How to Plan A Baby Shower
Baby showers are so special for so many reasons. It’s a chance to connect with friends and family, it’s a celebration for your soon-to-be little one, and it’s a great opportunity to receive most (if not all) the baby items you are going to need in those early, challenging days of parenthood.
My baby shower was so special - my mom and sister had planned and paid for everything. My sister took care of all the decorations (elephant-themed, per my request). I cried the second I walked in, overcome with emotion and so touched that so many people had showed up for us. Unexpectedly, our baby shower turned out to be quite lucrative. We received plenty of cash gifts, in addition to pretty much all the items we had added to our baby registry, including the bigger items like the crib, changing table, and rocking chair. The only things I remember needing to buy were a baby monitor and a baby bouncer (and we didn’t even need the latter right away). It took about 8-9 months to go through all the diapers we had received. Side note - if you’re looking for help putting together a baby registry, you can read my article here.
In addition to a baby shower with my friends and family, the law firm where I was working at the time also threw a little baby shower for me, too. Everyone was so generous and we received a ton of extra clothes, toys, diapers, and baby wipes. I was blown away by how much people cared that I was having a baby.
This is in sharp contrast to the very beginning of my pregnancy, right after we had found out… when I was so overwhelmed and wondering how we were going to take care of a baby. All the love and gifts we received put my mind to rest, which was the greatest gift of all.
Of course, all good things in this world require careful and thorough planning, so I’ve put together a checklist of sorts on how to plan a baby shower for yourself, or for someone special in your life:
Establish the date and location. These are the most important details to nail down early on. Ideally, you would pick a date at least a couple months out to give everyone time to make arrangements, and you would pick a venue that is large enough to accommodate everyone you want to invite. My baby shower was at my brother-in-law’s house.
Set a budget. Next is picking your budget - how much can you comfortably spend? How much are you willing to spend? Or, do you want to throw all caution to the wind and ditch a budget altogether? It’s good to establish a budget early on to reduce the risk of overspending.
Pick a theme. This is the fun part… what images/scenery do the parents-to-be want at the baby shower? Like I mentioned, my theme was elephants. That idea came to me because the very first thing I ever bought for my daughter (when I was like 7-8 weeks pregnant) was a little stuffed elephant that plays music. We now call that elephant Fanny and she is very special to us. Here are a few other theme ideas:
Woodland creatures. Think deer, rabbits, and other woodsy animals. The colors might be dark greens, browns, and other earthy tones.
Circus. This theme will include bright colors, items shaped like Ferris wheels, cotton candy, circus animals, etc.
“Mother to Bee” - bumble bee theme.
Fairy garden - my favorite idea, personally. Think lots of fairies, light pastel colors, butterflies, twinkle lights, etc.
Create a guest list. More guests means a more expensive party (in terms of food, drinks, and space needed), but it also means more gifts which could end up being worth it.
Send out invitations. My sister created a digital invitation and sent it to everyone we know electronically; I did the same for my daughter’s first birthday party. But some people still send out paper invitations. It depends on your preference and how much (if anything) you’re willing to spend on invitations.
Food/beverages. Now, it’s time to decide what you’re going to do about food and drinks. To stay on the cheaper side, a potluck is a great idea. You could also have a barbecue with burgers/hot dogs, if you’re really trying to keep the budget in check. If you’re willing to dole out more $$$, catering from a restaurant is a great option, too. As far as quantity, it’s better to err on the side of too much food. You don’t want to run into the unfortunate situation of running out of food in the middle of a party.
Cake. Cakes are an important part of any party, including baby showers. Think about what you want your cake to look like and how much you’re willing to spend. Do you want the cake to match the theme of the party? Do you want a large, tiered cake, or would a smaller, simpler cake suffice? What will the flavor be? Additionally, most cake places require a minimum of 24-hour notice when ordering a cake, so that’s important to keep in mind.
Decorations. Think about the theme you chose in #3 and choose your decorations accordingly. You can find decorations anywhere - Amazon, Walmart, Target, Michael’s, etc., or you can make your own decorations. I’m not particularly crafty, but I hear Cricuts come in pretty handy for these types of occasions. You may want to incorporate the following into your decoration plans:
Traditionally, baby showers have a large, decorative wicker chair for the mother-to-be to sit while opening gifts.
Backdrop.
Balloons, balloons, and more balloons. You can’t have too many of them.
Flowers.
A table where the cake and other decorations will sit.
A table/designated area to put gifts.
Another area for games and activities.
Games/activities. Think about what kinds of activities you want at the baby shower to keep the guests entertained. Here are a few ideas:
Diaper raffle (a must): Each person who brings diapers and/or baby wipes gets to put their name in a basket (one entry for each box/package they bring) and then someone picks a name out of the basket. The person they pick wins some kind of prize (usually in the form of a gift card).
Onesie decorating station. Have a small section where guests can decorate a baby onesie with markers and other crafts.
Wishes for the baby. Have a section where guests can write down wishes for the baby on paper, for the parents-to-be to read later on.
Advice cards. Pass around cards where guests can write their best advice for the parents-to-be.
Baby shower favors. Party favors are basically just little gifts/knick-knacks for your guests to take home. They’re optional and I don’t always see them at baby showers. But if you want to hand out baby shower favors, here are a few ideas:
Candles.
Mini bottles of liquor, wine, or champagne.
Tiny pots of honey.
Various candies/treats.
Succulents.
Tea bags.
Bubble bath.
XOXO, Alexis.