Baby Shower Planning - Be Prepared And Be Creative

When it comes down to it, baby showers are parties. To make any party successful, you need to prepare ahead of time. The key items that differentiate baby showers from other parties are the wishes and desires of the mother-to-be and the new family. The last thing you want to do is to plan a party that imposes on the very people you are trying to honor!

Planning should start well ahead of the shower. Rushing through preparations is a mistake that can make everything more difficult than it needs to be and puts you at risk of missing an important detail. The invitations, for example, need to go out early enough that guests have time to put the event on their schedule, but not so far in advance that they forget about the party. You also need time to gather RSVPs and make your final arrangements regarding refreshments and entertainment.

This is especially true of entertainment planning. Many of the games will be more effective with a certain number of guests, so you need to know who all’s coming to best prepare. You’ll also need to plan for any necessary materials and supplies, and purchase prizes for the winners and second place finishers in all your games.

You should also find out if any of your guests have special dietary needs, such as food allergies or intolerances. Be sure to talk with the expectant mother, as many women develop sensitivities to or strong dislikes for certain foods when they’re pregnant. The last thing you want is a baby shower where the guest of honor can't enjoy the food! Decide on your menu based on the time of day, how many people are attending and whether the shower will be girls only or for a mixed group of guests. If you’re doing the cooking yourself, you’ll want to allow plenty of time for shopping and preparing food in advance. Or, if you’re having the food catered, you’ll want to allow time to choose a caterer company and make sure they have room for you on your desired party date.

The best and most important piece of advice for a baby shower party is to plan as many things ahead of time as you can. That way, on the actual day of the party, everything will run smoothly and you’ll have a chance to enjoy the party yourself. Focus on whatever brings you the most joy. Are you a chef at heart? Prepare all the foods and enjoy serving your guests. Are games your thing? Then assign the culinary duties elsewhere and spend your time acting as master of ceremonies.

There’s one possibility you should also consider – what will happen if the mother-to-be can't attend the baby shower because of her health or because the baby decides to arrive early? If the father is available to open the presents, he’s an ideal substitute or, if you know far enough in advance, you can reschedule the shower. You can also hold the shower anyway and let all your guests enjoy the festivities and then take the presents to the happy couple's home as soon as it’s convenient for them.