Planning a baby shower nowadays is kind of a big deal. It’s no longer sitting around and exchanging presents – there’s so much more to consider. Games, food, drinks, decorations … it’s all got to be delicately thought out and there are a lot of factors that will determine what sort of theme you’re going for. It can start to get expensive, so here as some top saving tips to get you on your way and give the new mom a shower to remember!
Games
There are so many different ideas floating around online for what to do in terms of games. Most of them don’t require too much in terms of expense, but there are certain things that may need to be bought – pens and paper, for example. Keep it on a budget and don’t go overboard … there can always be too much of a good thing, and while people may seem like they’re enjoying the games, it can become tedious after a while. Use it to break up the day rather than focusing the whole event around them. While you may feel like you need to fill the time the whole way through, the mom to be will be enjoying seeing all of her friends and family together one last time before her life changes forever. It’s a really special time.
Decorations
DIY is best when thinking about how best to prepare the room that you’ll be holding the baby shower in. Decorations can come in many forms, so try and think outside the box; instead of thinking what could adorn the walls, think about what could hang from the ceiling and be a centrepiece on the table. You could have a string of photos of the mom to be from when she was a baby herself – have a hunt around online for some great deals on photo printing such as tiny prints coupons. Try and make it as personal to the mother as you you can. A great Pinterest-inspired idea is to draw out a bare tree and have everybody put their fingerprint on it as the leaves. It is something that can then be put up in the new baby’s room as part of the decor.
Food
Food doesn’t have to be expensive, and your guests won’t be expecting a full-blown three course meal. Keep it light and keep it varied – that’s the best plan of action. This may be your biggest expense of the day, so try and keep reigned in on what you’re spending on. There is always so much food left over at the end of any party, and this one will be just the same. Think about the things that are usually left over at the end of any event you’ve been to (such as salads, certain sandwiches etc) and avoid placing them out. Take into consideration all the different diets that you may have to cater for, such as vegetarians and coeliacs, and make sure that you do a headcount of who’s coming at least a week beforehand so you know how much food to prepare.