How to plan a baby shower
May 15, 2023
There's a tiny human being on the way, and you want to celebrate them and their parents in the best way possible. But, there's a lot that goes into planning a baby shower, and you're probably wondering where to start and how to plan a baby shower.
Luckily, in this article, you'll find all that you need to know about how to plan a baby shower.
When to start planning a baby shower
You’ll need approximately two months to plan a baby shower. This should give you enough time to plan things in detail and ensure that all costs are covered. Baby showers are typically hosted around one or two months before the baby’s due date.
So, you should probably start planning the baby shower when the mom-to-be is six months pregnant. That way, the shower will be hosted by month seven or eight of her pregnancy.
Baby shower to-do list
When you’re planning a baby shower, you need to ensure that you are aware of all the important things that need to be done. If you’re clueless on what these things are, or you just need a little reminder, here’s a baby shower to-do list:
Eight weeks before the baby shower:
Draft a guest list.
Set a date and time.
Find a venue.
Find a caterer.
Choose a theme.
Create/buy invitations
Six weeks before the baby shower:
Send out invitations.
Share the baby registry.
Make a list of supplies needed for the event.
Four weeks before the baby shower:
Choose baby games and decide on entertainment.
Find an MC, or ask a close friend or family member.
Confirm the menu.
Three weeks before the baby shower:
Buy all the necessary supplies for the event.
Confirm the guest list.
One week before the baby shower:
Confirm entertainment and get the games ready.
Send out reminders to other organizers, and people you’re relying on for the baby shower.
Make sure everything is running smoothly, and tackle any last minute tasks.
Day before the baby shower:
Prepare decor.
Start preparing food.
Pick up any last minute supplies.
How do you host a fun baby shower?
Baby showers don’t have to be formal and boring. You can spice things up by adding a few fun games for everyone to play.
How do you play the price is right during a baby shower?
The price is right is a popular baby shower game where the host gets a few commonly known baby items, and the guests have to guess the price of each item.
To execute this game successfully, you’ll need to make sure you have the following things:
Printable “the price is right” game sheets.
Pens.
A timer.
Winning prize.
To play the game, follow these steps
Hand out the one game sheet and a pen to each guest.
Set the timer and allow your guests to fill in the cost next to each item, and to calculate the total of all items.
The winner will be the person with the closest total to the actual final cost.
What can I do instead of games at a baby shower?
If you’re looking for an alternative way to have a baby shower, apart from hosting games, you can include various fun and engaging activities that aren’t games. These include the following:
Hire a Photo Booth.
Diaper raffle: Guests are asked to bring a pack of diapers, and those who do would receive a raffle ticket for a raffle draw.
Host a creative activity at the baby shower, like a paint and sip session where guests get to paint on canvases while enjoying a nice drink.
Diaper messages: Guests get to write sweet or silly messages on the baby’s diapers.
Baby bib decorating station.
What foods are served at a baby shower?
The food you serve at a baby shower will depend on your budget or manpower. The easiest and most stressless thing to serve are light snacks and finger foods.
If you have an intimate guest list, you can gather a few extra hands to save money on catering and prepare a meal. You can have a BBQ menu, or you can prepare a popular, crowd-pleasing dish.
What is the average cost of a baby shower?
A typical baby shower can cost anything between $200 to $1000. This amount depends on various factors like catering, venue, guests, and more.
How can I host an inexpensive baby shower?
Baby showers can be costly, and at times, it’s better to spend your money on important things that the baby will need. Luckily, you can host an inexpensive baby shower by gathering help from friends and family, and doing things yourself instead of hiring certain services.
Here’s a list of tips to help you host a baby shower on a budget:
Make centerpieces and do the decorations yourself.
Host the baby shower at home or ask to use someone’s house for free.
Use online invitations.
Cook your own food.
Use free games and entertainment ideas online.
Bake a baby shower cake.
Have a limited guest list.
Host a virtual baby shower.
Whose responsibility is it to pay for a baby shower?
In most cases, the mom and dad-to-be typically don’t organize or pay for their baby shower. So, it’s easy to get confused about who pays for the baby shower.
But, the answer is simple. The costs of a baby shower should be covered by the people who are planning the event. These are typically friends or family members of the baby’s parents.
Baby shower gifts
Gifts are part of the tradition of baby showers. If you’re clueless about the correct etiquette to follow when it comes to baby shower gifts, look no further.
What is a good budget for baby shower gifts?
If you’re an acquaintance, a good budget for a baby shower gift can be anything between $25 and $50. But, if you have a close relationship with the parents, you should consider digging a little deeper into your pockets and spending between $50 and $100.
Family members typically go for higher cost items that the baby can use for a long time. These items range between
$100 and $150
Best presents for baby showers
When you’re looking for a baby shower present, it’s best to identify which newborn essentials you can get for the baby shower.
When it comes to items a newborn baby needs, the list is endless. Here’s a list of categories to explore when you’re looking for a baby shower present:
Clothes
Feeding items
Baby Nursery items
Health essentials
Playtime
Outdoor essentials
Do you open presents at a baby shower?
Traditionally, the mom-to-be would open the gifts in front of the guests at a baby shower, but it’s becoming less common.
Opening all the gifts at the baby shower might become tedious and disengaging, depending on the kind of crowd you have. Alternatively, you could encourage an activity like baby bib decorating.
How to create a baby shower registry
You can create a baby shower registry by using Moonsift on your desktop, or by downloading the app. Moonsift allows you to create your own wish lists and registries with items from any store online.
Once you’ve created your
, you can easily share it with your baby shower invitees.
Number of items
The average baby registry includes 100 to 120 items. This consists of all the items you’ll need for the baby.
The good thing about having a wide assortment of items on your registry is that your guests have many options to choose from, and could purchase multiple items if they wanted to.
Price range for baby shower gifts
A decent baby shower gift can range between $25 and $150. Apart from affordability, the appropriate spend for a baby shower gift will likely be based on your relationship with the parents of the baby in the way.
Baby shower registry on Moonsift
Follow these steps to create a baby shower registry on Moonsift:
Head to Moonsift and sign up.
Install the Moonsift extension to your desktop, or download the app from the App Store.
Head to the product page of the item you want to save.
On your desktop, add the item to your registry by clicking the extensions icon and saving the item into Moonsift. Make sure you create a new collection for your baby registry.
If you’re using an iPhone, tap on the share icon and share the item to the Moonsift app.
Who to invite to a baby shower
When you’re drafting your guest list, you should mainly include people who have a close relationship with the mom-to-be.
If you’re hosting a coed shower, then you can invite the close friends and family members of the mom and dad-to-be. You can also invite a colleague or an acquaintance if you have a developing friendship with them.
How many people should I invite to a baby shower?
Baby showers are meant to be intimate. People typically host between 20 and 40 guests, but the number would depend on the size of your family and friends. A coed shower will generally have more people than a traditional shower where there are women only.
Host a memorable baby shower
Hosting a baby shower might seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. The above-mentioned tips will help you host a memorable and enjoyable baby shower.
