Baby Shower Planning Do's And Don'ts

If you are planning a baby shower, you will want to be organized and have a solid plan of action to guide you through what will hopefully be a memorable occasion for all! While there are no rules when it comes to baby showers, here are some informal "Do's and Don'ts" to keep in mind while you are in the baby shower planning stages.

DO'S

Do make a checklist of things that need to get done.

Do decide upon a budget early on, as this will directly impact all of your other choices and decisions.

Do pick a date that suits most of your guests, but keep in mind that you can never please everybody...

Do decide what form of invitation you will use. In today's age you have many choices! You can use the postal system and mail your invites; you can send online invitations by email; you can send already-made invitations or you can create and customize your own; you can do all your inviting by telephone.

Do decide upon a theme for the baby shower: the theme often sets the tone for the event and can ultimately determine its success. The good news is that "anything goes" when it comes to baby shower themes. You can choose a simple color scheme or an all-encompassing theme that affects décor, menu, invitations, gifts, and even dress.

Do plan some baby shower activities: You can go traditional and stick with food, gifts, and cake-cutting, or you can be creative and plan games, activities, crafts, movies, outings, bring in a surprise guests, et cetera. Just think about who your guests are and what interests them, and let that be your guide.

Do remember those little things that can be overlooked: make sure you have enough chairs; prepare ice for cold drinks; get your camera ready; provide guests with a map or directions to the baby shower; be well rested and ready to party on the big day!

DON'TS

Don't forget to provide a means of RSVP for your guests so that you know how many people to expect.

Don't be intimidated by a small budget. The parents-to-be will surely appreciate any baby shower you host, and there are myriads of ways to cut costs when planning a baby shower. A few examples include making a potluck baby shower where everyone brings a dish to eat; making your decorations by hand; setting a budget for all gifts (most of your guests will highly appreciate this gesture, both for financial reasons and for the fact that it removes the competitive element from baby shower gift-giving!); hosting the shower in someone else's home; inviting guests by phone instead of buying and mailing invitations; keep the guest list small and intimate.

Don't be afraid to delegate! You don't have to do everything yourself...You also want to be able to enjoy the baby shower and not get so stressed or overwhelmed that you are unable to have a good time when that special day arrives.

Don't be too bossy if you have planned special activities. It's always good to plan ahead, but try to go with the flow and gauge the mood of your guests once the festivities begin. If everyone is having a good time and they don't seem interested in something you have planned, let it go.

Don't forget to buy film and batteries for cameras and video recorders - you don't want to miss out on capturing the good times so that you can savor them again and again at a later date!