The how-to guide for organising a baby shower!

You know your friend better than we do; with that in mind, we will leave all the personal touches to you, but we will give you a guideline for organising a fantastic baby shower. 

Choose a date and time. (Aim for at least two months out)

Choosing the date and time for the special day is the one step you may want to run by the mum-to-be. Organising a date and time gives the expecting mum the time to prepare what she wants for the event, including a gift wish list and her outfit! Before locking in the date, it might also be a good idea to check in with all of the important people involved, whether parents and grandparents, close friends, colleagues, or any guests who may need to travel. Keep in mind baby showers are usually hosted in the last few months of pregnancy; however, some people prefer to wait until their baby is earthside and can join for the celebration. 

Work out the finances.

So traditionally, the hostess pays for the baby shower; however, that doesn't mean you need to take all of the financial responsibility on your shoulders. Have a chat with other close friends and family members and see if anybody would like to co-host and contribute. Having this conversation well in advance eases any awkwardness. Once you have decided who's going to contribute, it will be a lot easier to work out a budget and stick to it.

Decide on where to host the event.

Now that you have your budget sorted, you can decide where you will host the event. For example, you could go the restaurant route or hire a hall or event space. However, if you want to go for a no-cost involved location or enjoy a different look and feel, you can always opt for a home environment of yourself or a family or friend of the mum-to be, or a public space like a park! 

Decide on the theme.

Deciding on the day's theme will allow you to tie all the little details together. Whether you have decided to opt for a complete theme or simply a colour palette, having something to refer to for the decor will be very helpful with the organisation. We suggest hitting Pinterest. It's full of great ideas. Some parents may want to opt for a traditional pink or blue to celebrate the gender of their new baby, while others may prefer to keep it neutral and keep gender out of the day; perhaps it's best to check with mum-to-be! 

Help mum-to-be with the gift registry. 

The gift registry is something that mum-to-be organises on her own. Still, she may be shy and not forthcoming with her gift registry, so make sure to give her some encouragement and remind her how excited you and the other guests are to support her on this special day! If she is opting for an online registry, then you can send links or prompt ideas. 

Create your guest list and send out the invitations. (Aim for six weeks out) 

Now you have your date, time, budget, location, and theme. Then, it's time to send invitations to all the special people who will help celebrate the day. Email invites are eco-friendly and easy, and there are plenty of free websites online to create gorgeous templates; plus, this is a super-easy way to include mum-to-be's gift wish list! Or the option to get creative and DIY some handmade invitations is another fun idea. Whatever approach you take, remember to include: The date, location and time, the theme and anything the guest may need to bring. 

Organise decorations.

Organising decoration could be time for a group of mum-to-be's close friends to head out and find the perfect decor, or it could be an opportunity to take the arts and craft box out and get creative! Refer to your theme to ensure everything aligns and the day will be perfect! Remember that there are plenty of hiring companies that you can use for an eco-friendly approach to setting up decorations. 

Plan some games or activities for the day.

It's time to consider what exactly your guests will be doing at the baby shower. First, of course, there will be gift-opening, exciting! But what else? Put together a little timeline to ensure absolute flow on the day. Some ideas we love include: Creating a competition to guess the babies weight (winner announced after the birth, of course) or having a submission box of best parenting tips and wisdom. Another favourite: a game of "who's that baby" where every guest brings a baby photo of themselves and pins it on a board with room underneath for the other guests to guess which baby photo belongs to which guest. 

Decide on food and the CAKE

Whether you opt for a restaurant with a set menu or catering at home, it's important to consider dietary requirements and your friend's preferences. First, calculate how much food you will need for the number of guests you have coming. Then, decide on where you will get a cake! If you have a family member or friend who knows their way around the kitchen, then you are in luck; if not, look into your local bakeries, and there's no harm in taste testing a few different options... right? 

Don't forget drinks!

The mum-to-be might not be drinking, but that doesn't rule out the rest of the guests. So if you are hosting the event outside of a restaurant or venue, consider opting for some girly drinks like spritz's, mimosa's, or rose with a little bit of fairy floss! BUT! Remember to bring some great no abv (0%) options. 

Decide if you will do party favours.

You will find plenty of inspiration for goodie bags, soaps and candles, tiny plants, keychains and other quirky ideas on Pinterest (we really love Pinterest when it comes to planning events!). Of course, party favours aren't essential, but they can be a nice little touch. 

DIY or Bring in the Experts?

One thing to consider is whether you want to hire an event hire company. Too many that may sound like overkill which is why we've written this article up with a DIY event in mind. However, many wedding planners will also offer baby showers, and they're often much, much cheaper than expected. In addition, event hire companies will stock a fantastic array of accessories and decor you can pay to hire per piece. If you go this direction, choose a public park instead of a restaurant, and you may even come out in front. 

Don't forget a gift from the host! 

The final touch is getting the mum-to-be the perfect gift. You have likely been the middle man for communication from mum-to-be to the guests from the beginning, so you have all the information to find the perfect gift!

Explore our stunning range here at Jack & Willow, and you really will be the "hostess with the mostest." 

Congratulations, you have done it! We are sure the day will be a smashing success, and your friend is lucky to have somebody reading articles like this one to make the day special.