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How to Plan a Baby Shower: The Checklist Every Host Needs

Home decorated for a teddy bear-themed baby shower.

Picture this: Your bestie/sibling/cousin/child has a little one on the way, and you’ve been honored with the labor of love of planning and hosting their baby shower! This is one of the most exciting milestones of their life, so you know you want to plan a celebration they’ll cherish the memory of forever. From the planning timeline to the etiquette you and your guests need to know to budget tips, our baby shower planning guide has all the advice you need!

How to Plan a Baby Shower

1. Choose a Baby Shower Theme

Not only is choosing a baby shower theme one of the most fun parts of the party planning process, but it also sets the tone for everything else to come. Woodland and celestial continue to be popular baby shower trends, while safari animals, florals, rainbows, unicorns and dinosaurs are also top choices for this sweet celebration. Disney’s Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh are also favorites on the shower scene!

A collage of woodland creature baby shower decor and a matching invitation.
A collage of celestial baby shower decor and matching invitation.
Collage of floral baby shower and matching invitation.

Collage of rainbow baby shower decor and matching invitation.
Collage of Winnie the Pooh baby shower decor and matching invitation.

2. Book Your Venue

While baby showers are often held at someone’s private home, many people turn to other venues for showers. Restaurants, country clubs, hotels and event venues are popular choices if you have a larger budget, while local parks, beaches or churches can be fantastic budget-friendly locations. Remember—the more popular the venue, the earlier you need to reserve the space. When deciding upon the venue, make sure to ask them about outside food, decorations, set-up time, parking and anything else you have questions about so there aren’t any surprises on the big day.

3. Create and Send Baby Shower Invitations

Once you know where and when you’re hosting the baby shower, it’s time to invite family and friends to join you in celebrating the parent(s)-to-be! The best time to send out baby shower invitations is 6–8 weeks before the event, and Evite offers hundreds of cute baby shower invitation templates with instant RSVP tracking, the ability to add up to 3 registries or a baby fund right to the event details, and text or email delivery. You can also upload your own design to create a one-of-a-kind invite!

Some of our favorite baby shower invitations to consider:

A celestial invitation with baby animals on it next to an invitation with a teddy bear on it.
Sweet Lullaby and Beary Cute

A pretty floral invitation next to an invitation with various baby woodland creatures.
Delicate Florals in Yellow and Watercolor Woodland Border

4. Order Food, Beverages and Dessert

No party is complete without yummy bites, delicious drinks and an epic cake! If you’re holding the baby shower at a restaurant, you’ll likely work with them to create a special set menu for the celebration, but if you’re having the party elsewhere, it’s up to you to decide what menu works best. If you’re throwing an outdoor party, have chafing dishes on hand to keep the hot foods hot and plenty of ice for the bevvies. It’s best to keep things simple since you’ll have many other activities planned for the party.

5. Plan Baby Shower Games and Activities

What’s a baby shower without some baby shower games? Fun baby shower activities are basically a requirement, and honestly, who doesn’t love getting to play a silly little game at a party? There are endless activities to do at a baby shower, but we highly recommend checking out our top 10 baby shower games and activities for yours (trust us—these made the list for a reason)!

Collage of different baby shower activities and games.

6. Purchase Baby Shower Decorations and Party Supplies

You don’t need to go OTT here—unless you want to! Let your party theme determine what theme/colors you want for your decor and supplies (psst…your party invitation can help inspire you), and run with that. Balloons, a banner, plates, cutlery, napkins, cups and a tablecloth are perfect places to start. You can also add hurricane candle holders, flowers/greenery, a sweet photo backdrop and other props (like these classic “BABY” blocks) for some extra pizzazz.

7. Purchase Baby Shower Favors for Guests

Party favors aren’t required for a baby shower, but they are a heartfelt way to say “Thank you!” to your guests for being a part of your shower. Some top baby shower favors ideas include:

8. Keep a Running List of Who Gave Which Gift

Help the guest(s) of honor out by helping them keep track of the gifts they receive so they’ll know who to thank later. Either purchase a small notebook or take notes on your iPad/laptop that lists 1. Who gave the gift and 2. What the gift is. Share your notes with the guest(s) of honor afterward so they’ll be ready to start sending out their thank you cards!

All of the products we feature are hand-selected by our editors! You see only what we love and what we think you'll love too. If you buy something through links on our site, Evite may earn a commission. Prices are subject to change.

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All of the products we feature are hand-selected by our editors! You see only what we love and what we think you'll love too. If you buy something through links on our site, Evite may earn a commission. Prices are subject to change.

No items found.
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