Plan a beautiful baby shower your friends and family will remember!
Few types of parties can bring more joy, and more smiles to the faces of guests and guest of honor alike, than a baby shower. Whether you are planning your own baby shower, or one for a friend or relative, plan ahead and shop around to make the occasion truly special.
Invitations are the perfect opportunity for you to give your guests a good impression of what they can expect at the baby shower. In addition to the information you provide directly on the invitation—such as date/time, food provided or potluck, and whether there is a gift registry—the design and medium you choose for the baby shower invitations can say a lot about the event. A mailed-out invitation with all the frills of a typical wedding invitation says formal event, whereas a simple card or online invitation usually suggests a more relaxed celebration.
If the shower is a surprise for the expecting mother, be sure to communicate that aspect of the party very, very clearly on the invitation so that the surprise isn’t spoiled in advance.
Should You Use a Baby Gift Registry?
If you are planning your own baby shower, then in a word, yes! A baby gift registry offers the same advantages as a wedding gift registry in that it gives you a polite place to tell all your guests what items you need and would most appreciate receiving. A registry service can be especially useful if this is not your first child, and you already have some of the essential “baby things.” Your guests will appreciate it—it’s not like they’re not already planning on bringing a gift to your shower, and this way, they can do so with the confidence and satisfaction that they are giving you something you will like and use.
More and more companies are offering baby registries that aim to simplify baby shower gift-buying. For example, the baby registry at Toys “R” Us, Babies “R” Us (often mistakenly called the Baby R Us registry, probably because many shoppers are only focused on one future bundle of joy at a time!) touts itself as “the leading retailer” of many things baby, including “unique” baby shower gifts.
In the end, the best idea for both you and your guests is for you to register your baby shower gifts somewhere that offers a wide range of prices to accommodate anyone’s budget, and a wide range of products to make it fun for your guests to select the gift they feel is just right to express how happy they are for you.
