Baby Shower Planning Checklist
If you're responsible for throwing a baby shower, it's essential to stay organized and to develop a baby shower planning checklist to keep everything under control. When the day of the shower arrives, the last thing you want to do is run around like crazy and not enjoy all the festivities. To start, draft a rough version of your baby shower checklist. Include everything you need to do, buy, set up, make, and delegate to other helpers. Then, categorize all the baby shower to-do's and assign to an individual person, group, or vendor.
We've put together a baby shower checklist to help get you started!
6 to 10 Weeks Before the Baby Shower:
- Decide on the event location – will it be in your home or a local venue?
- Set the date for the baby shower – check with the parents-to-be and immediate family
- Determine the budget for the shower
- Decide if you want to cook the food yourself, have a potluck, or have the event catered
- Create the guest list for the baby shower – will everyone be able to comfortably fit at the location of the shower?
- Decide on a theme for the shower – this will help guide you with the rest of your planning
4 to 6 Weeks Before the Baby Shower:
- Order the baby shower cake
- Send invitations to your guests – be sure to include if the shower is a potluck or a surprise party. Email or text free baby shower invitations to easily track RSVPs online and message guests.
1 to 4 Weeks Before the Baby Shower:
- Choose entertainment/activities/games to play at the shower
- Buy or make baby shower decorations, game prizes, and party favors based on your theme
- Buy or make party supplies like plates, utensils, napkins, etc.
- Decide on the shower favors
Day Before the Baby Shower:
- Make sure all of the decorations, party favors, and games are ready
- Call your local caterer, if you have one, to make sure everything is all set for tomorrow.
- Make sure you have plenty of ice for drinks
- Set up extra tables and chairs if you are hosting the event in your home
- Check and double check to make sure everything on the baby shower planning checklist is ready to go
Day of the Baby Shower:
- Pick up the balloons, flowers, centerpieces, etc.
- Pick up the cake
- Hang up decorations and put out party favors
- Put out food and drinks just before guests will begin arriving
- Ask reliable guests to take pictures and/or video during the shower
- Before mommy-to-be is opens the gifts, designate one guest to handle putting the wrapping paper in a trash bag and ask another guest to write down the baby shower gifts and who they're from so the honoree can send digital thank-you notes to all the guests.
After the Baby Shower:
- Set back and relax! You did it!
- When the baby finally arrives, send thoughtful online New Baby cards to congratulate the new parents!
There is no right or wrong way of how to plan a baby shower. Just go with what the mom-to-be likes and make it a special event with lots of personal touches, like her favorite non-alcoholic drink and a comfortable chair to settle in while everyone is mingling.
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