Historically, baby showers were more of an American tradition; however, they have begun to gain popularity in the UK in recent years. A baby...
Historically, baby showers were more of an American tradition; however, they have begun to gain popularity in the UK in recent years. A baby shower is a celebration of the new life and a woman’s impending motherhood. As a mother-to-be, you can throw yourself a baby shower, or you can ask for some help from your friends and family. It is entirely up to you.
Read on for your guide to planning a baby shower.
Date & Time
Most baby showers are held when the expectant mother is around seven months pregnant. This gives them enough time to sort out any gifts they have received before the baby arrives. It is also far enough along to include the gender in the party but still have her be somewhat comfortable. Often baby showers take place at the weekend, but it does not matter too much if they are on a Saturday or a Sunday as there is not usually much alcohol involved meaning no hangovers for your guests.
Guest List & Budget
The guest list can take some time as it is hard to narrow down who you would like to invite out of all of the expectant mother’s friends, family and even colleagues. However, the size of the guest list often has a big impact on the budget, which is something you should consider. Your budget then gives you an idea of how much you have to spend per head on food, decorations, party favours and the venue.
The Venue
Once you have a rough idea of the guest list, the budget, and the time of year, you can begin to think about where you want to hold the baby shower. Some people prefer to host their baby showers in their own home or garden because it saves money and is also more intimate. However, some people prefer to rent a village hall or hotel function room for the event as it means the mess is not in their homes and sometimes you can get a good deal on a food and venue package.
The Invitations
Once the date, venue and guest list are nailed down, it is time to send out the invitations. Ideally, you should plan to send out your invites about six weeks in advance to give the guests enough notice and enough time to RSVP. Then, depending on who is on your guest list, you can send out an email invitation which is easier, cheaper, and better for the planet. Greenvelope has the widest range of event invitations, and they also have RSVP tracking software to make it easier for you to keep track of responses.
Food & Décor
The food and decorations will be closely linked by theme. Some people opt for the generic theme of babies and all of the decorations and the food centre around that. If your baby shower is doubling up as a gender reveal, then pink and blue accents are a must. Flowers, balloons, and banners are classics, and they can work with most themes. In terms of food, a buffet is always the best option as it means that all the guests can feed themselves what they want when they want as opposed to having to interrupt the day with a sit-down meal which would be more expensive too.
The Itinerary
The next step to planning a baby shower is coming up with the itinerary. This includes games, gifts, eating and drinking. Planning in advance is key to ensuring that the day flows well. Scheduling the games and activities means that everything will keep running smoothly and all the guests will remain entertained and engaged with the day. Wait for the guests to arrive, offer drinks as they come in and allow around half an hour for mingling while the guests enter. After everyone has arrived, you should begin to start the activities, open the buffet or serve the food during the gifts and have an activity or two to finish the day.
Party Favours
Giving out party favours after the baby shower is a great way to thank the guests for attending and the gifts that they brought with them. It does not necessarily have to be expensive or particularly extravagant. Try to tie them into your theme if possible. A few little knick-knacks like a customisable fridge magnet, sweets, chocolate or other bits and bobs are all it takes and often, these items are fairly cheap, especially when brought in bulk.
In Conclusion
A baby shower is a celebration, and at the end of the day, it really all comes down to what the mother-to-be wants. As long as she is happy, then that is all that matters. If you are or will be planning a baby shower in the near future, then be sure to take this information into account to ensure that you haven’t forgotten anything!
