Party Planning 101: Baby Showers
In the last decade or so, gender reveal parties have blown up. They are incredibly popular; however, they have also caught a lot of criticism for the environmental impact that they can create, contaminating ecosystems, contributing to pollution and generally being wasteful and messy.
As a response to this, the humble baby shower has recently been seen in a new light. A lot of people are opting for a baby shower as opposed to a gender reveal, even going as far as to throw a gender-neutral baby shower.
Traditionally baby showers were for the mothers and their female friends and relatives, but no more. They allow parents to celebrate the new life they have created. Keep reading to find out how to plan the perfect baby shower.
When Are Baby Showers Thrown?
The first thing to consider, regardless of whether you are throwing the shower for yourself or on behalf of someone else, is when to throw the baby shower. Traditionally, baby showers tend to take place during the third trimester, which means around the seventh month of pregnancy.
Of course, they may be thrown earlier but waiting often allows the parents to be to get to grips with the impending parenthood and everything that they need to do to prepare for the baby. It can also provide them with the time needed to put together a gift registry.
After working out the best time during the pregnancy, if you are throwing the party for someone, it might be worth talking to them to work out when would be best for them.
The parties are often scheduled for a weekend, but again, they may be during the week if this will work better for the guests, et cetera. Again, the time of day doesn’t massively matter either. It comes down to personal preference, for the most part.
Who is Invited?
The guest list can be difficult to work out. As mentioned above, traditionally, baby showers were a female-centric experience, with just the mothers and the women important to her there. Now, you are by all means welcome to continue this tradition, but it is not set in stone.
If the baby shower is for both parents, then obviously, this will open up the guest list a lot. In terms of who should be invited, it really comes down to who the parent or parents-to-be want to invite, so if you are throwing the party for someone, make sure to ask them for their input on the guest list.
How Much Should I Spend?
This question is almost impossible to answer because it comes down to you. You can spend as much or as little as you like. There are a lot of ways to throw a baby shower on a budget, like using your own home as the venue and putting on a buffet or hosting it as a potluck.
Of course, you can spend more money on the baby shower if you want to by choosing a more upmarket venue and spending more on the refreshments and decorations, but this is not necessary.
What Venue Should I Choose?
After having come up with a budget and a rough idea of how many people are invited, you can then move on to thinking about the venue. As mentioned above, you can totally throw the baby shower from your own home if you want to, and it is a popular venue choice for a lot of people because it is cheaper and often a lot more intimate than choosing to book a table at a restaurant.
That being said, again, you are welcome to choose any venue that you see fit. This could be a function room at a hotel, a restaurant or a bar, et cetera. Again, it is a personal choice.
When to Send out The Invites?
After you have chosen the date and got a lot of the other factors in place, like hiring the venue and working out the guest list, it is time to start thinking about the invitations. You can send the invitation digitally or through the mail.
Ideally, you want to give your guests at least a month’s notice, if not six weeks. Digital invites are definitely easier, especially if you use a service like Greenvelope that offers an RSVP tracking software as well as having great resources like guides to throwing a gender-neutral baby shower.
How Should You Decorate, and What Food Should You Serve?
This depends entirely on your theme. If you do want your baby shower to double as a low-key gender reveal, then the classic pink and blue accents are an obvious choice. You could also choose to go more neutral on the decorations, especially if you plan to be surprised by the gender once the baby is born.
The decorations are entirely up to you; balloons and banners are great, as are flowers. It comes down to personal taste. In terms of food, this again is up to you; if the baby shower is being thrown at a restaurant, then you can talk to them about your catering options. If you are throwing it yourself at home, then a buffet is probably the easiest choice.
What Should the Itinerary Include?
This is a personal choice again. Traditionally, the itinerary for a baby shower does include a few games. Other than that, it is pretty easy. The guests are usually offered a drink as they come in, mingling and catching up then follows. After that, a few games are played, the gifts are exchanged, and the food is served.
After the food, the party does start to wind down. At the end of the party, the guests are often sent home with party favors. These, as well as the games, can be chosen depending on the budget and your preference. Luckily, you can find a lot of inspo online to help you.
To Conclude
A baby shower is a great opportunity to celebrate with your friends and family. Truthfully, there isn’t really a right way or a wrong way to throw a baby shower either; it comes down to the preferences of the parents. It isn’t too different to throwing any other party really. It is pretty straightforward all-in-all, everything is just much more baby-centric, and there may not be any alcohol served.
