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A baby shower is the perfect way to celebrate new life and honour the parents as they grow their family. It’s beautiful for close family and friends to gather and give support, love and joy to the couple.
Planning the baby shower can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right venue, theme, menu, and activities, anyone can host a thoughtful and joyful celebration that reflects the style and needs of the parent-to-be. We’ve created the ultimate checklist to make planning simple.
When to Host a Baby Shower
Baby showers are usually hosted in the third trimester of pregnancy, 28 to 34 weeks is a perfect timing. Giving enough time to organise and plan, while the mother’s energy and excitement is high. While this timing is common, this is not a rule; a baby shower can be hosted at any point that fits the parents’ needs, energy level and guest availability. In planning, give yourself enough time to prepare post-shower gifts and thank-you notes for your closest family and friends.
Who Should Host the Baby Shower?
Traditionally, a baby shower is hosted by close family and friends. Today, anyone can host a baby shower, siblings, cousins, partners, or work friends. A co-hosted event with a group of friends or family is encouraged to support the smooth planning and coordination of the event. The host/s should include the parents-to-be in the planning and decision-making of the event. The parents-to-be may organise the event themselves as a way of getting all their close family and friends together.
Set the Budget and Guest List
As with any event planning, a clear budget should be set before planning the baby shower. The event budget will guide all other decisions.
Know your guest count as this will impact your choice of venue, catering, seating, favours and overall budget. The more guests you have, the larger your budget should be. When setting your budget, break down what will be required for planning, including the above (venue, catering, seating & favours), add styling, outfit, invitations, games, entertainment, photography and thank you notes to the list.
Break down your budget according to the largest costs to the lowest. To ensure everything is done according to the planning, keep a checklist that can be shared amongst a group. You can use Excel or a digital app to track.
Choose a Venue That Matches the Mood
A baby shower is very personal and can be held anywhere and at any time. When deciding on a venue, take into consideration the time of year, number of guests and budget. The venue will set the tone of the event. Hosting a baby shower at home is very intimate and ideal for a small guest list. Hosting at a café or park can be a great idea, especially in the warmer months, for a small to medium-sized event. Hosting a baby shower at a professional venue is great for small to large events, at any time of the year.
A professional venue will have a lot of amenities you will need for the event, such as a speaker, microphone and staging. A coordination and operation staff will also help assist in organising, planning and the smooth running of the event. Selecting to host at a venue such as Navarra Venues is a stress-free option that also offers catering and styling.
Finally, your venue should feel comfortable and spacious and be accessible to your guests to get to, which means parking availability and public transport options.
Select a Theme to Tie Everything Together
Picking a theme is fun and playful, helping to tie all your decision-making about invitations, food and décor together. The theme should align with the parent-to-be’s personality or story.
Here are some popular ideas for your theme:
- Pastel
- Luxe
- Boho
- Floral
- Safari
- Character-based, e.g. Paddington Bear and Peter Rabbit
- Disney
Send Invitations Early
Baby shower invitations should be sent out four to six weeks ahead of the event. Giving guests enough time to reserve the date, RSVP and shop your event registry. In the invitation, include key information such as venue, timing, date, RSVP, dietary requirements, registry, dress code and/or theme.
Invitations can be physical or digital, depending on the formality of your event. Baby shower invitations can be created on online platforms such as Canva, Evite, or Paperless Post for digital invites.
Plan a Memorable Menu
Keep the catering at your baby shower light, pregnancy-safe and on theme.
Some Ideas:
- Brunch grazing board, e.g. scones, jam and cream
- Mini sliders, e.g. mini sandwiches and burgers
- Platters, e.g. fruit and cupcakes
- Themed food, e.g. Mexican tacos, chips, salsa and guacamole
Drinks should be non-alcoholic and can include mocktails.
When hosting your event at a venue, the venue can take care of the catering. Venues provide catering options such as roaming canapés, seated plated dining, high tea or grazing and food stations at the venue.
Decorate with Style and Personal Touches
Decorate your baby shower to match your theme and be impactful. Impactful and simple is all you need. Think about including florals, balloons, signage, a backdrop and even a dessert table. Add a personal touch with baby photos, custom signage, and memory cards on place cards or thank you gifts.
From simple to elaborate designs, you can ensure your event is styled to theme perfectly, with an added personal touch from an event stylist. Luxe by Navarra is a professional florist, event stylist and creator to support your event needs.
Plan Fun Games and Activities
A baby shower is about three to four hours and includes fun baby-themed games and activities. Keep to two to three games or your activities light. Keepsake-style activities are a beautiful idea for sentimental value.
Some game ideas:
- Baby Bingo
- Baby Trivia
- Advice cards
- Wishes for the baby
- Onesie decorating
- Guess the due date
- Baby food tasting
- Guess the baby items cost
Should You Offer Party Favours?
Party favours are a thoughtful way to show thankfulness to the family and friends who support the couple during the pregnancy. Gifting and favours can be simple.
Some gifting ideas include:
- Tea bags
- Mini candles
- Personalised cookies
- DIY jars or treats
Favours should be on theme and personal. Think about how you can add a personal touch with decorations or messages on the favours.
Checklist for a Smooth Event
You need a pre-event checklist. Your checklist should include all needed booking items such as venue, catering, seating & favours, add styling, outfit, invitations, games, entertainment, photography and thank you notes. The pre-event checklist should include costs, confirmed bookings and payments.
The baby shower day needs a simple run sheet for the event to ensure a smooth-running event. The run sheet should include timings for arrival, food, games, gifting and favours. Before the day, ensure you have someone to take photos and track gifts.
The baby shower is a day to enjoy and celebrate new life with those closest to the couple; it should feel exciting, relaxing and joyful.
Celebrate the Parent-to-Be with Confidence
Remember that the most important ingredients needed for a Baby shower are love and connection, not perfection. Celebrate this day with affection and care in the company of family and friends.
Navarra Venue is the perfect partner for your baby shower, whether you’re looking for a venue, catering, or styling. Have a browse and enquire today.
