Are you a gracious family member or a friend who is thinking of hosting a baby shower for a mom-to-be? If yes, luckily, you are at the right place! This article will help you plan a special shower that goes smoothly and gives millions of memories to cherish to your guest of honour (the mom-to-be) and the guests. People often get stuck while planning baby showers wondering whether to organise them now or later. There is no right time to plan for a baby shower. You can start planning as soon as you get to know about the arrival of a little one till 45 weeks.
The baby shower is a celebration for many, but it is an emotional ceremony for the mother and family members. The ideal time for the baby shower is between 28 to 35 weeks of pregnancy. During this month, the mother has a cute bump and the energy needed to plan the whole event.
The responsibility must be taken by some family member or friend to help the mother in the planning as she needs more rest and less stress at this time. After the first trimester, one should start discussing the shower celebration. A baby shower ceremony is not just for fun; it is a productive event where friends and family share their experiences, offer support and courage to soon-to-be-mom, and keep mom and baby happy.
The Checklist for Planning Baby Showers
Decide the Date and Your Budget
A baby shower can be organised anytime-either before the birth of a child or even after. It entirely depends on the tradition of your family and religion. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is select a date (day) perfect for guests of honour, organisers, and other guests. You can plan it on the weekend or any holiday so that everyone can attend the event and shower their love on mother and baby. Next, it is essential to keep the budget in mind when planning things. Otherwise, you may end up splurging.
Prepare a Guest List
Prepare a guest list in close consultation with the mom-to-be or father-to-be and ensure you don’t miss out on anyone close to the family. You will need this list before you take a further step in your baby shower planning because the guest count will determine how much accommodation you will require and thus where the event will be held.
Look for a Perfect Venue
Once the date is fixed and a guest list is prepared, it’s time to look for a perfect venue that caters to various other needs of the ceremony. When looking for the venue, don’t forget to consider the number of guests, accessibility, parking facility, area, catering, what the new mom likes, and most importantly, your budget. If the mother and family are happy with the home setting or some outdoor venue with a theme, note that too.
Decide on Food and Drinks
You are halfway through your baby shower planning, and now you need to plan the event’s menu. Remember, it doesn’t need to be too extensive, but it would be great if you take into account any likely cravings or food aversions of the mom-to-be. You can add some finger foods or light snacks so that your guests can actively participate in the ceremony while managing their food. Or you can incorporate a menu based on the time of the event if it is lunchtime, dinner, or brunch.
Choose an Exciting Theme
There are several exciting baby showers themes for you to choose from. Elephant-theme, oh boy theme, nautical-theme, office-theme, and balloon theme are just a few popular ones. Make sure you choose the one that dictates the kinds of food, favours, decoration, invitation and thank-you-cards that will be provided to the guests.