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Baby Showers are an important milestone in any new mother’s life. It’s such an honor to be a part of planning this special day! Baby showers have been around for thousands of years and they are a common practice worldwide. This celebration originated in Roman times when women gathered together to hand loom and sew stuff for the baby. Baby Showers signify welcoming a new baby to the world, and in more modern years, showering the new mom with gifts to help prepare for the baby’s arrival.
While baby showers are a common practice, they should be unique and special. Here are some tips for planning an EPIC baby shower & welcoming a special mom-to-be to the motherhood.
Nail down the basics
Hosts
First things first, you need to figure out who is planning the baby shower so you know who to talk to. The mom-to-be can typically connect everyone who has offered to host one for her and then excuse herself from the planning.
Date, Time + Place
Next, you can determine a date and time that works for the mom-to-be, all the hosts, and key family members (mother, grandma, etc).
You’ll need to understand about how many people are going to be invited before you can pick a place. Your options are basically a venue (do you have access to any clubhouses? Outdoor spaces? etc.) or a home that can accommodate everyone.
Type
What type of baby shower is this going to be? Are you going to keep it a traditional women’s only shower or turn it into a more modern day couples shower with a less feminine theme?
Budget
Lastly, you can figure out how you want to keep track of the budget. There are a few different ways you can do this. Some planners may just want to be monetary contributors so you can work that into the budget. Sometimes everyone will just agree to pay for their part when you divvy it up below. Other times, you will want to start a shared spreadsheet where everyone can log their costs as they go and then at the end you can even up.
Make it personal
Take a moment to think about the mom-to-be…
- Hobbies that fulfill her (or the dad-to-be)
- Places she’s visited that have special meaning
- Inspirational quotes she lives by
- Her personal style
- Things she loves
- Things she is known for
You can either weave this into the overall vibe or theme of the shower, add some small special touches that she’ll appreciate…or both! You’ll use this brainstorming to align on a vibe or theme for the shower.
Align on the vibe or theme
We say vibe or theme here because sometimes you don’t want the shower to be too “themey”, but it still needs to have some sort of cohesive style that everyone can stick to. Remember, baby showers don’t always have to be the standard baby blue or pink with baby animals and cringy games. You have the opportunity to come up with something truly beautiful and personal.
Once you determine this, we recommend starting a shared Pinterest board or creating a mood board with the other hosts so you can start collecting ideas for your theme.
Divvy up duties
Time to divvy up duties + get to work! Remember the goal is to make it personal and tie it back to your vibe or theme. Here are 8 key elements to planning your baby shower (#8 is usually forgotten!):
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Invites
- Decide how you are sending invites (text, evite, mail)
- Finalize guest list + contact info with mom-to-be
- Create + mail invites 1.5 months prior to shower
- Collect RSVPs and share headcount with hosts
-
Food
- Decide if food with be catered or pot luck
- Based on theme, determine food menu
- Don't forget serving platters, paper products + condiments
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Drinks
- Based on theme, determine drink menu
- Think Hydration, Caffeination, + Libation: Water/Non-alcoholic drinks, Coffee/Tea, Mimosas/Fun cocktail
- Don't forget cups + ice
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Dessert
- Based on theme or mom-to-be's favorite, determine the dessert (it doesn’t have to be cake!)
- Don't forget paper products
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Décor
- Signs (Welcome, Cards & Gift, Thank You for Coming, Momosa Bar)
- Table Centerpieces
- Flowers + Greenery
- Baby Pictures of Mom + Dad (optional way to personalize)
- Balloons/other décor
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Favors
- Based on theme, determine party favors
- Favor Tags
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Activities (Select 3-4)
- Guess How Many Jar
- Guess Mom's Belly Size
- Baby Mad Libs
- Baby Predictions + Advice
- Late Night Diapers
- Sign Guest Book
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Media
- Assign someone to take pictures (of the event and guests with the mom-to-be)
- Create music playlist (no one likes awkward silence)
- Optional: Create slideshow of mom when she was a baby OR play a home video of mom when she was a baby (this is a fun idea to put on a tv screen in the background with no sounds, if the shower is being held in a home)
We hope that these tips help you plan an EPIC baby shower for that special mom-to-be in your life. As you find your way, you can visit our online shop where you will find beautiful + unique baby shower bundles and themes. Every bundle includes printables that can tie your whole theme together – welcome sign, bar sign, cards & gifts sign, thank you sign/tags, and several activity options. Happy planning!
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