Planning a baby shower for your best friend is one of those heartwarming and slightly chaotic adventures that you’re going to remember forever. It’s your chance to be by their side and celebrate this new milestone in their life while feeling completely supportive of everything they’re about to go through.It’s her next big chapter and she should be the centre of attention for at least a day, so throwing a baby shower is always a lovely idea.
You get to create a day that makes her feel like the glowing queen that she is, even if she’s currently heavily pregnant and hasn’t seen her feet for weeks. Baby showers do not have to be Pinterest perfect, but given that you’re her best friend, you’re going to know everything she’s going to want for this baby shower. It should be thoughtful, full of baby shower gifts and packed with people who can’t wait to meet the little one, but also can’t wait to put her first as a parent and as their friend. Remember, baby showers don’t just have to be about the baby, but about the parents who are about to have their life changing.
- Put together a group chat. Before you start hunting for baby bottle balloon arches and themed options, take a breath and start with a plan. And that means involving her family and her friends. What kind of vibe are you looking to go for? Creating a group chat with any Co hosts or helpers nails down the basics. You can come up with a date, a budget, a guest list and who’s willing to help. You can then delegate all of these and avoid those last minute scramble moments. The group chat will also probably turn into a hilarious thread of memes and baby pun ideas. And while you’re busy organising the event, don’t forget to ask your best friend where she’s registered. This way guests can buy gifts.
- Be flexible with your theming. Themes are fun but don’t let them stress you out. Themes can be as simple as neutral colours in greenery or as elaborate as woodland creatures with a dash of sparkle. If your friend has a Nursery theme already picked out, then that’s a great place to begin. Try not to make the baby shower theme around gender because that’s outdated. Pick a theme like starry nights or sunshine Days or flowers or robots or astronauts or something. The key is to pick something that suits her style, rather than what’s trending on social media or what’s based on gender.
- Send out the invite early. Once the date and the theme are both set, send out the invitations with plenty of notice for guests. 6 weeks ahead is a good rule of thumb, especially if guests are planning to travel for this event. You can be old school with printed invites or embrace the ease of digital ones, especially if their friends are far-flung.Include all the essentials including the time, the place, the RSVP information, registry link and more. If you’re hosting a virtual baby shower, platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet will make it super easy to connect with anyone.
- Make it cosy and happy. Whether you’re setting up in someone’s living room or at a local cafe, make sure that the space looks inviting where everybody feels comfortable. Consider soft lighting, cosy seating and a playlist of feel good tunes. You want this event to go off without a hitch, and that means taking the time to plan it correctly.
- Plan fun games with prizes. Baby shower games can get a bad reputation, but honestly they can be so simple and so much fun. Baby showers do not have to be over complicated or awkward because you can go for the fun low pressure options like getting the baby food flavour or doing some trivia on who knows the mum best. Prices can be baby themed but you can have a lot of fun mapping these out.
- Don’t forget the catering. People will always remember the food first at an event. You don’t have to cater a 5 course meal, but having delicious snacks or a theme spread can go a long way. Brunch showers are super popular for a reason, so think pastries, fruit, mini quiches or mimosas but mocktail versions for the ones who don’t want to drink alcohol.If the shower is in the afternoon, a light buffet or a grazing table works really well. Dessert is where you can have fun with this because you can do cupcakes with baby toppers, cookies shaped like rattles, or even an ice cream sundae bar. Cake is always a good idea. Always.
- Set up a memory station. In a similar vein to how wedding guest books work, giving guests a way to share their sweet words is a good idea. It could be parenting advice, funny anecdotes, or even moments of just reminding the mother that she is going to do a fantastic job. You could do advice cards or baby predictions, a guest book or an instant photo wall with Polaroids. It’s these keepsakes that will really become the treasured memories that they want the most.
- Organise the gifts. Gift opening can be one of the sweetest parts of a baby shower, and it can also be one of the most chaotic. Designating a spot for presents and recruiting a helper to hand them over, record who gave what and make notes for the thank you pile is a good idea. If you’re short on time or you want to skip the gift opening so that you don’t overwhelm the new mum, just let the guests know ahead of time. It’s OK to do it privately later, especially if it’s a bigger or more casual shower.
- Send out goodie bags. Party favours are a lovely way to say thank you for celebrating. You just get to keep it simple. Mini succulents, handmade soaps or a sweet treat in a cute bag are a perfect parting gift for a baby shower. Adding A tag with the date or a funny baby quote for a personal touch is a nice idea. People love a good pun.
- Stay calm in the chaos. You’re the best friend in this situation, which means that the most important tip of all to remember is why you’re doing this. This is not about impressing anybody or throwing a flawless party. It’s about your best friend, the one who is about to step up to a whole new adventure and make her feel loved, supported, and celebrated. So if the balloons won’t stick to the wall, the cake arrives slightly lopsided, or your diaper cake looks more like a tortilla stack, it’s fine. Laugh it off, roll with it, and keep the good vibes flowing.
Throwing a baby shower is so much more than just party planning. This is a heartfelt send off into the wild for your best friend. It’s a wonderful world of parenting and with the right mix of creativity, coordination and love, you can make her feel reassured that she is supported through this journey. This is a celebration that your best friend is not going to want to forget, so you want to be able to step up and put yourself out there to make sure that this is organised for her. You get to watch your best friend be a mum. This is exciting for you too.
