Party Planning Blog by Announce It!

You want this shower to be one that your loved one will remember forever! Stick to these timeline suggestions to keep your party planning on track and ensure that you have everything you need to throw the perfect baby shower!

6 to 8 weeks before the shower

• Talk with your loved one about her expectations of the shower. Does she want women only or a Jack and Jill? Is there a theme she particularly enjoys?
• Choose a date for the shower and make sure that all important guests will be able to attend.
• Develop the guest list and get all addresses.
• Order personalized invitations or purchase invitations and start addressing them. Make sure to buy stamps too.
• Find out where your loved one has registered for gifts or ask her for items she particularly needs.
• Choose the shower location and book the venue and caterer if necessary.

4 to 6 weeks before the shower

• Mail out the invitations. Include information on where the mother-to-be is registered. Keep a list of everyone that RSVP’s using the Guest List Manager.
• Research baby shower games and choose which ones to play.
• Purchase all items for shower games as well as all other shower supplies. Use the supplies checklist to make sure you get all the necessary items.
• Decide on the menu. Will it be a full lunch, a tea, or just finger foods?
• Order the cake.
• Order shower favors that will give guests and the new mother something special to remember the day!

2 to 4 weeks before the shower

• Decide on the agenda for the party. This will need to include games, food, gifts, and cake.
• Start putting together favors.
• Keep in touch with the mother-to-be and make sure everything is going ok with her.
• Purchase your gift for the shower. Don’t forget the card and wrapping paper.
• 1 week before the shower
• Call anyone that has not called to RSVP.
• Start cleaning if the shower is going to be at your house.
• Confirm the venue and caterer if necessary.
• Buy food and drinks for the shower.

The day before the shower

• Finish cleaning the house.
• Pick up the cake or bake one.
• Prepare any food that can be made ahead of time.
• Set out any games or decorations that can be put out early.
• Set out all cutlery, dishes, and platters for food and drinks.
• Make sure you have all the supplies you need for food, decorations, and games.
• Purchase fresh flowers.
• Charge batteries for cameras and video cameras.

The day of the shower

• Set up the table and finish decorating.
• Prepare and set out the food and drinks.
• Finish setting up games.
• Purchase balloons.
• Set out favors.
• Set out a pen and paper near the gift area to record gifts.
• After the guests arrive, ask a few for some help with recording the gifts and serving the food and drinks.

Have an excellent time!

Guess that Baby Food
Set out several jars of baby food. Tear off the labels first. Put out some small sample spoons and pencils and paper. Each guest will have to take a turn and try each jar of food. They can taste it and smell it and look at the color and texture. Then they need to make their guess. What is that baby food??? You can use simple flavors such as bananas, sweet potatoes, and peas or get craftier and use blended jars of baby food such as chicken noodle, strawberry banana, and vegetable medley. The person that gets the most right wins a prize!
The Bottle Chug
First, no beer allowed. This is a baby shower and not a frat party! Fill baby bottles with milk, punch, juice, or water. Have every participant line up and see who can chug their bottle the fastest! This game gets everyone laughing! Give the winner a nice bottle of wine as her prize!
Guess the Number of Bibs
It is no secret that people cannot pass by a cute bib without buying it for the mother-to-be. They are always a little addition to the bigger gift. So, before the new mom opens her gifts, have each guest guess how many bibs the mother-to-be will receive. Each guest should write his or her name and guess on a sheet of paper. This can also be done with blankets, onesies, and rattles! Choose one or all in case of a tie. Make sure someone keeps track of how many of each is received. The closest guess wins a prize!
The Diaper Door Prize
This is a great game for guests and the new mother. Tell every guest that if they bring a package of diapers to the shower then they will be entered to win the door prize. Make it something nice like a restaurant gift certificate, spa gift certificate, or something equally as nice. The new mom will be thrilled to have all those diapers and someone walks away with a great prize!
Guess the Number of Safety Pins, Diapers, or Burp Cloths
Fill a clear jar with safety pins, diapers, or burp cloths. Have each guest try and guess how many are in the jar. Give the woman with the closest guess a nice prize and the contents of the jar go to the new mother!

When I became pregnant for the first time, I found it hard to find good information about my pregnancy. A girlfriend of mine gave me the book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting”. I highly recommend this book to all first time Mothers. It is an excellent read with month by month reading outlining how you should look and feel, as well as all the important things about your growing baby inside.

There is a new baby on the way and both mother and child deserve to be celebrated. They are also going to need a lot of new things in order to survive that first year! This is why we hold a baby shower in the mother’s honor. It is a time for loved ones to get together and celebrate life as well as to help the mother-to-be get all of those items that she will need for her newborn.
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