Skip to content
Miami: 305-261-2001 | Coral Gables: 305-445-1313

Key Tips for Planning Your First Baby Shower

baby shower event locations

So you’re going to have to plan a baby shower! We would say that congratulations are in order, but this isn’t about you.

It’s about a cultural tradition that holds the best friend, sister, and/or mother of the expectant mom responsible for throwing a baby shower in her honor. When done right, baby showers can be a super fun way to let loose (but not too loose) before the baby comes. Done wrong, and baby showers can be a hackneyed waste of everyone’s time, but no pressure.

That being said, there’s really no wrong way to throw a baby shower, the success of which depends on good friends, family, and a whole lot of feels. And gifts, obviously. Lots of gifts.

Before you can start planning a baby shower, the first thing you’ll have to do is settle on where exactly you plan to host the shower. So to help you choose between various baby shower venues, we’ve put together a brief list of things to consider.

1. Do NOT Ask the Mom-to-be To Host!

Trust us, after the baby comes your expectant mother will spend more than enough time at home. In fact, the whole point of a baby shower is to make sure the mom in question isn’t involved in the preparations or clean up. Many baby shower recipients even offer to host the party themselves to make things easier on their friends and relatives. Even if you believe she was making a genuine offer, don’t listen!

2. Get a Head Count

When choosing baby shower venues, the most important thing you need to determine is the number of guests you expect. If only a handful of women are expected to attend, then it may be possible to host the event at your own home. But if more than a dozen friends, cousins, sorority sisters, neighbors, aunts, nieces, and grandparents are going to be in attendance, then it’s time to start looking for baby shower venues that can accommodate you.

3. How To Choose Baby Shower Event Locations

For popular wedding venues, it’s usually recommended that brides-to-be book their space at least nine months in advance. Obviously, that’s not an option for baby showers, but typically you won’t need that much notice. Plus, because baby showers are usually held during off-peak hours, it’s possible to book cheap banquet halls that otherwise have a long waiting list.

Traditionally, baby showers were held in upscale tea rooms, which is why many women are choosing to throw showers in banquet halls or similar classy venues. Plus, this has the bonus of sparing the hostess from the need to clean or cater the event herself, a definite perk.

Ultimately, you’ll want to choose baby shower venues that match the tone and character of the kind of party you want to throw. And so long as you’re in good company, then you can’t go wrong.

When you’re planning an event, booking things in advance is usually a good idea. In fact, most wedding reception sites are booked nine months to one year in advance. Fortunately, planning for baby shower event locations doesn’t have to be nearly as stressful.

That being said, it’s still important for your baby shower to be a special day for you and those people you love. If you want to plan a wonderful baby shower without all of the stress, here are some key elements you need to consider for your special day.

Paper Invitations

Your invitations don’t have to be handmade, but sending out a paper invitation with a baby shower theme is a wonderful, personal touch. Not to mention a great memento for your party guests!

Unique Baby Shower Locations

Your location will often depend on the theme or “feel” you want the event to have, so make sure you have at least a general idea of what you want that to be. Your location should not only reflect the feel of the day, it should be a reflection of your personal taste and it should help your guests feel at home as they celebrate with you.

Cake

If there’s one thing every event needs, it’s a cake. Whether you’re looking at wedding plans or still wondering where to have a baby shower, the cake should be something decadent and delicious that you can have fun with. Not only that, but you can use the cake to reveal the sex of your baby in a fun way!

Theme

As previously stated, it’s important that your invitations and location coincide nicely with your theme. This means, of course, that you need to have a theme in order to get all of this planning done properly! While a theme is something that can tie the whole day together, it’s not something that you should fret over. Like the cake, it should be something you can have fun with!

Whether it’s unique baby shower event locations or what to look for in a baby shower cake, these elements should all help you plan a wonderful, picture perfect baby shower.

A Few Great Tips to Help You Plan a Baby Shower on a Budget

Planning a baby shower can be an experience that’s equal parts stressful and rewarding, but if you’re on a budget it might be difficult to plan around that. Approximately 30% of brides plan their weddings for seven to 12 months, but you shouldn’t have to endure that much planning for this event.

Planning on a budget isn’t as tough as you might think. Here are just a few ways you can save money and still plan the perfect baby shower.

Location, Location
Wondering where to have a baby shower on a budget? Shop around! Don’t set your sights on a singular baby shower venue. Shopping around for cheap baby shower locations might take a little bit of time, but it will be worth it in the end because you’ll quickly learn what to look for in baby shower venues within a certain price range.

Invitations
Invitations can quickly get way up there in price, but there’s no need to get too fancy about it. If you still want to invest in traditional snail mail invites, consider making them yourself! Nothing adds a personal touch quite like handmade invitations to a party.

Floral Arrangements
It can be tempting to look at floral arrangements that rival wedding reception centerpieces, but you’re much better off going to a local florist or a farmers market to purchase simple, seasonal blooms for your shower. Not only will they be less expensive, they’ll look simple and fabulous at your baby shower.

Food
Catering can be an expensive gig, so why not host a potluck-style party? If guests volunteer to bring a dish, that cuts out the cost of a caterer and the time spent doing insane amounts of dishes afterward. Besides, a nice homemade feast can be even better than catered food.

Planning a baby shower doesn’t have to be as intense as planning a wedding, but it certainly is an important event. These budget-friendly tips like how to find cheap baby shower locations should help you plan an absolutely gorgeous baby shower without worrying about breaking the bank.