Someone in the family or circle of friends is expecting, and you know everyone is looking at you to take the lead with the baby shower planning.

No problem, I’ll be sharing the basics with some extra inspiration that will make you look like the perfect hostess!

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baby shower planning

Here follows a checklist of all the essentials to plan a baby shower that rocks:

DATE & VENUE

It all depends on the expecting mother’s circumstances:Is she working? Consider scheduling the party after hours or during a weekend; During Weekends everybody is more relaxed, and daddies can look after the kids while mommy’s are having fun;In my opinion, hosting a shower about two to three months before the date allows the new mommy enough time to wash everything and prepare for the new arrival!Take travelling time for guests coming from afar in consideration when you are setting the time;

You can never choose the perfect time and date for everyone. Once the close family is happy, you are good to go;

If your home (or that of a friend/family member) is not spacious enough, you have no other choice but to hire a venue or seek an alternative option.

We have hosted parties at a local coffee shop and had loads of fun there. The benefits are that you don’t have any cleaning, cooking or hiring of additional equipment. Just make it very clear on the invitation, what you will be offering at the baby shower – such as drinks or a light meal.  It is always polite to ensure that neither you or your guests feel awkward about having to pay if they did not expect to.

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Guest list

Baby showers are rarely a surprise to the new mommy anyways, so ask her who she wants to invite, and get their telephone numbers from her too!  That will save you a lot of time and effort.

Normally, guests will be:

• Family
• Friends, mutual family friends
• Colleagues
• People from church, school, clubs etc

Budget

Who is going to fit the bill?  

Can you ask her mother or husband for contributions? Or friends for plates of refreshments?

With DIY, there are always hidden costs involved.  Eg if you ask a friend to make the diaper cake, will she be charging? 

What about flowers and decorations – it all adds up.

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Theme

The theme of the baby shower will depend on the gender of the baby and or taste of the mommy!

You probably know the mommy and what she prefers best. Have a peek at her Pinterest boards or ask her if she wants a particular theme.

Maybe she already started decorating the baby’s room, and then you have a perfect colour scheme and theme!

Gender neutral baby showers can be mint, green, gray or a soft mix of all different colors.

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Invitation

Plan your invitation according to the theme (and colours) and decide if you are going to hand deliver or send via mobile.

Free digital options:

• In our digital age, open a free account with Canva – a digital design company and design your own invitation. You can then download it to your desktop or mobile and transmit electronically;
• Check out Evite for free options to personalized digital invites;

Here are some free printable invitation options:

• Shower themed invitations & Onesie shaped invite – design and print on site;
• 18 Free Invites from Crystal & Co – loads of ideas listed;
• Pink & Gray It’s a Girl Invites plus lots of other printables.

Paid options:

• Modern editable digital invite;
• Lovely watercolor baby shower designs, own edit and download by Little Sizzle;
• Vintage Stork gender neutral invitation;
• Oh Baby gender neutral black and white invites;
• Budget friendly invitations from Tiny Prints in printable copy only.

Scroll to the end of this post, to opt-in to receive the Baby Shower Planning List free.

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TIPS FOR THE WISH LIST

Provide the invitees with a complete list of what the new mommy needs.

List essentials first followed by ideas for group gifting for more expensive items like cribs or strollers.

If she wants a specific brand (like baby bottles), put it on the list.  

Make sure that you list the sizes of clothing according to the specific season.

Some of the links in the links in this post are affiliated which means I will earn a small commission should you make a purchase.  This will be at no additional cost to you.

Gift List/Baby Registry List

Consider using one of the following baby registry services:

Target Baby Registry offers:

Free welcome kit

Pick up your gift at Guest Services for over $100 worth of coupons & handpicked samples

15% discount

on everything left in your registry 8 weeks before baby is due

easy returns

and exchanges up to a year after your due date.

Amazon Baby Registry offers:

FREE Welcome Box

A surprise box of items for parents and baby valued up to $35.

Universal Registry

Add any item from any site to your Amazon Registry using Universal Registry.

Completion Discount

Prime members save 15% on eligible items when you complete your registry.

Free 90-Day Returns

You have a full 90 days to return most items purchased from your registry.

Group Gifting

Allow multiple people to contribute towards bigger gifts by enabling group gifting.

GIFTS FOR MOMMY

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GAME/QUIZZ FOR THE DAY

Here is a list of  baby shower entertainment ideas:

• Blindfolded Diaper Changing game;
• What’s in your purse?
• Guess how many M&M’s in a jar?
• I know mommy best quizz;
• Want to guess the size of mommy’s waist?
• For the frugal ladies – guess the price of selected gifts;
• Baby Shower Emoji Pictionary;
• Baby Words Scramble;
• Bingo is always a winner!
• Finish mommy’s phrase;
• 15 Game Ideas by Living Locurto;

Or – have themed printables for guests to complete prayers and wishes for the parents and baby.

Cute wrapping Ideas

Sometimes the presentation of a gift, says so much of the heart of the giver.

I know it is not always easy but at least try and match the colour scheme and or theme.

For more adorable wrapping ideas, click on the links below:

• Three Dreamy Gift Wrap Ideas;
• Buy a nice storage basket; cover the top with something from your parcel and wrap with a big ribbon!
• Check out Bundle of Joy Boxes for inspiration;
• Wrap an elephant washcloth or 
• Roll a blanket lollipop;
• Make a drawstring bag, matching the theme, eg unicorns, like the one I made for my little darling Chenè.

INEXPENSIVE DIY baby shower ideas

• Make your own pom-poms from tissue paper;
• A Polka-dot garland is a colourful backdrop;
• Empty jars; spray-paint and imagination can save you a lot of money!
• Don’t forget about balloons and streamers;
• Napkins and wreaths;
• Big paper flowers are very popular at the moment and you can grab a lot of free svg designs from Jennifer Maker’s site.

More inspiration for planning or hosting a gender-neutral baby shower or just because you like mint (COLOR):

Check out a previous post here.

YOUR LIST IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT:

• Crocery, Chairs, Table cloths, Overlays
• Kiddies table; food & drinks
• Decor, Flowers, Centerpiece, Buntings, flags
• Photo Booth & Props
• Diaper Cake
• Cake
• Party Favors/Gifts
• Food & Drinks
• Music

Phewwww…what a list!

Good luck and have fun with organizing the party!

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