How to Plan a Baby Shower

Well, it's that time again for another party, but a baby shower may be a little different from the other parties that you have planned or have attended. No need to panic! We have provided this quick and nifty guide to planning your next baby shower and making it a hit even if it's your first time! This short but thorough guide should provide you with enough ideas, tips, and information to get started and be inspired to create a masterpiece for your mommy-to-be and her guests to enjoy. Of course, we will cover the all-important topic of ordering beautiful and unique baby shower invitations. But we will also cover everything in between from the guest list to the baby shower party favors. Who knows? Maybe you might find that throwing a baby shower can be a piece of cake!

Guest List

What does any great party begin with? Making up a guest list before any party planning begins is the best way to make sure your baby shower is a success. By doing this, you will have an idea of how many people to plan for. It may be helpful to compile this list on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, keeping the names of each guest, their phone numbers, and address in one location for ease of access. Having the address of each guest available will make it easy for the mommy-to-be to write and send Thank You cards to them after the shower.

Budget

When planning a baby shower, determining a budget early in the process will keep you on track in the long run as you plan accordingly.

**Keep in mind that the 2 greatest costs will typically be LOCATION and FOOD**

• If your guest list is comprised of a large group of people, think about having a co-host to defray the costs and/or to help host the baby shower at a restaurant.
• If you're going to host a smaller group of people, how about having the shower at your house or someone else's house? This will save a considerable portion of your budget and can be reallocated to decorations, favors, and food.

Theme

Having a theme can add to the mood and ambiance of the baby shower. Moreover, it will set the tone for the location, decorations, and food menu.

• Baby shower surprise - If the mommy-to-be doesn't figure out your grandiose plans, fabulous, you've surprised her!
• Diaper Party - Have guests bring diapers in exchange to be entered in a raffle prize drawing. The winner receives a gift under $20 and the guests leave with small party favors. Everyone's happy!
• Tea Party (think of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland) - Guests can wear silly hats and drink varieties of tea while eating dainty pointy finger sandwiches. How delightful!
• Scrapbooking Theme - For memories to share enough to last a lifetime, each guest can bring photos from which the mommy-to-be and her family have cherished and compiled into a photo album. These will be decorated at the shower and once finished, will be presented as a gift to the mommy-to-be to treasure forever with her family.

As always, don't forget to take the mommy-to-be's style into account. Try to go with a theme that she may be comfortable with or would enjoy.

Determining Date

Remember that a baby shower should be held 4-8 weeks before the baby is due. You should pick out several dates that you can host the baby shower, contacting important guests and out-of-town guests to confirm their availability on the dates you have chosen.

If you're on a tight budget, keep in mind that having a baby shower on a Friday night or a Saturday may be more expensive than holding it on a Sunday if you decide to have the shower at any location other than your home.

Baby Shower Location

No matter where you are holding the baby shower, whether it be in a home, restaurant, park, hotel, spa, or a rented space, the most important thing you should do is **make sure that your baby shower location is large enough to accommodate the guest list.**

If you are on a smaller budget, you will surely save a significant amount of money if you host at home, but keep in mind that you will also have to buy the plates, cups, napkins, and other eating utensils as well as taking the time to plan out the menu and prepare the food.

If you are considering hosting at a restaurant, be sure to choose several locations and call in advance to make sure they can accommodate your group. Also important, ask to confirm if you may decorate there.

Invitations for Baby Shower

Eight (8) weeks or two (2) months before the baby shower, you will have comprised of the finalized guest list, location (whether it will be in a home or in a restaurant), date, and time. You should then order the baby shower invitations. When ordering these, make sure to match the invites with the theme (if you have one) and include:

• Location
• Date & Time
• The host/co-hosts' phone number
• RSVP deadline date (should be 7 days before the baby shower)

**Remember to incorporate the location's address (so guests can easily map it on the internet) and include a map there**

Once these baby shower invites are finished, mail them out 4-5 weeks in advance, so that your guests can plan or schedule accordingly. For more information, see our Etiquette Guide for tips and etiquette for baby shower invites.

Food

When planning on the baby shower menu, you can have the whole affair catered, half catered and half self-prepared, or all homemade. It may just depend on what your theme is and if the mommy-to-be has any preference to the food that will be served there. Typically, the food at a baby shower is light enough to be filling, but not exactly a served meal (unless it's a light lunch or an evening dinner shower).

Most showers serve finger foods such as cucumber finger sandwiches or any variety the mommy-to-be and the guests will enjoy as long as they are cut into dainty points; chips and dip - serve salsa, guacamole, onion dip, artichoke dip, spinach dip, or hummus with tortilla chips and/or pita bread cut up into triangular pieces; cheese and crackers - serve with a variety of crackers and cheeses; mini meatballs; or mini pizza.

Fruits sliced and put on skewers or in a bowl for fruit salad are always delicious and healthy as are vegetables sliced and served with ranch or a homemade dip.

• Light lunch
• Buffet
• Potluck (guests bring a dish to share)
• Barbecue

Beverages

Provide several choices for your guests from water to diet coke and the best part is the punch. An easy recipe for punch is using sherbet and ginger ale. This combination is always a hit! Mocktails are excellent too as it shows respect for the mommy-to-be and everyone can get into the swing of things!

Games and Prizes

Limit the shower to 3-4 games. This will keep guests entertained and serve as an icebreaker if guests are unfamiliar with each other. Any more games played and your guests may lose attention. Some popular baby shower games you may want to try are Predict Baby's Gender or Baby Bingo.

Prizes are a great way to reward winners and keep guests amused. Such awards may be in the form of lotions, chocolates, candles, pretty stationery, gift cards, or any inexpensive item that women typically enjoy.

Time

Keep the shower at a two-hour maximum. Some guests may be busy and have other things to do and guests may be less attentive if kept any longer. Start no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled time to be fair for those who were punctual. You might also want to start off with food and light chatter, allowing latecomers to join in without missing out on the festivities.

Party Favors

Favors are always appreciated and a nice way for party guests to keep the memory. Some classic and favorite examples are chocolate kisses wrapped in colored tulle and tied with a pretty ribbon along with a personalized name tag or any baked good for that matter. A picture frame capturing a joyous moment of the mommy-to-be and her guests for all to take home and relive whenever they feel like it is always a keeper to have in mind as well.

Planning a baby shower takes time, effort, and energy, but if you give it your all, be creative, and think fun, then your effort will not go unnoticed. You will certainly get what you give or put in.

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