Baby Shower Party Planning Guide
October 23, 2009by Cathy Cripps· Leave a Comment
Are you hosting a baby shower party for a friend or family member. Baby showers have significantly changed over the last 5 years and have gradually become more and more elaborate and well planned.
Baby showers can make an expectant mother feel more secure in the fact that her friends are all pulling for her and giving moral and financial support. Usually the baby shower is organized by non-relatives. But today, there it isn’t abnormal to find family members, support group members, church friends and pretty much anyone except the expecting mother.
Deciding On The Baby Shower Guest List Inviting the guests? Mostly, the shower guest list will include those people that are nearest and dearest to the expectant mother. If the baby shower isn’t to be a surprise party for the expectant mother then it really wouldn’t hurt to let her have a look so that you can maybe include people you had not thought of. But if it is to be a surprise baby shower party you will need to be more secretive and ask around using family and very close friends for suggestions for the guest list.
If the child is not a firstborn, you may opt to keep the number of guests down to the closest to the mother. Firstborn baby showers tend to have a larger guest list since it is, after all, the mother’s first time.
When planning the baby shower and making the decisions on who to invite you need to take into consideration that this is an intimate occasion so you should try to make the gathering one that has many of the expectant mothers intimate friends and associates.
There are many informal ways that you can choose to invite your guests such as email, phone and other ways. But of course the more traditional way is to send out invitations or letters to the guests that will be attending. This also has the affect of making the baby much more formal event and in many countries is the only acceptable way to invite the guests.
Traditionally All Female But Guys Are Welcome A baby shower party has in the past been traditionally a female only affair. In saying that it is also not strange to be invited and participate in a mixed shower party for girls and guys. This of course firstly depends on whether the guys wish to attend and also whether the shower host and mother-to-be wish to cater for the attendance of guys at the party. After all their intention might be to just have an intimate “Girlie Party”. At the end of the day it is acceptable to have guys at the party but it will come down to the preference of the host.
Choosing The Baby Shower Venue Many baby shower parties are hosted in such places as formal halls, restaurants and even your own backyard. If the truth be told you can actually host a baby shower party anywhere you choose as long as the expectant mother is comfortable and there are amenities for your guests to use. Be warned however that you really need to arrange the location weeks before the shower is scheduled to start to ensure that you will not have crowds using the the same venue which could possible spoil the day for all attending.
When to Throw a Baby Shower The most common time for the baby shower to be hosted is one or two months before the expected birth. The baby shower is the perfect time to show your support for the new arrival and to get those baby things that she may not have had time to purchase yet. You really need to make sure that you time the baby shower right as it it is not advisable to host the party to close to the due date, and not to early as this can take away from the excitement of the party and the distraction of pending birth which is the intention of the baby shower party.
There is nothing more pleasant for an expectant mother than having a baby shower party. The idea of the baby shower is to take a lot of the stress, such as medical appointments and all the poking and prodding that takes place and of course the pending birth off their minds and helps provide a means for friends and family to show their support and of course, the many appreciated baby gifts from invited family and friends who attend.
A properly coordinated baby shower will be greatly appreciated and forever remembered by the mother-to-be and even the appreciation of the father long after they have delivered their children.
Cathy has been arranging baby showers for many years and with her professional Baby Shower website has helped hundreds to host enjoyable baby shower parties from all over the world. Have a question about your upcoming baby shower then ask your questions here Baby Shower Blog it’s free.
