Baby Showers: How to Plan one and Keep Your Sanity
Stephanie Winsler
Planning a baby shower? You've come to the right place! We've created a comprehensive guide to help you create a baby shower that the mommy-to-be and guests won't soon forget! From the largest detail to the littlest, reading our guide below will keep you calm throughout the planning process and will ensure that your baby shower runs smoothly.
Plan the guest list. If the shower is a surprise, have a close family member help you out with names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of the guests if you do not know or have access to them all. If the shower isn't a surprise, talk with the mom and dad and find out exactly who they would like to invite. They might only want very close friends and relatives there or they might enjoy a larger shower with family friends and co-workers on the guest list. Finalize the guest list to get an idea of just how many people might be attending.
Determine your budget. Take into account the number of guests you're inviting, the location of the shower, the menu, the theme of the party, party favors and prizes. It's important to stay within your budget so you do not cause extra stress for yourself. Keep a spreadsheet of your baby shower expenses to ensure you know where the money is going and how much you have left.
Decide on the theme of the shower. It's best to do this early on so you can incorporate it into the invitations. Will the shower be formal? Casual? In between? Will you be having a buffet style dinner, a light lunch of appetizers or a family barbecue? These are the questions you will need to answer and then you can plan the rest accordingly. The menu you choose should follow your theme and the time of day. The same goes for the cake. Be sure to ask if any of the guests have special dietary requirements.
Choose your location. The host often has the baby shower at their house, but it can be held anywhere from a restaurant to a hotel conference room, depending on your budget. The location that you decide upon should be easy for your guests to find and roomy enough to keep everyone comfortable for the length of the shower.
Select a date. Baby showers are often held five to six weeks prior to the due date of the baby and they're often on a Saturday. Take into account if there are any out of town guests flying in for the shower before deciding upon a day and a time.
Send out invitations. Whether you're making your own invitations or having them custom printed, be sure to include the following information:
* Name of the mommy and daddy-to-be
* Date of the shower
* Location and time
* Map and/or directions
* R.S.V.P information
* Registry information
Pick out a fun baby shower game to play. Choose something unique that hasn't been played at every shower or make up your own! Don't forget prizes for the guests that win your games! Bubble bath, candles and lotion work well.
Relax! Now that you know exactly what you need to do for the upcoming baby shower, it'll be a piece of cake to plan!
About the author: Stephanie Winsler is a feature writer, mom and baby shower expert. Find more ideas and advice at her baby shower site.