When your pal is expecting her baby it’s a joyous occasion that you may wish to celebrate. Gathering all her friends around for a lovely afternoon tea party is a lovely way to celebrate your friend, and can even be used to reveal the gender of the baby. It’s basically a much calmer, daytime version of the hen party and you all had a great time at that party, didn’t you?! Basically, I think that any opportunity for a party and to get together with friends should be taken so here are my tips for baby showers:
Location: It’s likely that a baby shower will take place in someone’s home. Perhaps grandmother-to-be has a big enough conservatory to serve up an afternoon tea? Maybe a summer garden party is more your thing? Either of these options will hep to keep costs to a minimum as you won’t have to pay out for a venue. However it does mean that you’ll have to sort out the food yourself. Alternatively, a lovely lunch could be arranged at a favourite restaurant or tea shop, so ask around for prices per head and see if you can get a deal for a group booking.
Decor: Decorating for this type of party means that you can really have fun with the theme. If you know the gender of the baby (or if the mum-to-be wants to reveal it at the event) this will possibly dictate the colour theme. Even so, you don’t have to go with traditional blue or pink – how about a delicate pastel theme? Or funky gold and white? My favourite is this brightly coloured floral theme, which I think works well all year round and for any type of party.
Gifts: The friends and family that you invite to the baby shower will inevitably want to treat mum-to-be to a gift or two. Baby clothes, toys and flowers are some of the most popular gifts to be given at baby showers. But how can you minimise the chances of receiving 30 pairs of tiny shoes but no romper suits? By setting up a wishlist at Babythingz, of course. This means that guests can check what you really need for the baby. Don’t worry about being presumptuous; I’m sure your friends would rather get the baby something that she needs such as a footmuff rather than another ‘little princess’ baby grow that’ll sit in the wardrobe with the rest of them and be out-grown before it even gets worn! Also, you could visit parenting resource blog MyMomShops.com for baby product reviews and buying guides on the things to consider when choosing the perfect baby shower gifts.
Food: Cupcakes always go down well at a baby shower, as do any foods that can be held in one hand (which allows guests to carry a glass on champagne in the other!). If you’re having the baby shower in your own home, it’s better to serve small bites and canapes rather than a full meal, unless you have room for everyone to sit down to eat at once, that is! Passing round plates allows guest to mingle as they’re not stuck in one location eating, and it keeps the conversation flowing. Plus guests can help themselves to as little or a much food as they like and you don’t have to be on serving duty.
So what types of food would you serve at a baby shower? If you’ve recently planned a party, what decorating ideas did you use? And do you have any tips for creating a welcoming atmosphere? Leave me a comment below to tell me our plans or tweet me a photo @Cassiefairy of your own baby shower – I’d love to see it!
This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
