Baby Talk :: Tips for Hosting a Baby Shower

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I've hosted quite a few Bridal, Bachelorette and Baby Showers and have had them all hosted for me and now that I have another Baby Shower under my belt I consider myself somewhat of an expert. So today, I thought I'd share some of my tips for planning and hosting a successful baby shower! 

1. PLAN AHEAD! You all know by now that I am super type-a, especially when it comes to planning. I like to get things done far in advance so I can cross them off my list, stop thinking/worrying about them and move on to the next thing. I think jotting down ideas, starting a Pinterest board and laying the groundwork for the shower well in advance really helps and allows you to have plenty of time to get things done without stressing.

2. SEARCH FOR SALES! Planning ahead also allows you to search for sales and save coupons. I pride myself on finding deals and saving money where I can and hosting a shower is no different. Putting a shower together can really add up, but if you take some extra time to look for deals and buy things when they're on sale and in stages you will end up saving yourself a TON of money. For example: I started buying things for Carolyn's shower in April. I made a master list of everything I'd need and when I'd see it on sale or when I had a coupon I'd grab it and check it off the list. By the time the shower rolled around, I really only needed to buy food. Thanks to Babies R Us, Carter's and Michaels coupons, some major Amazon searching, my Target Red Card and my mom's Costco account I don't think I paid full price for a single item at the baby shower! Holla for a dollar y'all! 

3. MAKE IT ABOUT HER! We all have certain styles and tastes and when you're planning a shower you should focus on the taste of the guest of honor even if it's different than what you would chose. The very first thing I did when planning this shower for Jake & Carolyn was make a list of their favorite things. I used this list to set the tone and plan the entire shower. It worked out great because everything down to the tiny details reflected the two of them and their baby boy!

4. CREATE A THEME! Whether it's something clever like "Ready to Pop". Something cute like "Jungle Animals". Or something simple like "Baby Blue", find a way to tie everything together. Having everything from the balloons to servingware to favors all be cohesive makes a really big impact! 

5. KEEP IT A SURPRISE! No matter how nosy or anxious or excited your guest of honor is, try to keep the majority of the shower a surprise! If she knows details she may start to over-think things or set expectations and could end up disappointed. Plus, who doesn't love a surprise?

6. DON'T FORGET STATIONERY! Creating invitations and stationery is what I do for a living so I am biased, but I do think a printed and mailed invitation is crucial in planning a great event. Evites are convenient, easy and free but the invitation sets the tone for the event. Show your guests that this is an important and special event by taking the time to address and mail paper invitations. PLUS, it's a great way to share your theme and get everyone excited! Not to mention an invitation is a great keepsake for the guest of honor! 

7. HAVE FUN! If you find yourself stressed or anxious about planning (guilty!), step back, take a deep breath and figure out what you can do to make the planning fun! Your guest of honor would never want her shower to be a cause of stress in your life - so don't let it be!

Have you hosted a shower before? What advice do you have?