How I Planned and Hosted the Ultimate Baby Shower for My Dear Friend
This was the very first baby shower I ever hosted, and I was beyond thrilled! As a true Monica at heart, I love having people over and being the hostess. I spent hours scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest, gathering ideas for the perfect baby shower decor. And let me tell you, the event turned out to be a great success! From the beautiful decor to the delicious food and the thoughtful theme, it all came together so perfectly that people were asking me for event planning tips afterward!
In this much-anticipated blog post, I'm sharing everything I learned from planning and hosting this baby shower along with my favorite tips for hosting with ease and menu ideas you can DIY.
Baby Shower Theme
Since we knew it was a boy, the theme naturally had to be blue. But I couldn’t just stop there….I had to make it extra adorable with a teddy bear theme! I mean, how cute is that? Blue, beige and brown balloons, tiny teddy bears everywhere. It was the perfect blend of classic baby shower vibes with an added dose of cuteness!
The Invitation
I designed the most adorable teddy bear-themed invitation on Canva, and honestly, Canva made it so easy! My friend and her husband wanted to keep the baby shower a secret gender reveal for most of the guests, so we kept the invitation gender-neutral, but still very teddy bear-themed. The fun part? When guests started arriving and saw the blue decor, they immediately knew it’s a boy! Watching their reactions was priceless, and the parents-to-be didn't want to miss a single one.
When designing the baby shower invitation, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Include an RSVP date: Whether guests RSVP by texting you directly or filling out a Google form (which is great if you need info like dietary restrictions), make sure it's clear.
2. Address gift preferences: If the parents prefer no gifts and would like donations instead, include a friendly statement on the invite. I linked a cause for donations with a simple note: “No gifts please, consider making a donation here instead.”
3. Add a time range: Since most baby showers are daytime or tea-time events, it's helpful to include the timeframe. Ours said 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, so everyone knew it wasn’t an all-day affair (and that they wouldn’t be staying for dinner, lol!).
These little details go a long way in creating a seamless and thoughtful baby shower experience!
The Decor
Let’s talk about the most exciting part the decor! This was honestly where I had the most fun, and all thanks to Amazon, getting everything I needed was a breeze. I’ve included links to all the items I used, so you can easily grab them for your own event. From cute mini teddy bears to elegant chiffon drapes, Amazon had it all.
Setting up the entire decor did take a bit of time, around 10 hours split over two days, but it was worth every second. The result was magical, and seeing my friend’s face light up when she walked in made it all worthwhile! Plus, breaking up the setup over two days saved me from scrambling last-minute, which I highly recommend.
Entrance
I designed a beautiful poster on Canva and printed it out at Office Depot, it turned out so great! Instead of splurging on a pricey full-size poster print, I saved a ton by grabbing a poster board from Walmart, trimming it down to size, and mounting the print myself. It’s an easy hack to save some bucks!
To really bring the teddy bear theme to life, I added an adorable 4 ft tall teddy bear (the one I purchased is no longer available on Amazon, but here’s a similar one), which I placed on a small stool next to the poster tripod. It was such a cute addition and made the entire theme feel even more magical!
The Staircase Decor
This was definitely the hardest DIY decor I took on! I found these stunning chiffon drapes on Amazon (here’s a similar product), usually meant for wedding decor, and had the brilliant idea of layering them into elegant drapes around the entire staircase. Little did I know how challenging it would be! The flowy fabric was too slippery and just wouldn’t hold the design in place. After multiple failed attempts, I resorted to using zip ties to secure them around the banisters, making sure they were evenly spaced. In the end, it turned out beautifully! The shades of dusty blue drapes looked gorgeous and added a dreamy touch to the overall decor, even though they gave me a run for my money! I still highly recommend them, despite the challenge. I also hung up a super cute ‘It’s a boy’ banner over the entrance just to make sure everyone got the memo!
The Backdrop
I started by assembling this gorgeous round backdrop stand with the most stunning gold finish, it added that perfect touch of warmth, elegance, and style. Then, I draped those dreamy blue chiffon curtains from before, paired with some brown chiffon drapes (seriously, they come in the prettiest beige, white, and brown shades).
The balloons with shades of blue, white, and gold were absolute perfection that couldn’t have been more spot-on for the theme! (here’s a similar pack)
I also wrapped eucalyptus garlands around the frame and topped it off with an ‘Oh Baby’ sign. And the real cherry on top? Spotlights at the base, which made everything glow beautifully after sunset. It was pure magic!
This show stopping backdrop (I know we shouldn’t praise our own work, but honestly, I can’t help it!) is hands down my proudest DIY decor moment.
The Snack Station!
I started prepping two days in advance, setting out all the serveware and figuring out the flow, layout, and placement. Let me tell you, this was a game-changer! One tip I can give y’all is to use sticky notes to mark where each dish or item will go. It is super easy to move around and adjust, and it helped me see the layout and figure out if we needed more serveware. Total lifesaver!
This was option 1, where I placed the drinks at the far right of the table. That way, as guests walked by, they could grab a drink first and then move on to the snacks. It created a nice flow and made sure everyone had something to sip on as they filled their plates.
Then I tried option 2, with the drinks in the center and snacks on either side. It looked really nice, and the colorful drinks made a great focal point. But the flow just didn’t work. It would have been tricky for people to grab a drink and then have to move all over the table to check out the snack options. As pretty as it was, the layout just wasn’t practical.
I ended up going with layout 1 but made a few tweaks here and there. Once I added the final decor pieces, the table looked stunning already! I couldn’t wait to load it up with all the food to really bring it to life and add that pop of color!
I wracked my brain trying to figure out how to display the menu. An acrylic stand was an option, but it felt way too formal, like something for a networking event. Not the vibe I wanted for a baby shower. So, I designed some cute menu posters on Canva, popped them into 8x10 frames, and set them on a pedestal I found at Target. To add that personal, baby-shower touch, I placed a small teddy bear next to it, and the little battery-operated lantern I used were a total steal from the Target dollar spot! It all came together so sweetly!
For the food name cards, I went full DIY and made tented cards using stock paper. I even sketched little teddy bears on each one and added fun descriptions for every dish. It’s those small details that really give everything that extra personalized touch!
And this was the final result! A beautiful snack station with the perfect blue-themed teddy bear decor. It struck just the right balance, nothing too decor-busy or overwhelming, but instead, it had this understated, elegant style that was absolutely perfect for the occasion.
Our friends at the baby shower joked they didn’t even want to touch the food because the table looked so pretty! Haha
I made the pasta salad, cold sandwiches, and cream cheese dip myself, but everything else was catered. It was a great mix of homemade and professionally prepared dishes.
Similarly, for the dessert station, I prepped the layout in advance to see what worked best, it was a total time-saver!
I also propped the dessert menu in an 8x10 frame, just like with the snack table. To elevate the presentation, I placed the dessert cups on acrylic step risers. It turned out to be a beautiful arrangement that added height and made everything look more colorful and functional!
I made chocolate mousse, trifle shots, and mini cheesecakes (they unfortunately had a lot of cracks but were super delicious), but for the sugar cookies, I decided to order those. They were the perfect finishing touch!
Fun Activity Corner
My friend wanted to create a special keepsake for themselves and their little one, so they brought in a beautiful wooden message set shaped like various animals like elephant, owl, baby bear, and more. It was such a thoughtful idea that turned into a lifelong treasure! I carried over the menu poster idea to name this corner ‘Messages for the Parents-to-Be’ to tie it all together.
Another fun activity was name suggestions for the baby! I drew and cut out a bunch of dark and light blue onesies from stock paper, and drew a little black bow on each one of them. These adorable clothespins from Walmart were perfect for holding up the paper onesies.
I then tied a rope between two paper towel holders to use as a drying rack. It turned out to be such a fun and interactive addition to the celebration!
Party Favors
I designed and printed these thank you cards on Canva and had them printed at Office Depot. They turned out beautifully, and my friend and her husband wrote personalized messages to each guest, it was such a perfect touch! We placed the cards in gift bags (sadly, I didn’t get photos of the bags), and added thank you stickers to each one, along with tiny teddies tied on. It made for a charming and heartfelt finish!
This is how I hosted a baby shower for my dear friend! It turned out to be one of the most beautiful evenings, filled with love, fun, baby anticipation, and lots of laughter. I hope this post has given you plenty of ideas. If you need links to anything or have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!
