Hey there!  I hope everyone is doing well! I tell ya, I had a blast this past weekend showering my niece and nephew at their Baby Shower.  My niece is like my daughter, and when she said “I need you to come over I have an announcement” …. I was already planning her shower.  She is so much fun and one of the few people that let me totally be myself creatively. And so, it began!!!

Now, my niece is not the typical girly girl.  She does not care for the color pink, has a head full of fiery red dreadlocks, loves gardens and Farmer’s Markets, and has a thing for peacock feathers.  She’s bubbly and serious, she’s elegant and bohemian, loves the peace of crystals and sage, but she’s always strapped which should make for an interesting evening.  Soooo if you’re a DIY person like myself, I thought it would be useful for me to share my 7 steps for outlining the perfect Baby Shower event.

 Event Concept and Description                                

When planning begins, I like to sit down and chat about likes, dislikes and any must haves for the day. I think about how the event should feel and the mood of the atmosphere.  This plays a huge part in helping your vision come to life as you tie in all the other details and projects for the event.

Invitations and Paper Goods                                     

The invitations are really what gives guests the first glimpse of the event’s theme. I love this part especially for Nygeria’s shower because we didn’t go with your typical baby themes like booties or bows.  We wanted her love for crystals and peacock feathers to shine through.

 Other paper items like the party favors we had also followed that same theme.  To capture more of her personality, we put together a sage bundle and matches, rose quartz stone, and a bracelet with the tree of life charm for her favor boxes.  We also included a note that tells the meaning of them all.  To bring out her earthy elegance, we adorned the kraft colored boxes with a satin purple bow and a peacock feather.

Tables and Seating                                         

The tables and seating are another area you can really show your personality.  Guests spend the most time here, so you want to make it interesting and give them something to awe over.  If possible, I try to always use real flowers for centerpieces.  You never get tired of looking at beautiful nature-made real flowers.  This elevates your tablescape instantly.  For Nygeria’s day we included metal prisms, crystals, geode slices, natural colored baby blocks, and candles.  We also included plates and cutlery in the tablescape with a personalized touch to the napkin holders that were extremely inexpensive. My favorite thing was the geometrically shaped cups.  Such a unique touch.

Buffet

If you decide on a buffet, its so important not to neglect this area.  You want to be sure it ties into your other décor even though it may not be as heavily decorated as other areas.  Another important factor is that you allow ample spacing for lines of people.  I know I hate it when I’m at my seat and people are hovering near me waiting in the buffet line.  Be sure you think about everyone’s comfort level.

Focal Point 1 – Cake/Dessert Table                                         

If there is space, I like to have several focal points to create areas of interest throughout the venue.  The cake/dessert table is certainly one area that does double duty. Not only is it necessary, it can also serve as a focal point if the décor is played up a bit.  For Nygeria’s event, we used a backdrop similar to her photo backdrop to add to the décor of the table but not take away from the beauty of the cake.      

Focal Point 2 - Backdrop/Photo Area                                     

This area is where you can have the most fun. It’s the area that anchors the room and where you can really be most creative.  Have fun with this because this is visual you will see in all the pictures posted on social media and other places. Make it whimsical and full of life.  For Nygeria’s shower, we included some balloon garland, a decorated bassinet, and baby Ellarhi’s name.  There are several professionals that are available locally but if you choose to diy it like me, YouTube is going to be your best friend in creating balloon art like this one.  It’s not perfect but I love how it turned out.

Music/Activity                                 

For smaller events where you don’t use a DJ, I like to put together a playlist.  Most of the time it’s jazz because there is already so much talking during parties and who wants to compete with singing.  Jazz is an easy option, but it is totally up to the guest of honor and the theme of the occasion. Lastly, think about how the time will be spent.  Will you have games or a specific activity that will occupy your guests time? Be specific in how the day will flow so you know what happens next. This is important especially when you want to hold their attention. 

Thanks for listening and I hope you’ll find these tidbits useful.

Until next time,

-K