tips for throwing a stylish soireee for mom-to-be
By Jennifer Sbranti
Founder, Hostess with the Mostess, Inc.
When you hear the words “baby shower”, do visions of frilly pastel booties, painted teddy bears, and plastic baby rattles dance in your head? For some reason this seems to be the norm, but it certainly doesn’t have to be! A baby shower can (and should!)
be just as hip & stylish as any other type of celebration you host. Read on for some tips on how to get started…
Setting the Scene
One of the first mistakes many shower hostesses make is feeling obligated to create a baby shower that looks like a nursery or pre-school, but there’s really no reason why baby shower decor should be overly “babyish” or cliché. Remember that your guests
are adults, and the décor should compliment the nature of your guests. There are 2 smart approaches to take when it comes to creating a stylish baby shower setting that’s the perfect mix of adorable and adult-appropriate:
Approach #1. Start with a general party theme (i.e. Garden Tea, Fiesta, Luau, or a favorite color) – then add baby-oriented decorative accents in just a few key places. Here are a couple examples of this approach:
Color-themed Baby Shower:
Base your baby shower on mom-to-be’s favorite color or colors. Choose flowers, drinks, table linens, patterned beverage and luncheon napkins, drink charms, etc that all match your color theme. So far, you have a very pretty party that would be
suitable for any occasion. To turn this party into a baby shower, hang a few baby onesies in coordinating colors from a clothesline, use pacifiers as napkin rings, and set up a little arrangement of books or unique toys (also in coordinating colors) on a side or gift table. Voila – instant baby shower!
Zen Baby Shower
For an ultra-chic soiree – start with an Asian-inspired party theme featuring bamboo plants, Asian fabric prints, paper lanterns, decorative paper fans, and salads served in Chinese takeout containers. To turn this setting into a baby shower, place little diapers folded from decorative Origami paper at each
place setting and hang an adorable pint-sized kimono somewhere in the room. Custom fortune cookies dipped in colored chocolate and decorated with tiny white sprinkles make the perfect take-home favor for guests.
Approach #2. Start with a juvenile theme as your inspiration (i.e. Alphabet, CandyLand, or Rubber Ducky) – then create a hip & stylish version of this theme that will be appealing to adults. Here are a couple examples of this approach:
Inspiration: Candy Land
For a Candy Land theme that adults will enjoy too, create a chic, color-coordinated candy & dessert buffet to be the main attraction in the room. Display pretty candies such as rock candy swizzle sticks and salt water taffy in clear glass bowls and vases, and serve gourmet desserts on pedastal platters and
sleek, simple trays. Use “lollipop bouquets” for table centerpieces instead of flower bouquets, and adorn the centerpiece vases with the words “sweet baby boy” or “sweet baby girl”. Display the Candyland board game on the gift or entrance table, and have guests write little notes the back of the game board or box as a keepsake for mom-to-be.
Inspiration: Rubber Ducky
Even Rubber Duckies can look fashionable in the right setting! Because these little guys deliver a high cute factor on their own, avoid additional decorative accents that are overly “cutesy” or busy and stick with eye-catching basics such as stacks of fluffy white and yellow towels or table displays of baby bath washes and lotions. Let a single ducky be the
star of each table centerpiece “bubble bath”, created by piling white Styrofoam and decorative glass balls into a glass fishbowl. By sticking to minimalist product lines and bold splashes of color, the rubber duckies compliment the décor of this modern baby shower, rather than dominate it.
Serve a Festive Signature Drink
Offering guests a signature drink that coordinates with your theme – such as lattes for a brunch or pineapple-orange punch for a tropical theme – is always a great addition to the party. To make things even more festive, serve the signature drinks in cocktail glasses – even non-alcoholic beverages can be served in champagne flutes, wine glasses, or
other types of stemware – and add fun garnishes to the drinks such as a fruit wedges, cherries, or drink umbrellas. For hot drinks such as lattes, teas and mochas, garnish with decorative sugar cubes, honey sticks, or whipped cream and cinnamon.
Food & Drink Displays
Make your food & drink stations just as decorative as they are functional! Choose bottled drinks with great packaging design – such as Izze, Dry Soda, or Jones Soda – and line them up or stack them in tiered levels for a cool beverage display. Wrap bottled waters with customized labels, and set out bowls of drink charms or drink tags so guests can
easily claim their drinks.
For appetizer, entrée, or dessert buffets – remember to keep the serving dishes sleek and simple so that the food remains the star of the buffet. Varying the levels of the dishes by using a mix of flat, tiered, and pedestal trays and bowls will add a great deal of appeal to your food display.
Party Favors
Try to coordinate your favors with the look and theme of the shower, and choose something that the guests will be able to use and enjoy – such as a scented candle, customized mint tins, edible treats, mini soaps or a small house plant adorned with a cute ribbon. With the exception of edible treats or quick-use items such as hand soaps, try to avoid
anything that is overly juvenile – such as bottle or carriage-shaped candles, baby-themed picture frames, or novelty baby items – as guests are much less likely to actually use these.
**For more information on baby showers, including complete themes, decorating tips & resources, recipes, shower invitations, baby gift ideas, and more, visit hostesswiththemostess.com!
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