I love baby showers.
In my pre-baby life, I was a wedding planner but I used to joke with Matt that if I could just plan baby showers for a living, I would! Not sure there's enough of a market for that so here I sit waiting for another friend/sister to announce they're pregnant so I can give them a shower.
I have given two baby showers in the last two weeks so while all the details are fresh in my mind, I thought I'd share a few tips and ideas of how to throw a thoughtful and beautiful baby shower.
The most important thing to keep in mind when planning a baby shower is mom's taste. I know that sounds weird, but really, that baby is still snug inside that belly and hasn't a clue what color scheme you've chosen for her (or his!) shower. So choose things that you think momma would like. I think sometimes people feel pressured to have tons of baby-themed items everywhere for a shower but I say pass. Try to create a space with your decor that celebrates what makes this mom special. Is she eclectic? Whimsical? Funky? Sweet? Just go with what she loves and don't worry if it's not all baby booties and butterflies. Choose baby-ish stuff to use very selectively and it'll pack even more punch than an explosion of babies r us.
As far as decor goes, I love incorporating cute paper straws, fresh flowers, sparkly banners (for a girl) or bunting (for a boy). Depending on the time of day and what kind of food you're serving, I think it's a cute idea to incorporate some of momma's favorite pregnancy cravings. It's fun to work your menu around her favorite snacks! And let's be honest, when you're with child, it's all about that food.
I know some people love them some shower games but I am just not a fan. Most of the games I've seen in the past seem more like tools of humiliation than actual fun so I have no tips there. What I like to do in place of games is to have a beautiful keepsake book that all your guests write a blessing for baby in. One of my dear friends did this for me at my shower with Reese and we still love looking thru her book and reading what everyone said to her. Even if you don't do a book signing, try to take some time to think about incorporating something memorable and tangible that momma can take away from her time there.
My favorite way to end a shower is to have a time of prayer and advice for the new mom. There are so many things I wish someone would have told me before I had my first baby and this is a great opportunity to pass along some wisdom to this new mom who has no clue what she's getting herself into. If you're afraid not enough people will share, you can always ask her mom/mother in law/grandmothers ahead of time if they could be thinking about a little piece of advice they would share. It just makes things more personal when you allow your guests to share about their experience in motherhood.
Hope this helps some of you first time baby shower planners! I hope to have a post soon on some of my favorite themes for baby showers but we will start here.
Happy planning!