This document provides a comprehensive guide to planning a baby shower. It discusses what a baby shower is, how to determine the guest list and location, how to send invitations, what food and decorations to have, popular game and favor ideas, how to handle gifts, and clean up. The goal is to help shower the expectant mother with advice, gifts, and support as she prepares for her new baby's arrival. Planning tools, favors, games and other items are available from Baby Shower Depot to help make planning easier and the event a success.

1. The Definitive Guide to Planning
a Baby Shower

2. What is a Baby Shower?
Baby showers in the United States have evolved since they
became popular over 60 years ago. What once started as a
female only event to “shower” the mom-to-be with advice and
gifts to help her get started with baby is now anything from
female only, co-ed, office shower, grandma shower or a baby
sprinkle. The ultimate goal is the same: to share advice and gifts
for the mom or parents-to-be.

3. Baby Shower Planning
Planning a baby shower doesn’t have to be difficult. Two things you
need to decide on first is 1. who will be involved in planning and 2.
how much you would like to spend on the shower. Once you determine
those important steps, then you can dive in to planning the baby
shower.

4. Baby Shower Planning
Here’s what you need to plan the perfect baby shower:
• Guest List • Favors
• Location • Games
• Invitations • Gifts
• Food
• Decorations
• Clean Up

5. Guest List
Baby showers are no longer limited to females only. There are different
types of baby showers that include co-ed showers, office showers,
grandma showers, and baby sprinkles. For these showers men can also
be invited.
The size of your guest list will also
determine location, food, and budget.

6. Location
A few things will determine where you will have the baby shower.
• Size of the guest list
• Budget
• Food
These three things will determine if you have the shower at someone’s
house, a banquet hall or restaurant.

7. Invitations
Invitations can be sent via snail mail or email. While an
evite may be convenient there are 3 reasons to send a
formal invitation via mail:
• Some guests may not have email (yes, they’re out there)
or may not check email often.
• Mom-to-be can make the baby shower invitation into a
keepsake.
• People still appreciate receiving a formal invitation in the
mail.
We offer 18 different
styles of baby shower
invitations. Free
Personalization.

8. Food
Your budget will help determine what you will serve. You have the
following options:
• You do the cooking. Serve it at home or a
banquet hall.
• Have it catered. Serve it at home or a banquet hall.
• Have the shower at a restaurant. They usually have an event
menu that will serve three or more courses at a per person
price.

9. Decorations
Don’t be limited by traditional decorations, such as streamers or
balloons. Think outside of the box. Floral centerpieces in mason
jar vases, mini diaper cake centerpieces, tulle, a clothesline with
baby clothes hung on it are all great decoration ideas.

10. Favors
There are so many baby shower favors
available that you are sure to find one that
compliments mom-to-be’s style as well as fit
your budget. The great thing about many
favors purchased online is that they offer free
personalization. The only thing you need to do
is apply the labels to the favor. You can also
get great DIY ideas on Pinterest if you’d like to
make your own.
Baby shower favors
featuring hundreds of
styles, designs
and colors.
Free personalization &
15% off retail prices.

11. Games
Baby showers can last up to four hours. A
great way to have your guests interact with
each other and have a good laugh together is
to have activities planned. You can have games
or activities, such as onesie decorating. Make
sure you have all the supplies necessary so that
all of your guests can participate if they
choose.
Why add to the
stress of planning
a baby shower?
Our baby shower
games need little to
no preparation.

12. Gifts
Have a table set up for guests to place their
gifts close to where you want mom-to-be to
open her gifts. You will also need a pen &
paper to write down who bought what gift;
scissors & tape if you want to make a bow hat;
and garbage bags for throwing away the
Diaper cakes not only wrapping paper.
make great gifts, but
they look great as
centerpieces too!

13. Clean Up
Whether you have the baby shower at a restaurant or at home you
are going to have to do some cleaning up. At the very least you’ll
have to clean up the wrapping paper from the gifts. At most, you’ll
also be responsible for cleaning up food, tables, chairs, etc. for an
at home shower. Have plenty of garbage bags on hand, preferably
lawn and leaf as they hold more. If you’d like guests to recycle
provide a trash can or bag and clearly label it for recycling.

14. Feedback from Customers
Hear what our customers have to say about us:
• "Great ideas for baby showers right here just point and click. I used the baby
shower scratch cards at my baby shower and they were a huge HIT!" Niki B., ON
• "Your unique and adorable selection of pre-printed invitations made it much easier
than handwriting every single invite. Thank you for helping me make such a good
impression with the invitations!" Tina A., IN
• "BabyShowerDepot.com is a very reliable and convenient site which gave me good
customer service along with quality products." Jose N., NJ

15. About Us
I love planning parties. As a mom to three children I know how
stressful & expensive planning a party can be. I established Baby
Shower Depot in order to offer unique baby shower favors, games
and gifts at affordable prices. Plus, we love to share our ideas with
you! We’ve been helping customers plan their baby showers since
2005.
Please feel free to share this planning guide with
your friends and family. Christina Crea
© 2014 Baby Shower Depot