If someone special to you is expecting a little someone special of their own and you’ve taken on the honor of hosting for them the perfect baby shower…you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed! But with organization, proper planning and the following step-by-step instructions, this event celebrating a new life is sure to go smoothly and will ensure that the mommy-to-be and guests have a wonderful time!
Oh Baby! How to Plan the Perfect Baby Shower
Step 1: Set a date.
Most of the time, baby showers are held on a weekend during the last two months of a mother-to-be’s pregnancy. Sometimes, however, the expecting parents want to wait to stock a nursery before the baby has arrived or maybe just want to wait until post-birth so that the baby can be the guest of honor. Find out their preference and plan accordingly.
Step 2: Create a budget.
This is a crucial step that needs to take place early on in the party-planning process. It will be what determines the location, the number of attendees, food and decorations. The largest parts of the budget tend to go towards a venue and food…but if you’re not working with the fattest wallet, you can stop worrying about selling a kidney on the black market—instead, save funds by making your own meal and opting to hold the event at your home or someone else’s.
Step 3: Decide on a theme.
This will provide the opportunity to get creative as a theme is sure to set a festive theme in the air. If you know the gender of the baby who is on the way, you can base the shower around an appropriate color scheme for them—blue décor for boys, and pink for girls while also trying to incorporate the mommy-to-be’s personal style. If you don’t know the baby’s gender, bright colors and flowers are always a great way to embrace a theme of new life and the happiness that comes with it.
Step 4: Send the invites.
Get the word out about the party by mailing baby shower invitations to close friends and family members five to six weeks prior to the shower. Join with the parents-to-be to gather a guest list and make sure that no one is left out. In making your invitations make sure that you tie in your theme while including the important details: date, time, location, your phone number, RSVP date and map to the place of the party. Consider a gift certificate for the Mom-to-Be to order her birth announcements as a gift–it’s a great way to carry on the celebration of her new arrival!
Step 5: Create the menu.
Baby showers are known to be the perfect setting for an array of finger foods and appetizers like veggie trays, tea sandwiches and delicious pastries. You can go this route or mix it up a bit by serving larger dishes or even having the meal catered. Another idea, if you are having a small, intimate shower, is to ask guests to each bring a favorite dish. For drinks, champagne is always nice as it complements the celebratory idea of the day…but if you don’t want to serve alcohol, opt for milk in martini glasses with a cookie accent!
Step 6: Plan games. Gift opening
This is typically the main event of a baby shower with people ooh-ing and ahh-ing over a Diaper Genie, but another segment that allows everyone to get involved and have some fun is the game portion of the occasion. Search the internet and you are sure to find hundreds of cute games that will get every guest in party mode.
Summary
Now that you know the steps to take in planning the perfect shower, the last thing to remember is to have fun, relax and enjoy the celebration!