Decorating
5 Steps to Pulling Off a Stylish (and Stress-Free) Baby Shower
Plan a memorable event for the mum-to-be that's stylish, special and successful
I recently styled a baby shower for a fellow designer friend, and it needed to be stylish, fun and a little bit quirky. Thankfully, I knew she was expecting a little boy so I was able to be very specific with the decor, but it’s easy to recreate a similar look with more gender-neutral tones.
A baby shower is an amazing moment in a new mum’s journey into motherhood and deserves to be celebrated so, if you’re planning a baby shower for someone in the family, or a friend or colleague, these tips will set you on the right path to nailing the perfect event. No kitsch games or decorations here; only easy-to-replicate DIY projects that will leave you with one heck of a stylish baby shower. I’ll also take you through things to consider in advance, and the key steps in planning the best baby shower for mum-to-be.
A baby shower is an amazing moment in a new mum’s journey into motherhood and deserves to be celebrated so, if you’re planning a baby shower for someone in the family, or a friend or colleague, these tips will set you on the right path to nailing the perfect event. No kitsch games or decorations here; only easy-to-replicate DIY projects that will leave you with one heck of a stylish baby shower. I’ll also take you through things to consider in advance, and the key steps in planning the best baby shower for mum-to-be.
Things to consider when planning your baby shower
- Do you know the gender?
- Do the parents want to use the shower to announce the gender?
- Delegate to other attendees – you can’t do it all alone. Think of who can help with DIY projects, food, drinks, invites, games etc
- DIY projects always take longer than you expect so either ask your friends for help or plan a few ‘crafternoons’ well in advance.
STEP 1: Pick a theme
It’s 10 times easier when you know the sex of the baby but it’s possible to still achieve the same fabulous result with a gender-neutral theme. For this baby shower I chose an Aztec theme as I knew the baby was a boy. The teepee bunting was the jumping off point for this particular shower. Super cute! And they now hang in the bub’s nursery.
THEMES TO CONSIDER: Aztec, Mexican, Wonderland, Secret Garden. When choosing a theme think about what the mum-to-be likes to spend her free time doing (for example, gardening could equal a floral theme; writing could equal a storybook theme), or let the gender be the guide for the theme. Either way, make sure it’s personal and speaks to the guest of honour specifically.
It’s 10 times easier when you know the sex of the baby but it’s possible to still achieve the same fabulous result with a gender-neutral theme. For this baby shower I chose an Aztec theme as I knew the baby was a boy. The teepee bunting was the jumping off point for this particular shower. Super cute! And they now hang in the bub’s nursery.
THEMES TO CONSIDER: Aztec, Mexican, Wonderland, Secret Garden. When choosing a theme think about what the mum-to-be likes to spend her free time doing (for example, gardening could equal a floral theme; writing could equal a storybook theme), or let the gender be the guide for the theme. Either way, make sure it’s personal and speaks to the guest of honour specifically.
STEP 2: Get your DIY on
Nothing shows your love for the mum-to-be more than some beautiful DIY projects you’ve spent time creating especially for her and her special day.
Everything pictured here was cheap, easy and fun to make. Jazz up terracotta pots from the local nursery or hardware store with some washi tape in Aztec colours and patterns, and pop in a crazy coloured cactus to set it off perfectly. Print off a few pretty patterns and roll them into cones to create mini teepees, finishing them off with toothpick tops. For the arrows, use the leftover teepee paper to create ‘feathers’, more washi tape and black paper cut into arrows glued to balsa wood sticks. Voila! instant arrows.
More: Why DIY Is Good for Your Soul, Not Just Your Home
Nothing shows your love for the mum-to-be more than some beautiful DIY projects you’ve spent time creating especially for her and her special day.
Everything pictured here was cheap, easy and fun to make. Jazz up terracotta pots from the local nursery or hardware store with some washi tape in Aztec colours and patterns, and pop in a crazy coloured cactus to set it off perfectly. Print off a few pretty patterns and roll them into cones to create mini teepees, finishing them off with toothpick tops. For the arrows, use the leftover teepee paper to create ‘feathers’, more washi tape and black paper cut into arrows glued to balsa wood sticks. Voila! instant arrows.
More: Why DIY Is Good for Your Soul, Not Just Your Home
STEP 3: Bring it to life
No event is complete without plant life or flowers. What you select will speak loudly at your event, so consider your choices carefully.
I commissioned a florist friend to make up an arid desert-looking terrarium as the table centrepiece at this shower. But they are also a great opportunity to practise your floral arranging skills.
No event is complete without plant life or flowers. What you select will speak loudly at your event, so consider your choices carefully.
I commissioned a florist friend to make up an arid desert-looking terrarium as the table centrepiece at this shower. But they are also a great opportunity to practise your floral arranging skills.
STEP 4: Don’t forget the food and drinks
Ok, so obviously not everyone can drink at a baby shower, but it’s not a party without some bubbles! Also, think about creating a special cocktail/mocktail for the day and write them up on a chalkboard menu. Finally, whip up some cute straw tags by printing off a snappy tagline and sticky tape them to paper straws in colours similar to the overall theme. These chevron cups were the perfect hit of colour and were found at a local bargain shop.
Ok, so obviously not everyone can drink at a baby shower, but it’s not a party without some bubbles! Also, think about creating a special cocktail/mocktail for the day and write them up on a chalkboard menu. Finally, whip up some cute straw tags by printing off a snappy tagline and sticky tape them to paper straws in colours similar to the overall theme. These chevron cups were the perfect hit of colour and were found at a local bargain shop.
Food platters are ideal for feeding a group of people and are an opportunity to test out your food-styling skills. Think platters of sandwiches, cupcakes or muffins, and a variety of cheeses and biscuits.
Don’t forget to cater for the mum-to-be when making your sandwiches (make some without pressed luncheon meats and prepackaged salad leaves), and be sure to feature some hard cheeses, such as cheddar (as opposed to soft cheeses), that she can safely eat. Homemade dips, such as hummus and beetroot dip, also work a treat and are easy to tuck into while mingling.
Don’t forget to cater for the mum-to-be when making your sandwiches (make some without pressed luncheon meats and prepackaged salad leaves), and be sure to feature some hard cheeses, such as cheddar (as opposed to soft cheeses), that she can safely eat. Homemade dips, such as hummus and beetroot dip, also work a treat and are easy to tuck into while mingling.
STEP 5: Tablescaping tricks
Keen to replicate the fun of pre-school, I used a potato stamp to make the table runner. It was a bit fiddlier than I expected but the final result was so worthwhile. Once the table was set with the afternoon’s snacks, the teepees were peeping through the plates of food to really reinforce the theme of the day.
Keen to replicate the fun of pre-school, I used a potato stamp to make the table runner. It was a bit fiddlier than I expected but the final result was so worthwhile. Once the table was set with the afternoon’s snacks, the teepees were peeping through the plates of food to really reinforce the theme of the day.
And remember these tricks for tried-and-tested success
- Overbuy the food and drink. The more the merrier when it comes to food; you don’t want to be caught short!
- Running out of time? Buy flowers. They’re cheap, cheerful and an easy way to spruce up the space even at the last minute.
- The tablecloth is the decoration staple. It’s the easiest way to communicate your theme on the table, so think about introducing pattern and colour here.
- Don’t forget to note down gifts. You’ll need a garbage bag to collect wrapping paper and a notepad and pen to write down who gave what gift. This makes writing thankyou letters much easier for the mum-to-be.
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