Cake Stands for Smash Cake Sessions

Cake Stands for Smash Cake

I think the first thing to stress, is that a cake stand is a cake stand because you put a cake on it. It doesn’t matter what the store called it. Plant stand, platter, decorative whatever (as long as it’s nontoxic), stool - doesn’t matter. Cake stands are also a great way to incorporate Mom’s taste into your set with very little disruption to your design. We don’t supply cakes at our studio (although I’ve been considering changing this), so I’m not certain of cake size until they walk through the door, child and cake in tow. So I usually have 3-5 cake stands at the ready, waiting for Mom to make her decision.

Cake stands are also a wonderful way to get Mom and Dad involved. If you bring in 4 cake stands (any of which will work - let them choose - get their buy=in, it’s just one more way to make the shoot feel personal.

“A cake stand is a cake stand because you put a cake on it. Doesn’t matter what it was originally .”

Second Hand Cake Stands

Because I want to have multiple choices for any first birthday set design, I’m quite happy to buy some of my cake stands at local second hand thrift stores. My general thought on thrift stores is they are a wonderful cost saver, but even more importantly, thrift stores keep your designs your own. The photographer down the street can’t copy your set if they can’t get duplicates at Hobby Lobby. Grabbing cake stands from second hand shops gives you access to different time periods as well. Who doesn’t want a 60’s style cake stand?

Target’s $1/$5 section

Harvest or Woodland / Farm Cake Stand

The $1/$5 section in the front of Target is fantastic resource for cupcake and cake stands both. They change out quickly, so never hesitate to snag one if you like it, or you think it might work, it’s easier to bring it back. Don’t be bummed you didn’t grab it while you had the chance. And really, for $5, who’s going to bother taking it back? Add it to your arsenal! I treat cake stands in Target’s Dollar section, the same way I treat Chinese lanterns at the local Dollar Store. Buy them in whatever colors come through seasonally - you’ll need them eventually. So far I have one, single, pale spring green cake stand I haven’t used. One. I’d say I’m doing ok. And almost half of the cupcake stands I have are from Target.

Hobby Lobby

Hobby Lobby is why I preach opening your eyes to repurposing other items as cake stands. I have several cake stands from Hobby Lobby that were originally meant as decor or outdoor plant stands. Cruise the holiday clearance everytime you hit the store; the year flies by, and clients ask for out-of-season designs all the time. Best to have them so you can just grab them off the racks and head into your next shoot. And an 80% discount feels like a steal!

Amazon

Harry Potter / Wizard Cake Stand

Amazon (w/Amazon Prime) is still my mainstay when I’m chatting about cake stands. All of the above are “as you find them” options, nothing you can count on to get you out of a pinch. Even Hobby Lobby has limited designs and limited quantities in stock. Amazon Prime, however, gives me 2-day delivery on thousands of cake stands. You can see frequently purchased options on our pages of cake stands.

Cake stands can change the whole feel of a smash cake session. Make sure to take a minute when choosing which ones to show your client at the next session. Sometimes your cake stand is your lone foreground item - they matter. Choose wisely.

Note: When you are picking out cake stands make sure to buy duplicates of a couple of staples; we’re seeing more and more twins at the studio as fertility medications become more accessible. We have exact repeats of a couple basic ones, white, silver and wood; but we also have several that we have in multiple colors, so we can mix and match within a design, without having duplicates.

Be sure to drop me a line about what other cake stands (and places to purchase) you’ve had good luck with.

Later,

- Clare