Creative Baby Shower Ideas From Around the Country
*_Baby Bling Shower
*_If you’re a glamorous mom-to-be (or hoping for a girly girl), play up the sparkle and host a “Baby Bling” shower with shiny pacifier ring or bejeweled photo frame favors! — Deborah Elias, Elias Events in Houston
*_Unique Centerpieces
*_Use playful vessels like toy carriages or plastic baby bottles as vases. You can also skip the flowers and fill them with goodies like jelly beans, extra-large gumballs and other colorful candies. — Lynn Shapiro, Parties by Lyn Inc. in Miami
*_Nontraditional Games
*_A favorite activity is the “Celebrity Baby” game. To play, create a document with one column of celebrities’ names and another with their kids’ names. Guests have to match the celebrity to the child. The player with the most correct matches wins! Stick to just one game so guests have time to catch up and mingle during the shower. — Danielle Seals, Belleza e Luce in Monmouth County, NJ
*_Mocktails for Mama-to-Be
*_Get a boost by sipping a mocktail coordinated with your theme, like a Momtini, Mamarita or Mamajito (alcohol-free concoctions of your favorite drink with club soda or another fizzy drink). Not only will these be tasty drinks, but when presented in a fun glass or punch bowl, they’re also a part of your décor. — Ashley Rath, Dishy Event Planning in St. Louis
*_Staying Energized
*_Sip an herbal tea and take a seat while opening presents to keep your energy levels up. If you have a large shower, consider taking a break halfway through the gifts. It’s a good time to cut the cake and also allows guests to get a drink and mingle. — Melanie Hill, Exceptional Events in Dallas
*_Playing Up Color
*_Keep the shower theme gender-neutral and modern with color-blocked décor. Incorporate one bold color into the 3 C’s: candy, cupcakes and cocktails (or mocktails). Fill pretty glass jars with monochromatic candy to play up the chosen hue — it sounds delicious and chic! — Rosie Pope, Rosie Pope Maternity in New York City
*_Pampering Party
*_One theme that’s really popular right now is a pampering party. Plan some spa-inspired activities like manicures and mini massages for you and your guests. Couldn’t everyone use a little pampering? — Jennifer Shields, Posh Tot Events in the Atlanta area
*_Favor Ideas
*_Nothing can replace a handwritten thank-you note, but it’s also nice to have something else that shower guests can take home right away. For smaller showers, give stationery, monogrammed items or travel-size bath products as favors. For larger showers (or a limited budget), small confections like cookies or candies are always a treat. — Rachael Lewis, Phoenix Event Planning in Phoenix
*_Trendy Themes
*_Two trendy baby shower themes are owls and children’s books. For the owl shower, decorate with vintage birdcages, Mason jars and rustic flowers in tin cans for a look that’s sweet and gender-neutral. Go bookworm-style with a children’s-book-themed party and have every guest bring a book to help build baby’s library. — Ashley Fauset, Coco Rose Events in Los Angeles
*_Fun and Engaging Activities
*_If your friends aren’t into games, plan a fun activity that’s also an icebreaker. We brought in a florist once to show the guests how to make flower arrangements. And for a coed shower, we had the women get manicures or pedicures, and the guys had a tequila and scotch tasting. They loved it. — Debbie Orwat, Save the Date Events in Denver
*_Interactive Decor
*_Put up fun displays around the room to get guests socializing. I like to set tables with sonogram photos or baby pictures of the mom. Putting the guest book in a different part of the space adds another point of interest that draws guests in and encourages them to move around and mingle. — Abby Stonewall Kapp, Little Miracles Baby Planning in the Charlotte, NC, area
*_Craving-Based Motifs
*_Don’t be afraid to get creative with the motif — it’s your day, after all! Anything goes for mom-to-be. I’ve planned an omelet party at 6 p.m. because an expecting mom craved omelets so much. — Joelle Gowryluk-Knapp, Nest Help in Chicago
*_Short and Sweet
*_Make the baby shower no longer than three hours, because you don’t want it to drag and it’ll tire mama-to-be out. Three hours is the pregnant mom max. — Denise Xagorarakis, OC Baby Planner in Orange County, CA
*_The Baby Photo Game
*_A fun idea is to have your guests bring their own baby photos and have everyone guess who’s who. This game helps everyone socialize and get to know each other better — not to mention it can get some laughs. — Sharon Cichy, Capital City Mamas in DC
*_DIY Fun
*_If you don’t want games at your shower, DIY projects can be a hit with guests. We like decorating letters or frames to hang on the wall of the nursery, or having everyone sign a matte board for a frame. Try a scrapbooking activity. Have everyone decorate a page and take a picture with mom-to-be to add to their finished piece. A book filled with all of them is a sweet keepsake. — Nichole Simpson, 2 Friends Events in Santa Clara, CA
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