Having a baby is one of life’s biggest events and, like any big event, it’s only natural to plan a party in celebration. And the traditional way to celebrate a new child coming into the world is, of course, a baby shower.
Should you find yourself planning a baby shower for a close friend, you’re obviously going to want things to be perfect. Here are ten simple tips for achieving just that.
1. Don’t Surprise Her
The first rule of planning a successful baby shower is that you need to give the mom in question some advanced warning. A surprise baby shower might sound great in theory but it’s important to remember that you’re dealing with a pregnant woman. Pregnant women have to deal with morning sickness, hormone imbalances and endless trips to the doctor. Aim for a baby shower that’s calming, not surprising.
2. Don’t Go it Alone
Most people are surprised to learn just how much work goes into planning a baby shower. It’s therefore generally recommended that the work be divided between at least two people. Choose somebody that you get along with, who’s reliable, and who cares about the mother in question just as much as you do.
3. Ask Her What She Wants
Depending on how much you already know about your favourite mom to be, it’s usually a good idea to ask for her input. Who would she like you to invite? Where would she like the baby shower to take place? And does she have a sense of humour when it comes to strange baby shower games?
4. Choose the Guests Before the Venue
One of the most common mistakes that people make when planning a baby shower is choosing a venue before the guest list is complete. This can be a problem because if you choose a venue with limited space, you might find that you don’t have room for everyone. To avoid this rather embarrassing scenario, get the guest list in order as early as possible.
5. Make it Personal
There’s certainly no shortage of baby shower ideas available online, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should listen to them. The best baby showers are personal. They are not based upon ideas from strangers. Instead, they are based upon the unique personality of the mom to be. What unique traits do you like most about her?
6. Choose the Right Date
When it comes to setting the date, there are a number of important factors to consider. First of all, you’ll want to make sure that everyone is given plenty of notice. Fail to do this and you might find quite a few people absent on the big day. Secondly, you’ll have to decide whether to have the shower before or after the baby is born. Regardless of which option you choose, the due date and the baby shower date should be at least one month apart.
7. Keep the Food Simple
Nobody attends a baby shower just for the free food. Keep things simple and don’t put anything on the menu that’s going to stretch your culinary skills. Count the number of people on the guest list and choose something that you can easily prepare with the resources available to you. If you find yourself a little low on seats, try to choose something that your guests can easily eat on their laps.
8. Set Up a Gift Registry
Rather than have guests bring things that your favorite mom to be has no use for, ask her to set up a small gift registry. Doing so not only benefits the mom to be, but it also benefits the guests as it saves them from having to shop blind. Setting up a gift registry also removes the possibility of duplicate gifts, something which is surprisingly common at baby showers.
9. Send the Right Invitations
When it comes to baby shower invitations, there’s no need to shell them out on fancy paper or with calligraphy. All you need is small pieces of paper that include all relevant information. The invitations should include the date, time, venue, and theme. It’s also a good idea to include your phone number along with a request for all guests to RSVP before a certain date.
10. Keep Things Light
Finally, keep in mind that a baby shower is simply a group of friends celebrating the fact that one of them is about to have a baby. Keep things light and simple. A baby shower should be the very opposite of formal. And when the big day arrives, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. The mother to be isn’t going to mind if things don’t go exactly to plan and therefore neither should you.
About the Author: Martha Pattinson runs a baby centre and is well known for organizing baby shower. According to her, it is one of the most important day in a woman’s life and should be made really special by close friends and family.
Image Credits: Top Image-License: Creative Commons image source; Bottom Image-License: Creative Commons image source.
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