Planning a baby shower can be a lot of work. Trust me. Time sneaks up on you, and suddenly, you realize you only have a few weeks left to get everything reserved, ordered, and organized for the big event. Yikes! I recently had my baby shower, and let me tell you, having to make sure everything was prepped and ready to go was—well—a lot. Luckily, I consider myself a pretty organized person, and I am blessed to have some great friends who helped me with the planning and the day of, so I could enjoy my shower.
Today I’m sharing my baby shower checklist that helped me stay on schedule and have a flawless shower. If you’re planning a baby shower for a friend or family member, this checklist will help you with your planning efforts. It will guide you to a smooth, fabulous, and worry-free event. 🙂
Seven Weeks in Advance
- Determine who the host(s) will be.
- Set a date and time.
- Set a budget.
- Choose a location for the shower.
- Decide whose home the party will be held in, or reserve a restaurant or party room.
- Prepare a guest list (consult with the mother-to-be), complete with full names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers (if possible).
- Determine how many people can fit in the room or home.
- Decide if the event will be catered (and if so, which company/restaurant) or if you or someone else will be helping make the food and determine who will be making what.
- Ask the mother-to-be if she has a particular theme or color scheme in mind for the event.
Six Weeks in Advance
- Order invitations and prepare invitations for mailing.
- If the expecting mama has registered somewhere for baby items, make sure her registry information is included in the invitation.
Five Weeks in Advance
- Mail the invitations.
- Plan the menu.
- If catering: keep the budget in mind.
- If cooking: assign who will be making what.
- Check if any guests have food allergies—make sure there are options available for them.
- Order the cake.
- Check tables, tableware, and chairs to ensure you have enough of each. If there isn’t enough, look up your local rental options.
- Decide what kind of decorations and/or flowers you’ll have.
- Make a list of any props or party favors you may need.
- Think about the baby shower games you want to play and the prizes for the winners.
- Assign a photographer or hire a professional photographer.
- Order any entertainment (if you want a band, etc.) or additional surprises.
Three Weeks in Advance
- Write out place cards, if desired.
- Order balloons and flowers if they are planned decorations.
- Are you going to have a flower crown, corsage, or something special for the mother-to-be to wear for the shower?
- Order table centerpieces.
- Order the props, prizes, or party favors that you’ll need.
- Wrap all favors and gifts.
- Have a plan for how the mother-to-be is getting to the shower. Is someone picking her up? Is she driving herself?
Two Weeks in Advance
- Re-confirm your reservation if you are hosting the shower at a restaurant or party space.
- If the party is at your home, decide which serving dishes, utensils, table linens, and napkins you’ll use.
- Clean or iron table linens if necessary.
- Re-confirm rental supplies (if needed).
- If catering: Re-confirm your order with the caterer.
- If cooking your food: Prepare a shopping list for the food and beverages you need.
- Re-confirm the entertainment or create a baby shower playlist for a fun and inviting atmosphere.
One Week in Advance
- Phone anyone who has not called to RSVP and have a final headcount.
- Prepare dishes that you can freeze ahead of time for the event.
- Re-confirm with guests who’ve been asked to bring food or special items.
- Put together or re-confirm party favors.
2 Days in Advance
- Shop for perishables, ice, and other remaining supplies.
- Prepare food that can be made in advance.
- If the event is at your home:
- Put decorations into place
- Set the table(s) and have
- Have a comfortable chair picked out, with a pillow or seat cushion, for the mom-to-be to use at the shower.
1 Day in Advance
- Finish preparing food.
- If you’re not cooking, pick up the cake and prepared foods, or check in with the caterer.
- Pick up flowers, or make sure they get delivered.
- If hosting in your home: Vacuum and clean the guest bathroom.
- Set up extra chairs for guests.
- Set up a designated space for holding baby gifts.
The Morning of the Shower
- Pick up balloons if you’re using them as decor. If you pick them up earlier, they could deflate.
- Have all hosts congregate at the party site an hour or two ahead of time to help set up.
- Chill some refreshments to be ready at party time.
- Set out food, except items that need to stay warm or cold.
Party Time!
- Introduce the guests to each other.
- Mingle.
- Eat.
- Take pictures.
- Play baby shower games.
- Open gifts.
- Designate someone to record who gave which gift.
- Designate someone to help give gifts for the mother-to-be to open. Bending down is now more difficult for her.
- Designate someone to collect all wrapping paper for trash.
- Designate someone to repackage all the gifts for the expecting mom to take home.
- Make sure that she is eating, is comfortable, and is happy. 🙂
After the Party
- Collect all the gifts and place them in the mother-to-be’s car or ride.
- Give flower arrangements to the mother-to-be to take home or have the other hosts make additional arrangements.
- Make sure that all guests are leaving with their party favors and coats.
- Clean up plates and cups once guests are finished.
- Gather all rented linens, tables, or chairs together if needed to be picked up or dropped off.
There’s my checklist to help you have the perfect baby shower. I hope it’s a blast!
