First Comes Love, Second Comes Marriage…
Here at Little Cherry, we want you to be ahead of the pack, so we've come up with some baby shower ideas for you; from baby shower themes, food, drink, and games, right down to decorations and disposable party plates.
Who?
Who hosts? Traditionally, baby showers are hosted by friends, work colleagues and loved ones. More recently, family are likely to want to be involved too. We say, the more, the merrier! Divide responsibilities to lighten the load of organising a potentially stressful event.
Who to invite? Close family and friends should, of course, be invited. Work friends are a big hit, too. Increasingly, we are seeing dads and kids invited too – because why not, they should be involved as well!
Who is it for? Baby showers are for the baby, but also for the mum-to-be! She is busy growing a human inside her and needs a bit of pampering, too. Remember this in your planning!
What?
It can be fun to theme your baby shower, and it certainly makes the event more memorable! Simple themes like pink or blue are popular, but so are animals, brunch and tea parties. Entertainment should be included, but think low key and relaxing fun, as opposed to dancing all night. Manicures, massages and quilting, are all excellent ideas to start you off.
Décor can be as simple or complex as you wish. Let it reflect your theme, or can simply make your event space more personal with balloons, banners, bunting and other accoutrements.
Gifts, while not compulsory, are a nice addition to any baby shower – it’s all in the name: you are showering the mum (and dad)-to-be with gifts and love! Gifts from a register that will help when baby arrives are fab, as are gifts for almost-parents. Massage vouchers, babysitting cheques and relaxing bath products will be more than welcome.
Games wise, there are plenty of game ideas around, including our favourites: Don’t Say Baby and Guess the Baby Food. These activities are pretty self-explanatory: guests are told not to use the word “baby”, and those that do must do a forfeit! Guessing the baby food is a nice insight into the world of motherhood – simply remove labels from jars of baby food and take turns to guess what it was.
Handy guests might want to combine their efforts and create a patchwork quilt or blanket for the baby; this makes for a fun bonding activity at the shower. Another popular activity is designing your own onesie. Buy a bunch of plain onesies and have guests decorate them.
Food and drink are a key factor for any baby shower. Whether you have a caterer for a sit-down meal or opt for a homemade finger buffet, it is sure to go down a treat. Ask guests to contribute by bringing a dish each. Remember dessert! Cakes and cupcakes are wonderful at baby showers, and can also be used as party favours. Remember to order plenty of disposable party plates and cutlery though – we have lots of options for you here at Little Cherry, including some fabulous organic bamboo tableware .
Just because the mum-to-be can’t have a glass of bubbly or a cocktail, doesn't mean your guests can’t have a glass or two! A nice touch would be making virgin variations for those not drinking alcohol.
When?
The best time for a baby shower is in the third trimester – somewhere in weeks 32-35 would be ideal. Any sooner is considered bad luck, and any later and you might have a mum in labour on your hands. A good few weeks before full term is also perfect in terms of gifts, giving the mum and dad-to-be plenty of time to shop around and grab the bits they still might need.
It’s good baby shower etiquette to send out invites at least six weeks prior to an event taking place.
Where?
Most baby showers are held at home, due to how pregnant the main event is! This can help keep costs down, but depending on the size of the shower, you might want to consider renting space in a hall or hotel for the shower. Remember to include directions and contact numbers on the invites, just in case.
Why?
Traditionally more American in nature, primarily baby showers are to celebrate the upcoming birth of your loved one’s child or children. They aren't compulsory but are a nice way to get together with friends and loved ones before the baby is born.
So, there you have it, your baby shower arsenal of ideas – good luck and enjoy your shower! For all your baby shower supplies including invites, decorations and disposable party plates, please have a browse of our website.