how-to-plan-a-baby-shower

Baby Shower Ideas: Creative Guide on How to Plan a Baby Shower

By / How To Guides / / baby shower, pregnancy

Excitement is probably an understatement. After a few months of waiting, you’re going to pop out the precious new addition to your family! Like all moms, you’ve waited so long for this; naturally, you wouldn’t miss the chance of hosting a baby shower.

Welcoming your newborn to the family is a significant cause for a celebration. The best way to do it is to have your family and closest friends around you sharing that special moment.

Among the many reasons why moms want baby showers, the following are most common:

excited-mommy

To Lovingly Welcome the Baby

Studies show it is important for babies to sense love and affection even as they are forming inside their mother’s womb. Once born, a simple gathering like a baby shower will allow the family and friends to shower them with love.  

To Show Support for the Mommy

While the whole pregnancy journey is incomparably wonderful, it can also be a long and tedious one. From enduring all the possible wearying symptoms during the early months to the scary thought of actually giving birth, a soon-to-be mom would appreciate all acts of support to help her calm until the big day.

To Show Generosity by Giving Gifts

Having a baby is not cheap. There are many expenses to cover from the monthly doctor fees and supplements to the food and nutrition requirements. Friends and family members are traditionally welcome to give any gift the baby and mom could need. The gifts need not be expensive, as long as they are useful and sincere. Some couples receive cash as gifts, but it is all up to the guests.

moms-on-baby shower-party

To Spend the Momentous Occasion with Loved Ones

It’s the perfect excuse to meet with friends and family, especially if you are rarely spending time with them. You can also catch up with loved ones who are staying in another state or part of the world. A baby shower is a venue of reconnection so you and your loved ones can be more present in each other’s lives. Who knows? Maybe you have a relative who is already married or is also expecting a child like you. It’d be fun to learn about the beautiful events in others’ lives, too!

Hence, the party should be outstanding and memorable. The Parenting Co will be sure to help you make the party worth your while. Here are some of the most creative tips and guidelines for your baby shower planning, plus a timeline to help set you up even from scratch.

Pre-Planning Ideas

Let’s start with the concept. The planning and preparation will take off once the concept is determined. It is the starting point of all the other things you will find in our checklist. Talk it over with your husband or family members, or your closest friends.

If you have friends who are keen on the celebration, have them on board as well! Seek their opinions so you can find the best concept. Remember, it’s not all about the money. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of creativity!

Here are some suggestions for a possible concept:

 

example-of-baby-shower

Pink or Blue

The most basic, yet classic baby shower theme is an all-pink or all-blue party. This theme is perfect for when you want to know your baby’s gender. If you want it to be a gender reveal party at the same time, it’s great, too!

If you’d go for knowing your baby’s gender from the get-go, preparation will become easier. You need to pick elements which are colored pink (for girls) and colored blue (for boys). On the other hand, a gender reveals slash baby shower party may require neutral tones. You can add white or cream colored elements so it could blend well with the surprising reveal.

Party suggestions:

  • Pink or Blue balloons
  • White, Gold or Silver balloons for a neutral touch
  • Pink or Blue utensils
  • Pink or Blue Party Favors
  • “Baby” block letters
  • Pink or Blue Cupcakes/Dessert Table
  • Blue or Pink Dress Code for all guests
  • Pink or Blue Backdrop/Party flags

Royalty (Prince/Princess)

Another famous theme at baby showers is the royalty theme. Since every set of parents or grandparents will treat the baby as such, why not make it official? This theme is for you if you want your party to feel more grand or formal. The glitz of gold and silver across the venue can help achieve your royalty whim. Partner it with champagne for your girls, and you’re good to go!

Party suggestions:

  • Black or red royal curtain for the backdrop
  • Gold or Silver invitation cards
  • Gold or Silver utensils
  • Chocolate wrapped in gold or silver foils as party favors
  • Prince, Princess or Crown Toy Cake Toppers
  • Gold or Silver crown for the kids, parents and all guests
  • Gold or Silver party flags
  • Classic royal design cake
  • Teddy bears as royal baby guards
  • A Prince Charles/Kate Middleton impersonator for entertainment

Lucky Stars

Not all parents are blessed with children. If you want to thank all your lucky stars for a dream come true, why not incorporate it in the baby shower? This is a fun and simple theme which has a double meaning. First, it is the manifestation of your lifelong dream. Second, your son or daughter will surely grow up to be a superstar. That’s something, right?

Party suggestions:

  • White silk or sheer fabric as a tablecloth
  • White Clouds made of cotton
  • Gold and Pink or Gold and Blue stars
  • Chocolate wrapped in gold or silver foils as party favors
  • Star-shaped invitation cards
  • White or Gold cupcakes with pink or blue star topper

Safari Wild Adventure

Go wild in your baby shower party! If your friends have kids, they will love this theme. Children are naturally drawn to animals due to their curiosity. Surely, you want your baby shower to be fun, educational, and different. The safari wild adventure theme is all that, plus the colors used in the theme are also an invitation to celebrate summer! If you’re hosting this around that time, it would be perfect!

For the activities, you may want to include activities which involve naming insects or animals. You can go as far as playing animal sounds in the background or singing farm songs in between games.

Party suggestions:

  • Farm accents such as trees, shrubs, etc.
  • Large animal props such as giraffe, tiger, elephant, etc.
  • Barnyard, Forest or Sunset as the backdrop
  • Bamboo utensils
  • Banana leaves as plates
  • Tropical baby shower cookies
  • Animal-shaped candies as party favors wrapped in brown paper
  • Jungle-themed cake and cupcakes
  • Grass carpet
  • White, Green, and Yellow balloons
  • Chocolate fountain as a mud bath

Mickey Mouse

As a parent, you know there’s no better character for your baby than the star of hundreds of Disney animated films. If you believe this would be perfect for your baby shower, then go ahead and host a Mickey Mouse-inspired event!

All guests, regardless of age, will instantly recognize the theme. After your party, your guests will leave feeling magical, and your shower party will surely be the talk of the town.

Party suggestions:

  • Mickey Mouse Shorts (Red, Black, and Yellow) as a backdrop
  • Mickey Mouse shaped cake
  • Black, Red, and Yellow tassel garland
  • Transparent Balloon with Yellow Confetti
  • Red Gift Bags with black Mickey Mouse ears for party giveaways
  • Black and Red Star balloons
  • Black and White table cloths
  • Small Mickey Mouse centerpiece

Rustic/Boho

This ever-popular wedding and debut theme can also grace your baby shower event. In fact, it can even be the most practical, most cost-efficient and less time-consuming theme you can pull off! Almost every rustic decor or accent will be inside or outside your home.

If you need extra props, you can make it from scratch since it’s generally easy to D-I-Y. The rustic or boho theme is simple, relaxed, but stunning to the eyes. See if this theme appeals to your taste. If yes, wood it up, and you’re good to go!

Party suggestions:

  • Lace Curtain or Sheer Fabric with leaves on top as the backdrop
  • Wooden Boxes as small food tables
  • Cream or Green-colored cake
  • Wooden tables and chairs
  • Fairy lights scattered on the main table and across the venue ceiling
  • Customized small tipi hut as a gift section
  • Green bunny figurines
  • Leaves and flowers for decoration
  • Gold plates, cups, and utensils

We Come in Peace/ Alien

It’s one thing to host a baby shower with a safe and adorable theme. But if you want to one-up your friends’ events, you better be ready to take it to the next level! An alien baby shower event is extremely unusual, but not at all impossible.

Following this theme shows you are not afraid of a little fun and weirdness in your life. You can even get a good laugh from it by pretending you are summoning your baby (like an alien).

Party suggestions:

  • Different Shades of Green, White, and Black balloons
  • Alien ship or rocket
  • Big galaxy backdrop
  • White or futuristic looking main table
  • “Please come in peace” signs
  • Green and Black buntings
  • Silverware as dishes, and serving plates
  • Odd eye candies as party favors

Under the Sea

A sea-themed party is one of the most exciting baby shower themes in the book. You can turn to DIY tutorials for almost all the decorations and add-ons. The problem is in trying to stop yourself from over-decorating!

The color combination that fits with this theme is a mixture of cold, attractive and fresh tones such as blue, green, yellow and orange. If you want to push the bar a little further, rent a small pool for the kids to soak themselves in!

Party suggestions:

  • Clear plastic balloons that imitate floating bubbles
  • Candies labeled as seashells, seaweeds or corals placed in bowls
  • Different kinds of fishes, seahorses, and turtles in the backdrop
  • White or purple lanterns with hanging crepe papers to look like Jellyfishes
  • Salt scrubs in cute, tiny bottles as giveaways
  • Main table cloth decorated to look like fish scales
  • A watermelon cut out like shark’s teeth filled with assorted fruits inside
  • Blue, green and purple tassel garlands
  • Crepe papers twisted to look like underwater plants
  • Creative starfish centerpiece in guests’ tables

Sports – Basketball

Have you just finalized a sports-themed, particularly a Basketball-themed baby shower? If yes, there’s a hundred percent chance the dad would immediately jump in to help with the preparations!

Dads could add their personal touches by listing their favorite athletes on the decors and souvenirs. They could even accomplish half of whatever’s on your checklist–willingly!

Isn’t that just a dream come true? Some moms tend to think they’re going to have the least fun if they choose this theme, but don’t judge just yet. You may get surprised that you can do a lot of DIYs in this theme that can show your family’s fun personality.

Party suggestions:

  • A big “An MVP is on his way!” banner or in the invitation cards
  • A big basketball on the registration area that asks for an “autograph” from your guests
  • Thank you bags with a note which says “Thank you for making our shower a GRAND SLAM”
  • Cake pops designed as a basketball
  • A big jar filled with miniature sports balls and your guests can guess its quantity
  • Diaper toss baby shower game
  • Quality face or hand towels as party souvenirs
  • Diaper pong
  • Miniature foam hand fingers as a cake topper

To the Moon/ Astronaut

There is a must-try theme for kids who love Science and Explorations. Your guests’ kids will surely have a blast once they see you’ve come up with super interesting ideas. Play a musical score that sounds like Apollo is about to be launched and serve them cheese dogs shaped like rocket ships.

The trick is to have one part of the venue be made especially for the kids and the rest reserved for the adults. The kids can watch scientific films or documentaries to feed their scientific curiosities. On the other hand, you and your girls can binge watch movies such as Interstellar or Independence Day. This is a fun and chill way to celebrate the new star or your baby in the family!

Party suggestions:

  • Cookies shaped like stars and planets
  • A personalized NASA maternity dress just for you
  • Galactic background with enlarged moon and stars
  • Dark Blue, Black, and Yellow balloons
  • Glow-in-the-dark star stickers on black cups
  • Astronaut helmet in the photo booth
  • Tons of Milky Way chocolate and orbit as party favors
  • Dark purple crazy straws and flask glasses

Tutti Frutti

A pop of color may be all you need! Everyone will surely appreciate the festive and bright set-up of a baby shower. Your event is a happy celebration, so it only makes sense that you make it a display of all things delightful! A tutti frutti concept is a good theme you can do if you want a more cost-effective party compared to a tropical one!

Party suggestions:

  • Watermelon, kiwi, or avocado themed-cake
  • Colorful Balloons like yellow, orange, pink and green,
  • Paper plates with big fruit prints
  • Fruit lanterns (pineapple and apple)
  • Watermelon backdrop
  • 3 to 5 different coolers or drinks
  • Orange and Red candies

making-a-checklist

Suggested Timeline and Checklist

After you have chosen a theme, it’s best to follow a definite timeline. You need a guide so you will not get ahead of yourself and unconsciously start adding more things to do. Remember, you need to calculate the time you have for preparations. Failing to do so will result in you cramming over your decorations and the overall set-up.

You don’t want to end up stressed and haggard, trust me! Your baby shower should not feel like you’re organizing the Oscars or Superbowl. It’s a wonderful experience that you should enjoy and remember pleasantly. Aim for a bright, sunny kind of shower, not a gloomy and dragging one!

Check out our simple timeline and checklist below:

TWO MONTHS BEFORE

Conceptualize on and finalize a theme

Do you want something classic, royal, or unique? You can ask your friends and family to help you decide and finalize on the theme.

Decide on the venue, and date and time

Where is the perfect place to hold the Baby Shower? Based on your preference, should it be done in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Considering the budget for the event, how many guests are you looking at? Who should you invite?

Make a guest list

Making a guest list is essential because you need to be surrounded by people who will shower you and your baby with love. Make a list of family, closest relatives, friends, and co-workers who you would want there at your event. You can even specify if you’re going to invite women only, or if you are okay with couples. After creating a list, write their contact number, email ad or address opposite the name for reference. You will use it as you send out the invitations.

Conceptualize on an invitation design close to the theme

Make sure the design of the invitation card follows the theme of the Baby Shower for everything to be consistent. It is also best to have an RSVP so you know more or less how many guests you need to prepare for.

Plan your menu (snacks, main course, dessert)

What food should you serve in the Baby Shower? Do you need something light for pica pica, or something fancier? How should I style this food in the event?

Plan your giveaways and make sure the design is close to the theme

You do not need to prepare expensive gifts if it’s way out of your budget. One of the reasons why you are holding this event is to get your loved ones’ assistance, after all. But of course, a sincere gift to serve as your token of gratitude will surely warm your guests’ hearts. Make sure the giveaway, or at least its packaging design, is close to the theme.

Start inquiries if planning to hire catering or other suppliers like an event organizer, DJs, photo booth, etc.

Do you feel you need to upgrade your party? Determine if you are going to get the help of caterers or other suppliers for the food, photo booth, popcorn corner, ice cream corner, etc.

Determine the key persons who could help you host the party

You cannot expect all your family and friends to help you in preparing for the Baby Shower. Have at least three other key persons who can help you with three things: Invitation (cards, RSVP, attendance), Suppliers (food, photo booth, popcorn corner, giveaways, etc.), Creatives (design, DIY projects, props, set-up). You can oversee the whole budgeting and accounting.

Set the budget and try to stick to it

Talk to your partner about the Baby Shower so you can determine the budget. If you know people who hosted a Baby Shower before, get their opinion on how much you should spend. You can then adjust if you want something less fancy or if you are willing to go all out.

Have the invitation cards printed out and sent out to guests

Have the invitation cards printed out and sent out to guests

You already worked on the design of your invitation card. It’s time to print it and get the word out.

ONE MONTH BEFORE

Confirm your guests’ attendance again, and update for +1s or backouts

Managing a guest list is hard. Sometimes, those who confirm may eventually say they’re not available. For you not to be annoying or too excited about the event, send out a poster to your guests. It may have a simple greeting like “We are so excited to celebrate with you on (date)!”

Go shop for all the party necessities

It’s never too early to buy decorations, props, disposable tableware, party favors and goody bags for the party. It helps if you have a key person assigned to this task.

Order the cake for your baby

One month gives the bakery ample time to create you and your baby’s dream cake! Now, make it come to life.

Prepare the program

You want your Baby Shower event to be fun, but it never hurts to get organized. Prepare the program, activities, and games for the event, as well as the materials needed.

Contact and confirm all needed suppliers (if any)

If you need to hire the help of suppliers (to get the burden off your shoulders), make sure to contact and book them now.

ONE WEEK BEFORE

Follow up on the RSVP

Make sure all those who confirmed for the event will arrive on the Baby Shower day. You can do so by texting or chatting them.

Put together the party favors and giveaways

This is a simple task which people push back often. Start putting together the giveaways and keep it stocked and untouched inside a room. You’ll see if it’s enough or good as it is. If you have a key person who’s assigned to prepare this, let them do it.

Shop for last-minute party necessities (if any)

Check on your ingredients (if you are cooking), decorations, prizes, etc. and see if you missed something out. If not, make shop now for last minute necessities because you’ll be very busy on the day of the event.

Prepare the venue

Are you hosting your Baby Shower at home, or is it going to be in another venue? Take the time to check on the place for your peace of mind. If it’s your home, make sure you start with the cleaning preparations.

ONE DAY BEFORE

Confirm all arrangements with suppliers

Make sure they’re at the venue on time, especially if they need to set up before the start of the event.

Prepare what you need to set-up

Gather all the things you need to set-up the place so you won’t have a hard time looking for it. This will help you decorate the place in a fast and efficient way.

ON THE DAY

Arrive early to oversee all preparations

You are the host; naturally, you should be there early for the event. Make sure everything is being set-up the way you planned it.

Pick up the cake and other food ordered

Sometimes, it becomes an option to deliver the cake and food at the venue of the party. But often, there are some shops which only do pickups. Either way, make sure the food is there at the place to feed all the guests.

Seek the help of key people

This day is for you and your baby. You will be busy mingling and entertaining the guests, so you need the help of your key persons. Ask them to be in charge of the baby’s gifts, giveaways, and activities.

Now that you’re all prepared for your event, go throw the best Baby Shower party ever!

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