What do you get when you combine some good friends, a photographer with a sense of humor, plenty of glitter, some glasses of wine, and one killer pair of shoes? Well, if you are one totally sassy woman from Minnesota, you get an epic 40th birthday photo shoot that not only totally captures your personality but also proves that grown-up birthdays can be fun too!
According to Serina Brueggeman, the idea behind the grown-up "cake smash" photo shoot was simple: "I wanted to do something to show that turning 40 doesn't mean you can't still be sassy. You can still totally be cute and do something fun and lighthearted to celebrate."
In addition to ending up with some photos that she "really loves" and that totally capture her personality, Serina shares that the pre-shoot process was also part of the fun. While she made her own tutu, friends pitched in to provide the accessories she needed to look like a birthday queen. "My friend Suzanne made the T-shirt, another friend did the cake, and the chalkboard was a surprise waiting for me at the studio from my friend Emily. The shoot was so fun. There were bottles of champagne involved, good music, a relaxed vibe — it was just girls hanging out and having fun."
More from The Stir: 40 Things That Happen When You Turn 40
Capturing the photo shoot / birthday party was Rachel Farganis, a Saint Paul–based photographer who, ironically, specializes in photographing the more common subjects for cake smash pictures — babies. Calling this the "cake smash to end all cake smashes," Rachel notes she thought this was a "fabulous idea. Too often, women stop celebrating themselves and their birthdays. We spend so much time and energy on our kids and we hardly ever do photo shoots of ourselves. I knew this would be epic."
So, let's recap: awesome photos, friends hanging out with good bubbly, and a chance to remember that you only turn 40 once? I officially declare this a trend that needs to catch on!
Images via Rachel Farganis Photography
