If a family member or girlfriend is expecting a sweet bundle of joy, it’s an honor to be asked to plan a baby shower for them.
Of course, you want to do all you can to ensure the celebration runs smoothly and everyone has a fantastic time, especially the mama-to-be!
Here are my top ten tips for planning the perfect baby shower.
1. SET YOUR BUDGET
First things first; how much can you afford to spend?
Once you have a budget, you can make smart decisions about your event. After all, you want to throw a memorable baby shower without breaking the bank.
Here’s my top tip: Make a list of all the things you need to have at the shower along with any extras you would like to have.
Put a star next to all the must-haves. Go through all the items you didn’t put a star next to and number them by priority. If there is any room left in the budget, you can go through the numbered items.
Why not ask the guests to help by asking them to pitch in? Alternatively, you could ask them to provide the cake or party favors.
2. SET THE DATE
When is the best time to have the baby shower? Two months before the mama is due.
You want your mom-to-be to enjoy her baby shower. If you hold it later on she will be uncomfortable and tired, and won’t have as much fun. Plus, having the shower early enough will help her to get the items she still needs for the nursery.
You’ll want to make sure all the important people in her life like her mom can attend on the date and time suggested. If the party is a surprise, you’ll want to make sure she hasn’t got anything else planned!
3. PLAN THE GUEST LIST
Things have changed since I had my baby shower – it was women only. Now people are having co-ed showers and inviting guests with their children.
The best way to decide who should be invited is to ask your mom-to-be. Together you can finalize a guest list based on your budget, the location and her preferences.
4. DECIDE ON THE LOCATION
Having the shower close to where the mom-to-be lives makes a lot of sense. Being pregnant isn’t comfortable and having to sit in a car for a long time is not fun!
Having it at home is a good choice as it’s more relaxing for the mom-to-be. If you don’t have space, you could ask the mom-to-be if you could have it at her place or you could ask her mom or mother-in-law if they can hold it at theirs.
If having the shower at home is not possible, hold it at a restaurant, hotel, a function room or a place that is special to the mom-to-be.
Keep in mind your budget when choosing the venue.
5. PICK A THEME
Choosing the theme will help you set the tone for the whole shower. It will also narrow down your choices for the invitations and decorations.
Check with your mom-to-be to see if she has a theme in mind. Knowing the sex of the baby may help in the theme decision.
If she can’t think of a theme, run a couple of ideas by her and see what her thoughts are.
Popular baby shower themes include:
- Floral
- Woodland
- Tropical
- Pink and gold
- Blue and silver
- Rustic
- Greenery
- Elephant
6. CHOOSE INVITATIONS AND THANK YOUS
Invitations and thank you notes are a must for a baby shower.
Depending on your budget and timescales you can have custom ones designed, create them yourself or buy ready-made ones.
Great sources for invitations are Etsy, Amazon and Evite, as well as your local party store.
Once you have chosen your invitation, it is a good idea to order the matching thank you notes at the same time for your guest of honor. You don’t want to order the invites only to find the matching thank you notes have sold out or been discontinued.
7. CREATE THE MENU
This is where your budget is essential, since most of it will be spent on food.
The best place to start in regards to food is to speak to the mom-to-be. Has she had a particular craving during her pregnancy? Does she have a favorite dish that her grandmother makes? Is there any food she isn’t enjoying at the moment? This will help you decide on a menu.
Next step is to decide where you will get the food from. Are you going to have the shower catered? Will you be making the food? Will you order prepared food from your local market or Costco? Are you going to ask the guests to bring dishes?
The bottom line is it doesn’t matter where you got the food or who made it, as long as it’s yummy!
8. PLAN OUT YOUR TABLEWARE AND DECORATIONS
There are so many beautiful baby shower ideas on Pinterest that you can get overwhelmed by it all.
Decorations and tableware will ultimately depend on your budget and the theme of your party, but I believe simple is the best way to go.
Here’s what you need to do when it comes to decorating:
- Work out how many tables and chairs you need. Remember you will need a food table and a gift table
- Sort out paper plates, napkins, cups, cutlery and tablecloths. Disposable ones will make cleaning up easier
- Look at what type of centrepieces you want
- These extras are entirely optional but will make your baby shower pop!
- Balloons
- Signage
- Photo backdrops and props
- Flower arrangements
- Personalized items that represent the guest of honor and the new baby
9. PLAN SOME FUN GAMES
Games are an excellent way for guests to interact and to get to know each other. Usually there are guests of many age groups, so finding games everyone can play is vital.
Simple tasteful games are the way to go. Here are a few suggestions:
- My water broke
- What’s in the baby food jar
- Guess how many kisses
- Baby bingo
- Don’t say…
Be sure to have some cute prizes for the winners!
10. ORDER OR MAKE PARTY FAVORS
Sending guests home with a cute favor is the last important detail. You want them to remember the big day, as well as thank them for their gift.
Favors that are on trend now include small jars of honey, succulents, soaps, artisan chocolates, and small bottles of wine. Choose a favor that goes with your theme.
Every favor needs a cute tag. Ideas of what you could write on it include: “Watch me grow”, “She’s ready to pop” or “Thank you for making today sweet”. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
I HOPE THIS PLANNING GUIDE WILL HELP YOU TO ORGANIZE AN UNFORGETTABLE BABY SHOWER FOR THE MAMA TO BE.
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