put in each side of the pan. After you’ve coated both sides with cooking spray and lightly dusted them with flour, fill the portion that will become the top half of the cake with 2½ cups of batter. Fill the bottom half with 3½ cups of batter. No more, no less and both sides will bake evenly. Bake at 225 degrees for one hour.

Let your cake cool, trim, place inside your kickin’ chocolate liner and decorate!

* * * * *

And here are a few of the final results with my birthday boy. Even though the images are very different, they still coordinate! Can’t wait to design his mini albums to pass out to family.

Where to shop

OUTDOOR PORTRAITS

Tie: $17.95, Trendy Ties

White button down: $14.94, Old Navy

Jeans: $16.94, Old Navy

Plaid hat: $6.99 (on sale), Gymboree

Headphones T-shirt: $12.99, Old Navy

Navy pants: $14.94 Old Navy

INDOOR PORTRAITS

Pennant: $32, Blue Moon Studios on Etsy

Personalized name shirt: $18, Three Lulus on Etsy

Diaper cover: $5.99, Amazon

Tie and jeans (see above)

CAKE SMASH GOODIES*

Wilton cake pan: $22.94, Amazon

Jumbo confetti sprinkles: $0.99 per ounce (I purchased 2 ounces) Shop Bakers Nook

#1 candle: $1.29, Amazon

Two boxes of store-bought cake mix, two containers of store-bought vanilla frosting

One package of chocolate melts, $2.99 at craft stores

Cake decorating turntable: $14.99, Shop Bakers Nook

18-inch decorating bag: $8.14, Amazon

Large cake decorating tip coupler: $4.56, Amazon

Large decorating tip: $3, Amazon 

* If you’d prefer to avoid shipping fees, I purchased all of the cake-decorating items — including the pan — at Michael’s Craft Store

What’s that? You need one more great reason to shop? Done. Here is a discount code from a few vendors featured in this post exclusively for my clients and Wardrobe Wednesday fans! Enjoy!

As a military spouse working intimately with clients who are going through deployments/homecomings is really emotion invoking.  The mindset getting ready for a homecoming or deployment session is completely different than one of family portraits that are done yearly.  There’s always the real possibility this may be their last, or at the very least is one of the things that will help the family get through the rough separation.  Being in a military community the majority of my clients are military, even if they prefer to shoot not in uniform.  My biggest goal with getting ready for a session, especially one that is during or before a deployment is to ensure that they have FUN because you are essentially taking up their limited together and want to make it more than a session. Make it a memory.  Of course the goal is for ALL Clients to feel this, but with military it just seems to have that air of privilege that you get to be the one to document.

I chose the colors for the styled outfits because they are reminiscent of the yellow and blues that are often associated with the united states military and flag.  I avoided red’s as red is not flattering on most individuals. The use of cooler tones tied in this patriotic theme but also lent to be flattering for most body types and skin tones.

Army Couple:

It’s hard enough trying to figure out how to dress a family of four – but what about a family of eight?! The easy out would be to dress everyone in the same colors, but don’t worry – a coordinated clothing ensemble is easier to pull together than you think. Here, Jennifer shows just how to do it!

Here’s what she has to say:

Last week, we had a special request from a mom who has a photo session with FIVE boys, one girl, and a hubby to round out a happy family of eight. It’s not an easy task to put together a wardrobe with so many kiddos, so we thought we would try to help. As I commonly like to suggest, I started with the 11-year-old daughter, and gave her an outfit with multiple colors with which to coordinate. Following the blues and yellows scheme, I added in five boy shirts choosing a different color for each. With all of these shirts, the boys can wear either khakis or blue jeans. Mix in a couple of outfits for mom and dad, and you have a family that makes mom look like she has everything under control!

It’s not easy to always find everything in one store, so the best advice I can give in this situation is to go for colors that are trending for the season. Follow that rule, and you should have multiple choices at various stores.

SHOPPING LIST

Girl’s skinny jeans – $14 JCP
Girl’s Shirt – $22.80 (on sale) Kohls
Girl’s Shoe – $30 JCP

Boy’s 5 mos Striped Polo – $6 (on sale) The Children’s Place
Boy’s 5 yrs Navy Polo – $6 (on sale) The Children’s Place
Boy’s 6 yrs shirt – $14 JCP
Boy’s Navy Button-Up Shirt – $12 JCP
Boy’s 7 yrs Yellow Polo – $24 JCP
Boy’s 5 mos Jeans - $15 (on sale) The Children’s Place
Boy’s 5 yrs Khakis – $11.21 (on sale) The Children’s Place

Mom’s Shirt – $23.99 (on sale) Kohls
Mom’s Pants – $49.99 Kohls
Mom’s Shoe - $55.99 (on sale) Kohls

Dad’s Shirt - $25 JCP
Dad’s T-Shirt - $15 JCP
Dad’s Pants – $35 JCP

I love these gorgeous spring looks that  Erica has compiled for your spring senior session.  Here’s what she has to say:

A few weeks ago we featured some new senior fashions for guys, so I decided we needed to highlight some of the new senior fashions for girls too! April is my busiest month for seniors and I love all the spring looks! Whenever I need some new ideas for senior fashion, I love browsing through the latest Lookbook from Ruche.  Ruche is one of my favorite fashion stores for young women. They have so many awesome outfits, dresses, shoes, jewelry, and more! Their vintage style is so in right now, and their patterns and textures are unique and fun. I am a fan of one-stop shopping, so all of the outfits seen below come from Ruche. Don’t forget the accessories – they have some awesome headbands and jewelry, too!

Shopping Guide:

All fashions from Ruche!

glowing sensation beaded necklace – $24.99

http://shopruche.com/glowing-sensation-beaded-necklace.html#NP=daa9867669d01a8859186a6bb12ff0a7

happiness is a virtue dress – $44.99

http://shopruche.com/happiness-is-a-virtue-dress.html#NP=daa9867669d01a8859186a6bb12ff0a7

shared moment floral dress – $44.99

http://shopruche.com/shared-moment-floral-dress.html#NP=ce59286ebcc2511c8c254f01a944b53c

fresh mint polka dot shorts – $32.99

http://shopruche.com/fresh-mint-polka-dot-shorts.html#NP=80695ba2db89b521208a01c23a0107fb

love bouquet tee – $32.99

http://shopruche.com/love-bouquet-tee.html#NP=4e11040b6cd3cfeddc671e00d9ac8306

hey there leather heels by Seychelles – $99.99

http://shopruche.com/hey-there-leather-heels.html#NP=72bf6f10de0f5880b5567b31c8389a37

sunshine stroll bow flats – $28.99

http://shopruche.com/sunshine-stroll-bow-flats.html#NP=72bf6f10de0f5880b5567b31c8389a37

hello dolly cowboy boots  - $96.99

http://shopruche.com/hello-dolly-cowboy-boots.html#NP=13530cf01b4b0fa7e5bd60567cbcb67d

keely mint flower hair clip by Petit Plume – $19.99

http://shopruche.com/keely-mint-flower-hair-clip-by-petit-plume.html#NP=dfd35254564d4d50a1e008040f102d5b

sweet melodies leather ring by Nakamol – $17.99

http://shopruche.com/sweet-melodies-leather-ring.html#NP=8d25f1b4972d336a31edbde1075992ce

Here’s what she has to say:

When planning your shoot, whether you are the photographer or the client, you likely discuss the following: prices, products, location and wardrobe. Am I right? Shake your head yes, please.    Location and wardrobe are SO important to a photoshoot. They are both essentially what MAKES the shoot. I don’t care whether the location is a bedroom, the beach or a downtown area … I bet most clients have a specific “look” in mind when booking their session. But sometimes it’s difficult to actually coordinate all of that. Enter Wardrobe Wednesday.

3. Get those gorgeous photos ON YOUR WALLS! You’ve invested time and money in the photoshoot. What good is it doing you to keep them on a disc? 

TA DA! Custom branded reusable totes and client care cards!

All client orders will now be boxed and delivered in one of these lovely branded reusable totes! They turned out even better than I had hoped, and I just know all of my awesome clients will love showing off their LHP love at the grocery store or the park, or wherever they might come in handy. All orders will also now include a set of Client Care Cards. These cards contain a wealth of great information on how my clients can care for and protect their artwork so that it will look perfect for years to come. With these two additions to my packaging, I sincerely hope that my clients feel like they are getting that extra special attention that I so love to spoil them with. Just dying to get your hands on one of these bags?!? Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com and book your session today!

In my opinion, the best advice always comes from someone who has personal experience to draw from. So who better to give maternity clothing suggestions than Morgan who is certainly counting the days until her due date? Even better, she knows women don’t want to spend a fortune on maternity clothes, so she gives tips on how to punch up the basics you probably already have for your portrait session. Because, lets face it, you already have the best accessory possible — that gorgeous baby bump.

Here’s what she has to say:

Since I’m about three weeks away from my due date, I decided to revisit the “Build on your Basics” theme with a focus on maternity style. I’ve definitely tried to buy as few maternity-specific items as possible, preferring to stick with some core items and adding versatile pieces around them. Often this is done with existing items from your normal wardrobe, but if you want to buy something new, remember that being 8+ months preggo doesn’t mean you need to shop exclusively in the maternity section.

But first – your maternity wardrobe building blocks.

I think it’s always best to start with a great pair of dark-wash jeans. My personal favorite (I’ve bought several pairs of the same jean) come surprisingly from H&M (who knew they had a maternity line?). What I love is that they have belt loops and a finished waistband, making them look very much like normal jeans. You can also find a skinny version of these jeans, but both will usually tuck nicely into tall boots.

While I’m often wearing a black tank, for a photo shoot you’ll want to avoid black since the purpose of the session is to show off your bump – not hide it. Gap makes some fantastic layering tanks, but a good solid scoop or v-neck (you may be rockin’ some nice cleavage about now, so why not make use of it) will be a perfect base. Since you may be wearing pants with a panel, you need to be sure you don’t see the line or color of the panel through the white shirt. If you do, maybe throw on an extra tank underneath.

Now, let’s add to this.

Wraps, cardigans, and jackets are all pieces you can pull from your pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Sure, you probably can’t button your jacket anymore, but you don’t need to! If you want a little more shape to your look, add a skinny belt either over a wrap or under the jacket (always just under your bust). Bring color and texture to your outfit with scarfs, and don’t forget to add jewelry!

One last option – a blanket or throw. If you’re outside for your shoot and don’t want to wear a bulky jacket (or perhaps you’re like me and only purchased one all-purpose maternity jacket — nothing so special you’d want to wear in a maternity session), grab a coordinating blanket and wrap yourself up in it. It also works well when your partner is in the photo with you, as you can both wrap up in it together.

Before pregnancy, I dreaded what I would wear. But the options are much more diverse and enjoyable than I expected!

SHOPPING GUIDE

BUILDING BLOCKS:

Scoop Top (White) – Isabella Oliver - $75.00
Artisan Tunic (White) – Boden – $88.00
MAMA Jeans – H&M – $39.95

TOPS AND JACKETS:

Short Sleeve Ruffled Maternity Blouse – Motherhood Maternity – $26.98
Amrita Cardi (Turquoise) – Anthropologie – $78.00
It Jeans Jacket – Destination Maternity – $89.00

ACCESSORIES:

Andaman Wrap Bracelet – Anthropologie – $48.00
Polaire Headband (Turquoise) – Anthropologie – $28.00
Illuminated Chignon Bobbies – Anthropologie – $15.00
Threadwork Scarf – Anthropologie – $48.00
Vintage Plaid Throw Blanket – Simple Thrift (Etsy) – $38.00
In Stitches Belt (Turquoise) – Anthropologie – $28.00
Culture Phit Ama Brown Boots – Zappos – $99.00