I am OVERALL satisfied with the photos and service I received for my daughters 1 year cake smash -but will provide info for anyone using them in the future as it wasn't perfect and few things I wish I'd known
1. Payment - when you book there really isn't a clear info on pricing or what's included with the session. You get a payment link after submitting an inquiry and it's for $99 but then says it's a deposit and pay full amount $449. I assumed the whole session was $449 but I paid the deposit and emailed direct about inclusions. They are very quick to respond which was good. The $99 includes the session plus 5 downloads and one backdrop change or family photo. That's great so I opted for that. Of course, when I was on site and saw all the cuteness, I opted to buy the whole package which is the additional $350 to equal $449. I received my photos in 2 business days. Loved that. I was told by the photographer it included a print and other perks like future discounts but then told it didn't include a print.
2. Onsite.
- Studio is cute but you are literally put in a room. They do warn when you arrive is when they build the set, but I'd add for them to warn that you're in a small room, so you're ready to entertain the toddler in a small space with any one you brought while this is happening. Small room, toddler, set pieces - yeah gets tight and hectic quick
- I assumed (like other session's I've done that are for littles) that the photographer would have props to make her laugh. She did say she had them but was pretty adamant my mom do the job behind her while I stood to the left to be sure she didn't fall etc. I think warning people to bring a companion for this would also be beneficial as some don't want that, but this photographer did
- I asked if she had a more sun props to add to my theme and she said no and suggested AI - I found that odd
- When she was setting up the floor she told us not to worry about the scuffs on the ground that they wouldn't show in photos, but they did - not huge deal but still
- Besides poses I would have wanted guidance more from the photographer that we probably should do the alternative backdrop or family pic BEFORE getting messy with cake. She didn't mention the other inclusions until I remembered after cake, so it was rushed and messy
-The backdrop was put together fast. I thought I'd get to pick out props as the email made me think that. Most photos the You are my sunshine and flowers I wanted were cut off so theme was just lemons which isn't what I went for but again, still cute photos I would just need to speak up next time to say what I'd want to be sure to include or to say I want more floral or sun props etc.
3. Cake
- Pretty quickly after booking The Purple Cake Lady reached out to get the cake ordered for the smash. I described what I wanted, and she used AI to generate 3 options - all similar with a light pink color. I told which one I wanted and that I wanted to add a cake topper and a number 1 added in hot pink. She said she would send me a picture of the cake before the shoot. Total was $40 for the cake plus $5 for topper.
- She didn't send the photo.
-Cake was all one color so you hardly saw the #1
-No cake topper *the sun included was in the photo and not the topper discussed
- Cake was super hard to get into even when we had it sitting out since we arrived
- It had small hard sugar pieces I assume which are not good for a 1-year-old to potentially choke on so was not easy to let her go at it
- Super sugary (I guess I should have asked for non-sugar and no fondant and not assumed they would know what's best for a 1-year-old)
- I didn't say anything to the cake lady as in the end is what it is and all's well that ends well but I'd suggest asking for non-AI versions, sugar free butter cream cakes and not frozen. Also, a photo of the topper read more