Summer is prime time for baby and wedding showers, and if you’ve offered to host one, you may be wondering where to start. Preparing for an event of such importance for a good friend may seem overwhelming, but following a few pointers will get you going on the right track.
Set a Date
First, pick a date. Sit down with the bride-to-be or mother-to-be and discuss the dates that would work best for them and for you. Set the date well ahead of the event so that you can put a timeline in place, relieving some of the stress that occurs from doing things at the last minute. This timeline should include a date for sending out invitations (ask the bride or new mom to provide you with a complete list with addresses at least two months before the event, as you’ll want to send out invitations at least a month ahead of time).
Baby Shower Themes
If it is baby shower ideas you are looking for, ask the mom if the baby is a boy or girl; this will help in your theme selection. Ask mom if she’s picked a theme for the baby’s nursery; this information could come in handy as well for party decor and color schemes. For a baby shower, some fun themes might be:
1. A children’s book shower – Each guest brings a favorite childhood book that they have inscribed for the baby. This is great for building baby’s library. Consider decorating with printouts of classic children’s book covers and passing out personalized keepsake bookmarks as party favors.
2. A Baby Boy or Baby Girl shower – This type of shower is simple and to the point. Ask guests to bring gender appropriate gifts. A fun twist is to have a sports theme for a boy baby or a Diva theme for a girl baby. Decorating for boy/girl parties can be easy, but try to be original. Ask friends if you can borrow trucks and trains to decorate for boys, and girl’s dress up crowns, wands and sparkly shoes for the girl’s shower.
3. An Essentials shower – Ask that guests bring the everyday things that baby and mother can’t do without. Diapers, bottles, pacifiers, wipes, etc., all make the cut. One way to personalize a shower with this theme is to ask guests to email you a piece or two of “Parenting Wisdom” that you can print out and make into a keepsake for the new mom. As a party favor, print out the words of wisdom for your guests as well.
Photo by: Janet Lackey Schmalfeldt
Wedding Shower Themes
While you’ve got the honoree’s full attention, ask her what she wants – a simple luncheon, a dinner, a tea? Does she want a sit down meal at a fancy downtown Dallas hotel, or a quiet, personal gathering at one of her friend’s homes or Dallas apartments
1. Time of day showers – Include with each invitation a “time of day”, i.e. breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime, and ask that the guests buy gifts that pertain to that time of day. This gives the guest a creative push – instead of buying just the frying pan on the registry – they can include some muffin mix, perhaps a jar of gourmet preserves and a box of herbal tea. Decorate the party area with printouts of clocks that show the different times of day above different tables, that way guests will know where to put their gifts.
2. Another fun theme is a month of the year party – Guests are assigned a month and asked to bring a gift accordingly. Remind guests that they should be creative. A February gift might include hot chocolate mix and a soft throw in addition to a flirty negligee for a newlywed Valentine. A December guest might bring a special ornament for the tree in addition to his and hers pairs of cozy slippers.
Create a Menu
Once you’ve got the theme of the shower down, plan the menu. If you don’t intend to do the cooking, check on caterers, or ask for help from friends invited to the party. There are many delicious recipes that are perfect for wedding and baby showers, from light salads to quiche to mouth-watering sides and desserts. Many of them are extremely easy to make. Check out the Food Network website for scrumptious shower-appropriate recipes such as cheese strata with ham and tomatoes and chocolate truffles.
Planning Entertainment
When it comes to planning wedding shower games and baby shower games, the Web is a fantastic resource for both. In addition to the usual (and somewhat overdone) baby food taste test and toilet paper wedding dresses, there are many creative and surprisingly fun games for wedding and baby showers. Visit websites such as BridalShower.com for wedding shower games, and Baby-Shower.com for a long list of baby shower games.
Planning a wedding shower or a baby shower can be time consuming, but it should also be fun. As you prepare to celebrate your friend during one of these monumental milestones in life, stay organized and plan ahead so that you can enjoy the time with her.
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