How to throw the ultimate baby shower

Are you hosting or planning a baby shower for a friend/sister this spring? Planning a baby shower can feel overwhelming just because you want every last detail to be perfect! You want it to be memorable for the expectant mom and all of her friends and family that attend. And we don’t blame you!

When it comes to planning the guest list, venue, menu, décor and more, there are a few helpful tips to make it easier.

Here’s how to throw the ultimate baby shower…

Set a date. The first thing you want to do is set the date and time with the guest of honor. Most baby showers are held when the mom is 7-8 months pregnant. This gives her plenty of time to organize the gifts and still get last minute things she needs or doesn’t get at her shower.

Set a budget and guest list. Ask the mother-to-be to send you a guest list. Once you have that you can set a budget for the venue (if needed), food and decorations. Depending on the food and venue you can spend between $15-30 a head or cut costs to be closer to $5-10 per person. This article gives some creative ways to cut costs.

Decide on a theme. Decide on your theme so you can send the invitations and begin looking for decorations. Pinterest has hundreds of ideas for baby boy showers and baby girl showers so you don’t even have to brainstorm yourself. You can also search for printable invitations. If it’s a more casual shower than an email invite is fine. For a more formal event, a paper invite is usually the way to go. Remember to send the invites out 4-6 weeks in advance.

Plan the menu and gather decorations. Try to nail down the details for food and decorations three weeks in advance. Find decorations that aren’t perishable and then order the rest (like fresh flowers or balloons) to be picked up right before the event. Make or buy place cards and decide on comfort foods that are easy to serve like mini sliders, mini pizzas, cake bites, fruit kabobs, etc. Offer a nonalcoholic beverage or punch for the expectant mom.

Plan the activities. The guests will probably just enjoy chatting, eating and watching the guest of honor open all of her gifts. But some people might want to incorporate some activities or games as well. You could have one big activity, like guessing the name, weight, eye color, hair color and time/day of birth, or you could do several baby shower games.

Pick a group gift and party favors. When it comes to baby gifts, ask the mom-to-be if there are any big items that she needs that several people could contribute to like a car seat, stroller, crib, baby monitor or highchair. Another great group gift option is our diaper caddy bundle complete with baby blankets, towels and washcloths, bandana bibs and paci clips! Many people love being able to go in on a big group gift. Make sure to send out her baby registry link to make gift shopping easier on guests as well.  If you need other ideas, we’ve got you covered. Check out our recommendations for the top 5 things every mom needs on their newborn registry. A few of our most popular baby items include our diaper caddies, baby pacifier clips and muslin baby blankets.

For party favors think of something small, lightweight and easy for guests to take home. It could be something as easy as chocolate, soap, a candle or bubble bath.

Planning a baby shower doesn’t have to be stressful. Remember that no matter how elaborate or simple you go, it will come together beautifully and be a memorable day for everyone!