Posh Showers - Baby Shower & Bridal Shower Favors, Games, and Invitations

Hosting a baby shower can be a lot of fun but it also takes a lot of planning. A baby shower is a way to celebrate the excitement of new life and should not create unneeded stress and worry. This is a day for the mom-to-be to shine! Posh Shower's main goal is to make throwing a shower as easy as possible and to take the work out of it. With this goal, we have compiled helpful tips and suggestions for those planning a shower.

Who Hosts a Shower I For Whom Showers are Given I Length of Shower
Choosing the Time and Type of Shower - Luncheon or Light
Choosing a Venue or Theme I Games I Favors I Invitations
Helpful Tips

Who Hosts a Shower

These days anyone can host a baby shower, from a friend to a relative, even a co-worker - nothing is taboo! Before you plan a shower, it's best to undertake a little research first. If the mom-to-be is close to her (or your!) family, ask if any of them are planning a shower. If they are, you can always offer help to whoever's hosting. If not, ask the mom-to-be if she would be okay with you hosting.

For Whom are Showers Given

Typically, baby showers are thrown for first-time moms/parents, adopted children, or "caboose" children - those unexpected bundles of joy. However, it's becoming more and more popular to have a baby shower for each baby, no matter how far apart.

After all, what better reason to celebrate than a new addition to the family!

Length of Shower

A baby shower typically lasts 2 to 3 hours in length, which includes plenty of time to socialize, snack, play games, eat cake, and have the mom-to-be open presents. A shower that is less than 3 hours keeps the pace lively so guests are entertained the entire time. This is also better for the mom-to-be so that she is not worn out before the party is over. A shower is not successful if the guest of honor is falling asleep. :- )

Choosing the Time and Type of Shower

The type and time of shower you throw go hand-in-hand. The most traditional showers are the Luncheon Shower or the Light Shower.

Luncheon Shower

If you want to serve a meal, a luncheon shower is right for you. The luncheon shower should be at mealtime, so that the guests will expect to be fed and will come hungry. Noon or one o'clock is probably the most natural time for a luncheon shower. This allows the hostess(es) a few hours of prep time before the guests arrive to arrange decorations, favors, etc. Tables and seat accommodations should be provided for guests at a luncheon shower to avoid having them awkwardly eat meals on their laps.

To keep the luncheon shower moving at a good pace, budget the following for time typical shower activities:

Greeting/Socializing/Drinks (30 minutes)
Lunch (20-30 minutes)
Games (30-60 minutes)
Cake (10 minutes)
Presents (30-60 minutes)

Light Shower

If serving a full meal isn't the way to go for you, than a light shower is just right. A light shower should be at a non-typical mealtime so that guests do not create their own expectation that a meal will be served. A good time for a light shower would be two or three o'clock in the afternoon. At a light shower, it is appropriate to serve appetizers and finger-foods. Also at a light shower, there should be more time allowed for socializing, as it's easier to move around holding appetizers and drinks. Formal seating is unnecessary.

To keep the light shower moving at a good pace, budget the following for time:

Greeting/Socializing/Drinks/Appetizers (30-45 minutes)
Games (45-60 minutes)
Cake (10 minutes)
Presents (30-60 minutes)

Of course, the luncheon shower and light shower outlined above are more traditional shower guidelines . There is nothing wrong if you want to mix it up a bit, as long as you keep the mom-to-be at the forefront of your planning.

Choosing a Venue or Theme

Since it's the mom-to-be's day, the type of shower you choose should suit her. Baby showers are traditionally held in a home or a restaurant. However, alternative locations are perfectly acceptable with sound reasoning behind them. For example, if the mom-to-be likes gardening, then holding the shower in an outdoor garden setting may be an ideal venue to use. . The venue is completely up to you and your budget, but try to keep the mom-to-be's preferences in mind.

Themes are trendy but optional. If the mom-to-be has a theme for her nursery such as teddy bears or butterflies, you can always throw a "theme shower" based on that. You can also create a distinct baby theme just for the shower, such as a baby carriage or rocking horse theme. Themes can be inspiring and help to tie different pieces of the shower together, from invitations, to decorations and favors. Creating a memorable experience for the guests and mom-to-be is the intention.

Remember, the shower will be much more successful and fun if it reflects the mom-to-be's personality and style. After all, the mom-to-be is the reason you are all there!

Games

No shower is complete without fun and games. Plan to have at least 3 games prepared that take around 10 minutes each (see our Game Kits section) and at least 4 prizes ready to be handed out to the lucky winners. Games should encourage interaction between the guests. Games should not be too complicated that the guests feel discouraged, but they should be challenging enough so that there are not multiple winners. For games in which the participants must write down answers, instead of reading answers aloud , ask the guests to tell you the answers. This is an easy way to encourage participation and interaction with your guests. It's enjoyable to make a big deal out of awarding the prize by letting the winners select which prize they want and then opening the gift and passing it around for everyone to see and ooo and ahh over.

Favors:

Providing favors for showers is becoming much more fashionable and are almost expected. Favors add a pleasant, decorative touch to any shower and should reflect both the mom-to-be and the type of shower you are hosting. Favors are a way to give guests a tangible, lasting memory of the shower. Traditional favors aren't necessarily kept for long, so make the favors fun items that guests will actually use and get enjoyment from, such as bath salts, lip glosses, cookie cutters, etc. (see our Baby Shower Favors selections).

Invitations

Invitations set an important tone for the shower. Does the mom-to-be know the gender of the baby? Is it a surprise? Does the mom-to-be have a theme for the nursery? Is the shower in a garden setting, etc? Invitations can hint at the answer of any or all of these questions without actually spelling it out. It's always commendable if the invitation gives the guest an idea about what to expect at the shower so their expectations are realistically set.

Have the mom-to-be provide you with a guest list as soon as she can. Showers are typically held 8 weeks prior to the due date as this gives the mom-to-be time to arrange the gifts she receives in the nursery and write thank-you notes prior to the baby's arrival.

Invitations (see our Baby Shower Invitations selections) should be sent out 4-6 weeks before the shower to allow plenty of notice to the guests. Make sure that the invitation or an insert card lists where the mom-to-be is registered, what type of food will be served, the address and/or directions to the shower, the date, time, and RSVP requirements. Suggested wording for invitations may be found at http://www.verseit.com.

Helpful Tips

Tip: Hold the shower at least 8 weeks before the due date if possible. The closer to the due date, the greater the chances are that the mom-to-be might not make it to her own shower if she has an early delivery or complications, etc. Trust us, this has happened!

Tip: Have the mom-to-be provide you with a guest list at least 8 weeks before the shower as the number of attendees is vital in determining the type of shower you will hold, the location, number of favors, etc. The sooner you start organizing and planning, the smaller the amount of last minute stress you will have! Also, this makes it easier to absorb the cost of the shower as you can spread out your purchases over a greater amount of time.

Tip: It is good to note on the invitations if and what type of food will be served. If this is not noted, guests tend to eat right before the shower since they are unsure if food will be provided.

Tip: Make sure the mom-to-be plans to arrive at her shower at least a comfortable amount of time, perhaps even as little as a few minutes, before the guests arrive so she is able to greet them personally.

Tip: If the mom-to-be is inviting guests from different parts of her life who don't know each other, such as relatives, co-workers or old high school friends , it's a good idea to provide your guests with nametags. To make it fun, you can have the guests write their names and how they know the mom-to-be. Nametags also make it easier for the hostess(es) to know all of the guests' names when it comes time to record the gifts for the mom-to-be.

Tip: Assign someone to take pictures during the shower for the baby's album. This is a memorable event that the mom-to-be will definitely want documented.

Tip: For Jack and Jill showers, make sure to have prizes and favors that men would be sure to enjoy too! Candles are probably a good gift for both men and women as long as they are not overtly feminine. Another good option is a gift card for a unisex store or a pair of movie tickets.

Tip: Make sure that guests have something hard to write on, like a book or magazine, if tables are not provided for games.

Tip: In the event that a game results in a tie and you do not have an extra gift to give out, an easy tiebreaker is to find out which one has a birthday closest to the baby's due date and make that person the winner.

Tip: It's good to serve the cake right before the mom-to-be opens her gifts, as this will keep the guests occupied as she's opening her presents.