5 Steps to Planning the Perfect Baby Shower
Hosting a baby shower is a traditional way to help your friend or relative celebrate the upcoming birth of their new baby.
But the responsibility involved in the planning can be enough to make your head spin.
Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling and help you plan a memorable and enjoyable baby shower.
1.
Choose a theme.
A simple and popular way to create a theme is around a color.
This color choice can be designated by the baby's gender, if known, or by the expectant mother's favorite color.
The subsequent games, food, and décor can be centered around this color scheme.
Another popular theme is the eco-friendly, green baby shower.
Use potted plants and flowers or other natural greenery to your shower location to reinforce the celebration of life.
Emphasize the giving of organic baby gifts such as BPA-free teethers, pacifiers, and organic toys.
2.
Make a budget.
A home of a relative or even your own is a good option for smaller groups.
Location and food are usually the biggest cost in showers so if you're low on cash and aren't planning on many people, hosting the shower at a home will save you a significant amount of money.
For larger groups, co-hosts are a good way to go so you have someone to split up the cost of hosting the shower at a restaurant or larger venue.
3.
Create a guest list.
Talk to the expectant mother's family members about who the invitations should go to.
Other than her family members, you do not need to invite other people unless you want to or the mother insists on it.
4.
Pick a date and location, then mail the invitations.
Plan on having the baby shower on a Saturday or Sunday four to eight weeks before the baby is due.
Decide on a few dates and then consult the expectant mother and her family.
Find a location that is large enough to accommodate your guest list.
Once these details are finalized, send out invitations.
Remember that the invitations should match your theme; include the shower's location, date time, your phone number and the RSVP date; a map to the event location; and be sent five or six weeks before the event.
5.
Plan fun games and prizes for guests.
Ask friends about games that have been successful in the past or do some research on the Internet.
A few tips about games: (1) Be sure to have writing utensils for everyone, (2) Wrap game prizes in paper consistent with your theme, and (3) Make sure to have extra prizes in case of tie games.
Most importantly, be sure to have fun and don't stress! If you are relaxed, your guests will be too.
But the responsibility involved in the planning can be enough to make your head spin.
Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling and help you plan a memorable and enjoyable baby shower.
1.
Choose a theme.
A simple and popular way to create a theme is around a color.
This color choice can be designated by the baby's gender, if known, or by the expectant mother's favorite color.
The subsequent games, food, and décor can be centered around this color scheme.
Another popular theme is the eco-friendly, green baby shower.
Use potted plants and flowers or other natural greenery to your shower location to reinforce the celebration of life.
Emphasize the giving of organic baby gifts such as BPA-free teethers, pacifiers, and organic toys.
2.
Make a budget.
A home of a relative or even your own is a good option for smaller groups.
Location and food are usually the biggest cost in showers so if you're low on cash and aren't planning on many people, hosting the shower at a home will save you a significant amount of money.
For larger groups, co-hosts are a good way to go so you have someone to split up the cost of hosting the shower at a restaurant or larger venue.
3.
Create a guest list.
Talk to the expectant mother's family members about who the invitations should go to.
Other than her family members, you do not need to invite other people unless you want to or the mother insists on it.
4.
Pick a date and location, then mail the invitations.
Plan on having the baby shower on a Saturday or Sunday four to eight weeks before the baby is due.
Decide on a few dates and then consult the expectant mother and her family.
Find a location that is large enough to accommodate your guest list.
Once these details are finalized, send out invitations.
Remember that the invitations should match your theme; include the shower's location, date time, your phone number and the RSVP date; a map to the event location; and be sent five or six weeks before the event.
5.
Plan fun games and prizes for guests.
Ask friends about games that have been successful in the past or do some research on the Internet.
A few tips about games: (1) Be sure to have writing utensils for everyone, (2) Wrap game prizes in paper consistent with your theme, and (3) Make sure to have extra prizes in case of tie games.
Most importantly, be sure to have fun and don't stress! If you are relaxed, your guests will be too.
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