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Are you the lucky friend or family member who gets to plan the baby shower for the mommy to be? Well then, you’ve come to the right place!
Planning a baby shower can be a huge task to take on, especially if you don’t have lots of help or an endless supply of money. Either way, you’ll need a baby shower checklist to make sure you have everything you’ll need for the mother’s big day.
Keep reading for our ultimate baby shower checklist for planning.
Decide on the Date
Once it’s been decided that you’re in charge of throwing the baby shower, the first thing you should do is decide on a date. Picking a date for the party will be the most important so you can let people know to keep their schedule open especially the parents to be.
Picking the date will help you with lots of the other important things on your checklist. You also want to plan the baby shower around the due date of the baby. The best time to throw the baby shower is when the mother is 28 to 32 weeks pregnant.
Plan the Guest List
One of the first things you will want to do is decide who will be on the guest list. Make sure to sit down with the parents-to-be and decide which friends and family members should be invited. Picking the guest list will also help you decide how big or small you need the venue to be.
Pick a Venue
The next thing on your list should be deciding where you host the baby shower. You can host a baby shower pretty much anywhere and should decide on what is most convenient for you and the mommy-to-be. The baby shower could be at a restaurant or even in your house if you have lots of free space.
Creating a Registry
Make sure that the parents-to-be sit down and create a registry for the new baby. This will be very important because you will want to include it in the invitation so the guests can get ideas for presents from the best baby registry. A baby shower registry is great for guests because they can get the brand new parents exactly what they want for the baby.
Decide on a Theme
Deciding on a theme is another element you will want to discuss with the parents. The baby shower theme can be something fun and quirky. Guests may even base their gifts on the baby shower theme.
You have lots of options for themes especially if you already know the gender of the baby. Many baby showers use an animal theme which is cute for a brand new baby. The theme is very important because it will give you ideas for decorations.
Mail out the Invitations
The invitations are a vital part of planning a baby shower. You can include the theme, location, date and time, as well as the registry. If all your guests have facebook, then you could create an event and invite them on there, but the most classic and elegant way to invite everyone is by paper invitations.
The best time to send out invitations is about four to six weeks in advance. Make sure to include a number for guests to RSVP so you will know exactly how many people will be there. You can also follow up on the invitations with a phone call in case they got lost in the mail.
Food and Beverage
The food and beverage part of the party depending on what time you’re having the party. If it is earlier in the day, then you may want to have brunch or lunch type foods. You could also have simple finger foods or even just an array of sweets.
Planning the menu will be an important part because then you will know if you want to hire someone for the food or what you will need to be cooking on your own. Remember that some guests may have dietary restrictions that you should try and cater to.
A baby shower cake is another thing you will want to plan in advance. You can use the theme of the shower to get a cute cake or even cupcakes for everyone. For beverages, you can provide water, coffee, tea, and a variety of sodas.
Don’t Forget Tableware
The tableware may not be the first thing you think of when planning the baby shower but it is very important. You will need plates, cups, silverware, serving pieces, tablecloths, and napkins. These are easy things to get but you don’t want to forget them!
Decorations
Decorations for the baby shower should be fun and depend on your venue. You may want to go all out and decorate everything such as the walls, tables, and surrounding area. You can use balloons, streamers, lights, candles, lanterns, or pretty much anything that goes along with your baby shower theme.
Games and Prizes
When you think of baby showers, the first thing that may come to mind is the games and prizes. Baby shower games are usually a bit cheesy but they’re fun to play. Your guests will love winning a prize to remind them of the special day.
Your Final Checklist
It’s finally the day of the baby shower, but are you prepared? On the day of the baby shower you will want to have an event planning checklist. This checklist will consist of any last-minute details that need to be done the day of or even during the party.
You may need a few notes to keep on hand for the day of the baby shower. This is to help you remember any small details you may have forgotten or things that should be done the day of.
Baby Shower Checklist
Ultimately, the shower and checklist are up to you and the mother to be. You should plan your checklist and get some input from the new mommy to make sure that it’s everything she could ever imagine.
Baby showers are fun, but planning them can be stressful. Make sure your baby shower checklist is complete with all of the essentials.
Now that you’ve learned the best way to plan a baby shower, you should check out the other posts on our blog for lots of advice on how to make your life better.