I love to organise, so when my friend fell pregnant, she was bound to know I would never leave her without a baby shower! Here you will find a guide to all things planning!
Firstly, the key things to consider before the more detailed planning begins;
- The Guests – this depends on whether the baby shower is a surprise or not, if not ask the mama to be who she really wants there. If it is a surprise, remember to include family, the partners family, friends of different groups, colleagues, and neighbours!
- The Date – Try not to have this too close to the due date, as from experience, no one wants to be too pregnant at their baby shower, at least one month prior to the due date should be the target. Also remember it can be difficult to get all the guests available on one date, so be sure you have the people most important to your mama to be available on the day!
- The Theme/Venue– Have a think about what your friend loves, and what theme (if any) they may love. My friend loves the outdoors, so an outdoor baby shower was the perfect idea for her, but in the UK in September, a backup plan in case of rain was needed!
Everything You Might Need…
Games
Guess the Baby Name – I presented this on a mirror and provided a glass pen as a nice keep sake for the mama to be, but this could be presented in a million different ways!
Bracelet Making – This is a nice activity to do whilst chatting away at the baby shower, and is a nice keepsake for everyone that comes, there are some really nice and easy sets available on Amazon, keeping the prep very minimal.
Advice and Prediction Cards – Cards for guests to fill in with guesses on baby details and any advise they may have, again loads of really nice sets on amazon!
Guess the Baby Photo – Ask all the guests for a baby photo of themselves and the mama to be can guess who is who!
Decorations
Bunting
Crepe Streamers
Helium Balloons
Tinsel Chandelier
Cake
Either home-baked or ordered – but finish off with a personalised cake topper to make it very special!
Food and Drink
Completely dependent on the location, I learnt that having an outdoor location that was self-organised meant bringing your own cutlery, glasses, plates, napkins, ice and drink options! It was a lot of carting around, so in that sense an indoor catered venue could be easier, but it was definitely worth the effort in the end!
If going outdoors, delivered catering is an option, such as afternoon tea that is delivered for ease!
Also seating and a backup plan for rain is important to consider if aiming for an outdoor venue!
Music
A speaker and a playlist downloaded to your phone in case of bad wifi for streaming.
A Special Piece for the Mama to Be to Wear.
A crown, a headband, a sash or a cape… make her feel special and stand out, if the bump isn’t enough of a sign!
A Video Message
A video message from anyone that cannot make it to the baby shower can be very special, especially if from far away! Make sure to download to your phone or I pad any videos of guests that couldn’t make it with their advice, name guesses and messages of love.
Storage for Presents and Cards
Whether it be a crate, a large storage box or a few bags. Remember guests will show up with gifts and its nice to make it as easy as possible for your mama to be to get them all back home. No pregnant lady should be forced to carry too many gifts.
If inspired by any of my baby shower items, you can find all of the main items and supplier names below, all of which I really recommend!
Food – Willows Catering, Thornton-Le-Dale, Yorkshire
Cake – @TorBakesCakes on Instagram
Cake Topper – Etsy
Balloons – The Card Factory UK In Store Only.
Crepe Streamers – Amazon
Tinsel Candelier – Meri Meri
Photos – Freeprints App (Only Pay Postage!)
String – Amazon
Craft Pegs – Amazon
Mirror – Ikea
Mirror Pen – Amazon
Activity Cards – Amazon
Bracelet Making – Amazon
Mama to Be Headband – Amazon
All the Amazing Photos Taken by Photographer Alice Dempsey
