Planning a baby shower can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! With a little organization, we guarantee you can pull off the perfect event. In this blog, our team shares seven tips for planning an unforgettable baby shower, from choosing a theme to developing a menu your guests can’t stop talking about. Ready to create lasting memories for your guests and special new parents-to-be? Let’s get started!
Select a Party Date & Set a Project Schedule
Typically, baby showers are hosted sometime during the honoree’s third trimester. Once you select a date that works best for the family, start thinking of the shower from a project management perspective. What are rough “deadlines” for finding a caterer, ordering dessert, or selecting a venue? Blocking out time and setting alerts in your calendar helps break up your shower checklist into more manageable (and less overwhelming) chunks.
Choose a Theme
While it might sound cheesy, selecting a baby shower theme can help set your event up for success and prevent decision fatigue. How? A theme streamlines the decision-making process, informing invitation design, party decorations, guest favors, and even menu items. Once a theme is set, you don’t think of new ideas or designs; you can simply utilize the same design template to create a beautiful and cohesive shower.
Some theme ideas include:
- Favorite animal
- Favorite children’s book
- Seasonal (winter, spring, summer, or fall depending on the due date)
- Favorite habitat (woodland, jungle/safari, or ocean for example)
- Rubber ducky & making a splash theme
- Outer space
- High-tea & garden party
Plan a (Loose) Event Agenda
To ensure that your guests are well-fed and entertained throughout the event, we recommend developing a short agenda for the day. This will help give the shower structure while still allowing for day-of spontaneity. Your schedule for the day shouldn’t be so strict that no one is having fun! Make sure to give guests unstructured time to arrive, mingle with drinks, enjoy food, and then plan more structured time for activities such as gifts and games.
Develop a Menu
Food can make or break an event. It is often one of the things that people remember the most about parties. Plus, a baby shower is a perfect time to get fun with food, from cute dessert displays to creating a smorgasbord of the mommy-to-be’s favorites. If you need a little extra help in the kitchen, our team has compiled a list of local caterers below!
Local Caterers:
Up Your Game(s)
Baby shower games can serve as great icebreakers or as a way to keep the party vibes flowing. Just make sure games do not overtake the entire event! Nobody loves being forced into playing game after game. Our rule of thumb is to keep games short and sweet and to 30-45 minutes total.
A few game ideas include:
- Guess the Cravings
- Celebrity Baby Name Match Game
- Baby Bingo
Gift Considerations
It’s important to decide whether or not to open gifts during the baby shower. Depending on the party size, opening every single one might take up a significant amount of party time. And let’s face it, watching other guests’ presents being opened is kind of boring. If you are looking for alternatives, asking guests to bring unwrapped items to be displayed at the shower or requesting gifts be sent directly to your house are great ideas!
Book a Venue
Of course, finding the perfect venue is an important piece of the planning process! To help narrow down locations, consider the number of guests and your overall budget. Warm-weather months also provide an additional option for outdoor events. If you are truly looking to relax throughout the entire event, we recommend looking into restaurants, hotels, or local community centers (hi, that’s us!). Set-up and clean-up are managed by venue staff, and there is no need to worry about deep-cleaning your house in preparation for guests.
At Central Park Place, we offer:
- Different room sizes that can accommodate a wide variety of guest counts.
- Free table and chair set-up and tear down.
- Outdoor patio space when renting the Mackinaw Ballroom.
- Wheelchair accessible entry. The parking lot at the back of the building connects directly to the building with touch-to-open doors, elevator access, and handicapped bathroom stalls.
- Free parking lots behind and adjacent to the building plus on-street parking.
If you are ready to learn more about our venue, please call us at 616-842-2550 or fill out our Contact Form today! We look forward to helping you arrange a beautiful and memory-filled baby shower.
