Masks are optional during the session. We do ask that you please remove your shoes and wash your hands upon entering. If anyone is not feeling well, please let us know ahead of time. Our studio and props are sanitized after each session. All sessions are by appointment only and private; no one else is in the studio. We have received our COVID-19 vaccine and boosters.

Sessions take place around the 6 to 8-month mark. It is important for this session that your baby can sit well unsupported, so we will plan together to ensure that the date of your shoot aligns with the meeting of this milestone in their development.

If you book a session and realize as your date approaches that your little one is not yet sitting unsupported, that is OK! However, we will push the date back to be sure that during the session your baby can sit unsupported. It is critical for posing and safety that your baby can sit well unsupported. Please reach out to let us know if you require a new date so that your baby has more time to develop his or her sitting skills.

We recommend booking your session at least 4 weeks in advance, or as soon as you think this big milestone is just around the corner.

If you want to schedule a session but aren’t sure if your little one is ready just yet, ask yourself the following questions:

* Have they mastered rolling and crawling?

* Do they love bouncing and kicking their legs? * Are they rocking or swaying?

If your answer is yes, then your baby is likely about to start sitting on their own! Maybe they have even already tried to sit up. If that’s the case, it’s time to book your session.

Generally, the best time frame is three weeks prior to your baby’s 1st birthday. Your gallery will then be ready on time to show off your portraits at the birthday party and to create thank you cards for your guests.

If you would rather use your portraits to create birthday party invitations, then your birthday session should be scheduled three weeks prior to when you wish to mail your invitations. Some parents prefer to schedule the cake smash after the actual birthday, so there are many options available.

We recommend that you schedule your session two months ahead, however we are always happy to accommodate last minute sessions whenever possible.

Please introduce your little one to cake/icing a couple weeks before our session. We recommend a cupcake. Sometimes the cake smash is the first time the little one sees/tastes cake and it can be overwhelming for them. This will also identify if your baby has any allergies to the ingredients.

We certainly do! We can still include balloons and the cake smash setup if you’d like, or we can do something entirely neutral, a paint session, yogurt session, spaghetti session (really any food that baby's do not choke on) or holiday themed session depending on the time of year!

Since doing cake smashes, we have become very aware that some babies do not like to smash the cake! Even ones that parents swear they would! This is TOTALLY normal! Honestly, arriving to a strange place and having a huge cake all to yourself with the different textures, not in your highchair where you typically destroy food could be alarming to even us, if this is what we were used to!

What we like to do is take cues from the baby! If they seem interested in eating the cake but don’t want their hands to touch, we have a big wooden spoon that we hand off to them to just dig in! Sometimes they even like to beat up on the cake like a drum and it’s so adorable!

Another trick we like to do is have parents bring Puffs or another small snack their baby likes, so that we can hide it in the back of the cake, this way when they reach for it, and put it in their mouth, it looks like they are enjoying the cake, but in a way they comfortable with! Trust us, whether they are staring at their cake, or dive in (some really do dive in face first!) it will be so adorable!

All you need is your well rested baby, extra clothes, diapers, snacks, milk, and favorite toy!

If you are needing to nurse, please let me know. We have a private space for you.

We recommend parents wear something comfortable. Since little ones are often on the move, parents might end up getting a bit warm from all the running around. When needed, we kindly ask parents to assist in readjusting the baby during the session.

Will I (mom or dad) get messy during the cake smash?

You most likely will! You may have to show your baby that they can eat the cake so you might have to dip your finger in the icing or take a bite yourself. Your baby may stand up and walk or crawl around so we will need your help with putting your baby back into the designated place. You will likely get icing/cake on your clothes so please don’t wear anything you do not want to get ruined. We recommend bringing extra clothing.

During the session you are encouraged to sing, dance, and make silly noises and faces at your baby. Please do this behind me and not off to the side. That way your baby is always looking towards the camera. If your baby is on the move, I need your help to position him or her back in place to allow me to continue taking photos. Not all images result in baby’s looking directly at the camera, and that is ok. They are still so much fun and lovable even when looking in the general direction.

You're more than welcome to bring anything you'd like to incorporate into the session. We do ask that you try to limit these items to only one or two things. We also like when parents show us these items prior to the session so we can make a plan for how to use them.

It is ok if additional family members want to witness the milestone event. However, we request that they keep out of the way and not distract your baby. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to have a moment where he or she is looking in our direction. Pets are not allowed at this time.

Please note that we ask that siblings stay home, or they will need to have something to preoccupied them during the rest of the session. If they are young children, we require a second adult to watch them.

If you have twins, triplets, or more, please let us know when booking as we may need to increase the session fee to accommodate the additional outfit and decorations if required.

We will work together to create a custom theme for your baby, so the images are personal to you and unique to your little one. There is so much we can do, and it is all about personal preference and the style you would like for the session.

Sessions take place in our cozy home studio located 25 miles west of Portland in Cornelius. It is our happy place and we love to hear our clients comment how cute, clean, and enjoyable it is. Our #1 goal for you is to be comfortable and relaxed during your session.

Our home is professionally cleaned and baby-proofed. All props are sanitized before and after each session. Our home is installed with a REME HALO® that kills up to 99% of viruses, bacteria, and mold and reduces airborne particles (dust, dander, pollen, and mold spores) through bi-polar ionization. To protect your family, we take cleanliness seriously.

A link to your password-protected private online gallery will be emailed to you within one week after our session. You will be able to view, download, and purchase additional digital images directly from your online gallery. Products such as fine art prints and canvases can take up to two weeks for delivery. I handle all the editing personally to guarantee the highest quality work for you!

Your gallery will remain open for 5 days after delivery. If you need to get back into your gallery, that is not a problem at all. We can get you back into your gallery for $50. We do ask that when you download your gallery, please back up your files!

You can order professional fine art prints and canvas directly from your online gallery. We recommend printing through us because we only use the best professional labs in the industry to guarantee your images look their best and will last. If you choose to print through a consumer lab such as Costco, CVS, FedEx, Fred Meyer, Office Depot, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, etc., we cannot guarantee the colors or the quality of their prints.

Please, no photographs or video, as that violates the contract and distracts us from giving our all to your session. Thanks!

We've listened to you and made a heartfelt decision not to share sneak peeks of your little one's session on social media. Your child's protection is paramount to us, as we understand the importance of safeguarding them. You can find examples of our work on our website. If you prefer not to have them displayed there, please inform us. Your support and understanding of our new policy mean the world to us. Thank you!

Babies at this age are very mobile and prone to getting boo-boos, most of which are easy to touch up during the editing process.

Absolutely – our goal is to capture photos of a happy baby! Since all babies are different, it’s hard to predict how they will react during the photo session, and we cannot guarantee any specific poses or smiles. However, we will do our best to choose a time when they are typically the happiest – after a nap and with a full belly! Please also keep in mind vaccination and pierced ear appointments; try not to schedule a photo session a day or two after these to avoid fussiness or soreness.

Babies do best in front of the camera when they are rested and feeling well. Please contact us at least 24 to 48 hours in advance if your baby is ill and you will not be able to attend your scheduled session. We will work with you to reschedule the session for another time.