First birthday cake smash?

[twocultures]

I'm currently planning my LO's first birthday and me and my fiancée both love the idea of the cake smash. You know where you get a special small cake made, put it in front of your baby and let them go for it with their bare hands!
The only thing we are trying to decide at the moment is wether to have the cake smash during the actual birthday party in front of all the family and friends as we think they will enjoy seeing our LO dig in and have fun. Especially his great grandparents who are flying in from abroad.
Or should we book in a studio pre-party in a more 'controlled environment' so we can make sure the photos actually come out nicely for a keepsake and then display them at the actual birthday bash?

Has anyone done a cake smash for their little ones? How was it? What sounds like a better option?

[guerre]

Anything sounds like a better option, tbh.
Sorry, but teaching your child to approach birthday cakes and destroy them sounds like madness - how are you going to prevent her from doing it at parties she attends later?

It is incredibly wasteful too, I don't think it sends a good message to children IMHO.

[guerre]

Also, what culture are the GPs from? Some may find it offensive.

[NisekoWhistler]

I'm afraid that I'm in the camp of this is a disgusting wasteful attitude to promote. There are people starving in the world.

[originalmavis]

Aren't cakes really expensive? It sounds a bit of a waste to me. It's not really a 'thing' here i think, so if you do it make sure you have the photographer capture the grandparents expressions!

[SylviaWrath]

I wouldn't enjoy seeing that, I don't think many people would. I'd be gawking at the tackiness, the waste, the mess...just awful all round.

[originalmavis]

I blame those old 1950s library shots of babies with spaghetti on their heads.

[MrsDeathOfRats]

I too was drawn to the idea prior to Dd's 1st but as the day approached the idea of spending money on something so she could smash it up and run it all over her self filled me with horror.
Such a waste of money and the mess! Oh my god! The mess!
In their faces, hair, clothes everything!
Good god no.
Also Dd wouldn't have done it. She doesn't like to be messy either. She would have been confused as to why she wasn't being give a neat slice to eat.

If your hell bent on the idea then a studio, purely cos of the mess.
It would somewhat tarnish the day and party to have to take your kid off half way through to bath them and do an outfit change.

[Roseformeplease]

Why don't you just give the baby some cake to eat? Will make lovely messy photos (if that is what you want?) and will also not result in something that looks like the epitome of ridiculous Western consumerism.

What next? Setting fire to a pile of tenners to light the barbecue?

[Savagebeauty]

Utterly tacky

[glasgowlass]

I don't get cake smashes. Utterly pointless & wasteful in my opinion.

[PurpleDaisies]

This sounds like my worst nightmare. Sorry.

[twocultures]

I guess I never thought about the waste.....
Some good points!

I wasn't worried about the money as my friend who's a baker offered to make the cake it would've only been a small version of a normal cake rather than a slice probably about 4/5" max .
I guess I was just drawn to all the cute adorable photos I saw on the Internet

No culture problems here as I know the GPs would've enjoyed it.
Guess we need to rethink it !

[WellErrr]

I think it's terribly wasteful, tacky, teaches poor habits, and looks awful.

So I wouldn't even consider it.

But that's me. If you like it go ahead. Your baby! and kitchen

[VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon]

You want to invite people to watch your baby smash a cake? That wouldn't be something most people would be impressed by I don't think. I think cake smashes are gross and vulgar.

[twocultures]

I wasn't inviting people to come and watch my baby smash a cake! That's not what I wrote...
All I meant was I was considering it as one of the things that we do at the birthday party.

But it's good to get a few outside opinions as everyone we mentioned it to before has liked the idea, some even loved it but maybe they were just being polite.

This will be the first thing we organise for our LO and also the first thing of this sort we organise together, so we are looking at all the ideas and options. It's a big birthday and we want it to be special and memorable...

So on that note has anyone got any ideas or maybe anything they've done at their LO's birthdays that's fun or different?
They'd be really appreciated!

[VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon]

Do remember that your baby won't remember it! Inviting everyone over for tea, sandwiches, presents and cake is really sufficient

[PurpleDaisies]

But it's good to get a few outside opinions as everyone we mentioned it to before has liked the idea, some even loved it but maybe they were just being polite.

I think a key part of being British is the ability to be polite in the face of a really bad idea.

A friend of mine did a hand and foot print frame at their baby's first birthday where all the family children did prints on a frame and they took a lovely photo of them all together to go on the wall. Apparently they're going to do this every Christmas so you see the hands (and children!) getting bigger. The photos are going up the stairs.

[Ilovenannyplum]

It's a cake. It's one day.
I'm assuming OP isn't going to let her baby smash a cake every day it's not that wasteful.

I would do it in a photography studio, I think you would get better photos. I think it's nice to mark the 1st birthday and if that's what you want to do, don't listen to anyone else!

Before anyone asks, no I didn't do it with DS, I'm sure he would have loved it though, he's quite partial to throwing himself in the direction of cake....

[magpie17]

That sounds horrible/boring and not really something I (if I was was a relative) would be interested in seeing. I have an 8 month old and already have lots of the essential "food all over the baby" photos anyway, don't you? And that just because all babies are messy at first, I don't deliberately give him food with the intention of him throwing it everywhere. And neither should you.

[SweetieDrops]

If you want to do a cake smash then I'd do it in a studio with a photographer so the pictures come out well, I wouldn't do it at home at the party in case DC is distracted by all the relatives/presents etc.

It's not to everyone's personal taste but neither are those newborn shoots with the baby posed in a plant pot and stuff and plenty of people do them, it's not exactly unheard of. One small cake is a small amount of waste in the grand scheme of things, my DC probably wasted more than that amount weekly by chucking it off the highchair tray.

[guerre]

Are you British? Have you seen the list going round of 'what Brits say, what Brits mean'?
When British people say 'that sounds lovely' they roughly mean ' that sounds like my idea of hell, thank God we don't know you socially so there's no danger of being invited!'

[PurpleDaisies]

When British people say 'that sounds lovely' they roughly mean ' that sounds like my idea of hell, thank God we don't know you socially so there's no danger of being invited!'

That literally made me laugh out loud. I always think of sir Humphrey from Yes Minister saying "that's a brave choice,minister" meaning "that's a ridiculous course of action." Off to google what Brits say and what they really mean.

[curren]

Honestly I think these are awful. Wasteful. Tacky (imo).

However I find it really odd that you are planning on it as part of the birthday party. 'Let's all stand round while a one year old smashes a cake up'

It's like those gender reveal parties where the cake is pink or blue inside. A bit cringy

[twocultures]

I was just getting ideas i don't understand why people are now just saying one and the same about how they think it's 'vulgar and a waste' etc I get it that's what 5 other people on this post said!

I appreciate sharing your opinions but please from now on if that's all you have to say I'd rather you not post it as if you look a few replies up I have asked everyone about their ideas for things to do at the party and there has been some good ones. I keep checking for more but I just keep getting more negative comments about the initial idea...

Please could we keep it positive and stick to the advice/ideas?
I would really appreciate it!

[Cuppaand2biscuits]

Oh get over your snobby selves. I'm assuming none of you waste any food ever? It's only a bit of flour, sugar and a few eggs. Compared to all the lovingly crafted, homemade nutrious meals a small person reserves the right to 'waste' (refuse to eat, smear on their face, throw on the floor) every year, it's really only a small percentage of the food waste occurring.
I haven't done a cake smash but I've seen cute photos done at home and in studio's.
It's your child and your party plans, don't let it be ruined by the opinions of others.