When you're hosting a party for men and women, it's likely to be a different sort of celebration than a traditional girls-only baby shower. As with any party, be sure to keep your guests in mind as you choose everything from invitations to food and activities.
Melanie Mandracchia-Blakemore, a banquet manager in Norristown, Pennsylvania, says, "Coed baby showers tend to be like a small family party. There's definitely less of an emphasis on games, on putting bows from the gifts on hats or doing some of the frilly things you see a lot of at women-only parties. It's about catching up with family members or friends, and the food often becomes the main event."
These simple guidelines can help you plan a coed party:
- Make sure plenty of men will be there in addition to the expectant father.
- Make the invitations guy-friendly: Don't call it a Jack and Jill baby shower. And go easy on the pink.
- Invite the couple to register for baby gifts at their favorite store.
- If you plan to hand out party favors, realize that most men don't find the jellybeans in a baby bottle all that adorable.
- Games? If you do have them, choose ones that the dad-to-be and his friends will enjoy. (For inspiration, see our readers' ideas below.)
- When it's time to open gifts, make sure the couple opens them together or takes turns.
- Bring on the food!
And here are some great ideas for co-ed showers from people who've hosted one — or had one thrown for them:
Inventive settings
I helped host a coed shower with a tropical theme. We had it outdoors, complete with punch, tropical invitations (so the men wouldn't be scared away), and reggae/Jimmy Buffett music. People mingled and had an opportunity to talk to the guest of honor.
— Cindy
A friend of mine arranged a barbecue baby shower at her home and invited a bunch of our friends and their significant others. We didn't play any games. Instead we caught up on old times and listened to advice and stories from our friends, most of whom already had babies. Unlike a traditional "girls only" event, it was more like a fun, casual get-together with our close friends. We have many male friends who wanted to wish us well and would have been excluded from a traditional shower.
— Michelle
My partner's friends threw us a shower, but it was more of a brunch party for both the girls and the guys. We even had a couple of kids along, including a pair of 6-month-old twins. They were a hit! I think having the kids, and especially babies, around just made it that much more about children, which was great. Let the guys in!
— Brian
Not for women only
It's amazing how much fun the men bring to this type of event. At our shower, when a gift such as a toy was opened, the men would put it together, make some hysterical comments, and then play with it until the next interesting item was opened. My husband has been very involved in every step of our pregnancy. He's been at every doctor's appointment and has done just as much research on the right type of crib, play yard, stroller, and so on as I have. Instead of going out with the guys to play pool or watch the hockey game, he's been home with me reading Dr. Seuss to my belly and keeping his hand on my stomach so he can feel every kick the baby makes. So why shouldn't he be included in the baby shower, too?
— Mia
Having a coed shower allowed my husband to be a part of every aspect of our pregnancy. Mind you, he is the meat-eating, football-watching, big type of guy, but his heart melted just as quickly as mine did when we opened those tiny clothes and other gifts. We didn't play any silly games, but we did all enjoy each other's company, exchange pregnancy stories (men as well as women), eat lunch and cake, and share in the joy that only the coming of a baby can bring.
— Mary
Showering at the office
I was as surprised as anything when I walked into a conference room at work and there was my wife, seven months pregnant, clapping and shouting congratulations. A few close friends at work decided to give me, a guy, a surprise baby shower. They contacted my wife by email and phone to plan it. They did a wonderful job — I had no suspicions whatsoever! I didn't realize how much these people thought of me. I now cherish their friendship more than ever. This one act has brought me closer to these friends than anything else in the world could have.
— Dan
The shower I planned wasn't "his and hers," it was just "his." Two of the guys at my office were going to become first-time fathers at around the same time. We decided to have a "book and music" shower for the dads-to-be. Everyone gave children's books and CDs to start off the babies' libraries.
— A dad
We decided to give the couple a taste of real "shower" ambiance, but in a small dose. We asked everybody to bring in a baby picture of themselves on the day of the lunch. I arranged the photos on a cardboard backing, brought them to the lunch, had everyone guess which picture belonged to which person, and gave a prize (a Star Trek-style toy gun that shoots foam disks) to the winner. I made corsages out of baby socks and silk flowers for the dads. I purposely made them very big and silly-looking, and we all enjoyed teasing the dads and making them wear the corsages through lunch (but not back at the office!). Everybody had a great time, and I think some of the guys were surprised at how much fun they had. The trick for us was to keep it simple and silly.
— Sheila
Gifts for Dad
On the shower invitations we gave people the option of bringing a gag gift for the dad. They were so creative! We had a diaper-changing kit (which included a clothespin for his nose, rubber gloves, and goggles), World's Best Dad mugs, and 5 pounds of coffee to keep him awake and alert at 3 a.m. His wife even gave him a gift: a framed picture of her all dressed up and thin and beautiful with a note that said, "Don't give up hope — someday I'll look like this again!"
— Stacy
Exceptional celebrations
We had a his and hers baby shower. It was already nontraditional as our son, Paxton, was almost 3 months old. He was still in the neonatal intensive care unit, so we held off on the shower until we knew when he was coming home.
— Brenda and Luke
Our situation is a little different, as my partner and I are lesbians expecting our first baby. We had a shower for all our friends and our two families. My work threw us a shower and Liza's work also threw her one! It was very exciting that her work recognized her as an equal parent. So often husbands, nontraditional partners, and second-time moms get left out of the process. It's important to remember that even though they're not pregnant, they're still parents.
— Sarai
Games fit for guys, too
One of the cutest games I ever played at a couples shower was "Make a Baby." We each got small pieces of two different colors of Play-Doh and were told to make a baby. When the time was up, we all had to put our babies on a platter, and the expecting couple came back in the room to pick their favorite baby. Some of the babies were pretty hilarious.
— Fergus
As an icebreaker, we played a game where everyone had a sign pinned to their back with a name of a children's nursery rhyme character. Each person had to go around and ask for clues about who they were, so it really got people talking.
— Angela
The game the guys loved best was the Diaper Olympics. I had two infant-sized dolls that needed a pretend diaper change. We divided the group in half and did a relay race. You had to take the baby, rush to the table, pull the diaper off, use a wipe, powder, and diaper again, and then take it to the next person in line. It was good practice for the guys — and boy, did they need it!
— Mary
Each of our guests wrote down a funny story about their childhood without signing it, and my husband and I had to guess who belonged to each story. Another game was the diapering game, where each couple was given a cloth diaper, two diaper pins, and a naked baby doll — and had to diaper the doll while holding hands. It really proved that parents have to work together to get some jobs done.
— Shellie
Putting a twist on a baby shower classic, while the dad and pregnant mom hugged, everyone guessed their combined girth using a length of toilet paper squares. But the real hit of the party was the room that we'd set up for painting. We had a card table supplied with bodysuits, booties, hats, T-shirts, cardboard, stencils, sponges, and paint. You wouldn't believe the creativity that was let loose. The men had as much fun with this as the women.
— Kim and Mark
Source:
www.babycenter.com
Planning and organization are crucial to hosting a successful baby shower. Below are some important topics to consider when planning:
1) Who will host the shower?
The person that plans and hosts the shower can be anyone, but is usually someone who is close to the new or expecting mother. Normally, a close friend or family member will do all the preparations, but sometimes the new mother will help as well, particularly with the guest list. Sometimes a small group of friends can plan the event together.
In the event of a surprise baby shower, planning must occur more carefully and invitations should be sent out in secret. In this circumstance, people who are not as close to the new mother will be involved in acquiring supplies and getting the word out.
2) Who should be invited?
Be sure to invite all the mother's friends and family to the event. If planning a surprise party, make sure that everyone you tell helps spread the word. A close friend or family member may know most of the mother's friends, but it can also be helpful to ask co-workers and other friends to make sure that no one is left out.
Also, men are increasingly being included in these parties. An all women's shower can be different than a shower with both men and women, so the planner should consider these things as well.
If other young children will be in attendance, then make sure to plan events for them too. Not planning for children is a common oversight that adults make when planning parties of this nature. Baby shower games are a fun way for both children and adults to celebrate.
3) Where and when should the shower occur?
The party should be held at a location that is comfortable to the new mother. Oftentimes, the most common place to host a party is at a friend's or family member's home. In this case, the mother will not have to worry about cleaning up afterwards.
Sometimes, the party is hosted at the mother's place. This can be convenient as well because the mother doesn't have to go anywhere. Friends of the mother can help with the clean up afterwards.
For larger baby showers, banquet halls or other locations can be rented. Other places include parks, restaurants, catered dining rooms, or anywhere else that might be appropriate. It is okay to plan things differently as long as the mother and everyone else has a good time.
Most baby showers occur several weeks before the baby is due. Sometimes showers occur after the baby is born, which allows the guest to see the new baby. When to have the baby shower is entirely based on the preferences of the host and the mother.
Most showers occur on the weekends. Saturday is a popular day for these parties. They can occur in the afternoon or evening, depending on various factors, like people's schedules and how much you want to spend. Generally, dinner parties are more expensive than hosting lunch.
4) What activites should be planned?
There are many games and activities that can be planned in advance to make a baby shower memorable. Baby themed games are a fun way for everyone to celebrate a new baby. Do a search for "baby shower games" on the internet and you will find many games, some of which you can purchase and some that are free.
A short speech of congratulations is also a nice surprise for the new mother. If such a speech occurs, it is usually from a close friend or family member. A good time for congratulations is before eating lunch or dinner.
Finally, make some time before, between, and after events for everyone to mingle with the new or expecting mom.
5) What kind of food is appropriate?
The food at the party does not necessarily have to be baby-themed, although that can be a nice touch. The most common baby-themed food is baby shower diaper cake. Your local bakery can also make other items like cookies and pastries in the shape of baby blocks, pacifiers, rubber ducks, and other baby items. Or you can make them yourself. Most importantly, make sure to pick food that everyone will enjoy.
If you are hiring a caterer, then be sure to ask them about their ideas and experiences with baby showers. They may have some creative ideas that you may not have thought about.
6) Decorations and party favors.
Your local party supply store will probably have plenty of decorations for your baby shower. Specifically themed decorations can also be purchased online.
Buying party favors for your guests is always a nice way to say thank you for coming. These gifts for your guests can range from themed candies to more expensive keepsakes, including personalized items. Special prizes can also be given out for game winners or other people who have been important in the mother's life and during the pregnancy.
7) During the party.
Greet the guests when they arrive and have others help out if necessary to make sure everything runs smoothly. And finally, don't forget to have fun after all the planning and preparation.
About the author:
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For more articles on baby showers, check out
mybabyshowerfavors.com/articles.
When you are planning a baby shower, there are a lot of details you have to finalize, including choosing the baby diaper cake and picking a location. You'll need to gather refreshments, compile a guest list, and handle the decorations. Of course, another factor in your massive list of responsibilities is the baby shower words on those invitations. That means you want to hold off on putting together the shower games, so you'll be able to prepare the appropriate invitation wording whether you are having a formal or an informal celebration.
Baby Shower Invitations for Formal Events
With a formal shower, you're going to want to take care to reflect that tone in your choice of baby shower words. A good way to start these formal invitations is with a phrase such as "You are cordially invited to a baby shower" or "The pleasure of your company is requested at a shower." Follow that line with who the shower is going to be for: the new baby if he or she has already entered the world, the parents-to-be, or the mother-to-be. When you are writing out the wording, be sure to use everyone's full name - that is standard when you are working with formal invitations. Once you reach this point of the wording, you should add in the details of the party, such as the location, date, and time of the baby showers. You also need to have all of the words written out completely. For example, if the shower is being held on the August 30th at noon, you would write it out as "the thirtieth of August at twelve o'clock noon." Remember not to use any types of abbreviations.
At the end of the wording, you'll need to write out the full names of the hosts of the party. Also, this is a good place to add the RSVP information at the bottom of the card unless you are going to be using a separate response card.
Baby Shower Invitations for an Informal Party
Formal invitations aren't needed if you are having a small, casual shower. However, that doesn't mean you can just call or email guests. You should still send out invitations and you will need to be careful with your baby shower words. However, you do have more flexibility with what those cards can say. For example, you could begin the message with "Susan and Jeff invite you to celebrate the approaching birth of Morgan and Matt's new baby at a special shower." Of course, you'd follow this up with celebration details.
Don't forget that if you send out informal invitations you need to plan a casual shower. That means you keep the refreshments simple, the guest list smaller, and the location more private. Just remember that the shower will be a fun experience whether it's formal or informal.
Gifts & the Baby Showers Wording
Finally, you also want to leave off some things from the baby shower words. The main thing you do not want to include is any information about gifts or the gift registry. When you mention gifts on the invitation, guests feel as if you expect them to buy a present in order to attend. That makes the party seem less like a celebration and more like a plea for cash and prizes. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have gift registry information handy when guests contact you with questions about what to buy.
About the Authors: Sarah Porter and Patti Paz have written several articles about
Personalized Baby Shower Invitations, Sample Baby Shower Invitations, Wording, Verses and Sayings, Fun Baby Shower Party, Creative Baby Shower Games, Diaper Cakes for Baby Showers, Types of Baby Showers, All About Hosting Baby Shower, Hosting Surprise Baby Shower, Free Shower Invitations, Baby Invitations for Baby Shower, Baby Shower Words and many more for CardsShoppe and Express-Invitations.
When you’re holding a baby shower one of the most important items that you’ll serve is the baby shower cake. Cakes should be the highlight of the food lineup and should be served with a selection of desserts, finger food and cookies. Cakes can come in all shapes and sizes, including baby cakes, diaper cakes and bootie baby cakes.
When you’re planning what type of cakes to prepare for the baby shower you’ll find many baby shower cake cookbooks from which to make your selection. If you know the baby is a girl you can decorate the cake in a pink style. The same goes if the baby is a boy, in which case you’ll want to focus on blue or green colors.
Baby shower cakes can be either one large cake, or you can make several smaller individual cakes which can be created for each guest that is invited.
The main focus of cakes is of course the expectant mother. Baby cakes make a great centerpiece that will bring a smile to any expectant mother. Diaper cakes also continue to be popular and are easy to make and assemble.
When you’re planning which cakes that you want to make you can be as creative as you like. There are cookbooks available that feature some great ideas for cakes that you can adapt to fit your baby shower theme. If the theme of the baby shower is the alphabet you can find cakes that highlight this theme. There is no limit to the types of cakes that you can choose from for the shower.
Many times the cakes themselves create the theme for the shower. This is because the cakes can be the focus and centerpiece of the entire party. You can plan all the decorations, food and themes around the type of baby shower cake you decide to feature.
When you’re looking for baby shower cake recipes you can find cookbooks in the recipe section in your local bookstore or library. You can also find a selection of recipes for baby shower cakes and diaper cakes on the internet. If you can’t find the exact cake that you have in mind for your baby shower you can make any adaptations that you need to modify the cake to your liking.
Cakes should be as fun and creative as possible. There may be times when you want to hire someone to make the perfect cake. But keep in mind that half the fun of a baby shower is doing things yourself. Using your imagination, and a little help from cookbooks you can come up with the most amazing cakes imaginable.
There are many different types of cakes that you can choose from or that you can use as a starting base for your own baby shower cake ideas. Baby Shower Diaper cakes can often be paired up with edible cakes. This way you have the fun of a cake made from diapers and the deliciousness of an edible cake that everyone can enjoy.
Distinct Deliveries is an online merchant which offers not only Baby Shower Diaper Cakes, but much more.
Distinct Deliveries.com offers baby baskets, baby announcements, baby books, shower cakes, baby jewelry, engraved items, plush items, baby shower items, gifts baskets, chocolate & candy, baby gifts, book packages, flowers & plants, bath & body, fruit packages, gourmet & snacks, seasonal, pet gifts, specialty gifts, monthly clubs.
Some themes you might want to use include:
1. Sports theme for boys
2. Princess cakes in pink for girls
3. Jungle animals for boys
4. Fairy theme for girls
No matter what type of cake you take into consideration your final choice should somehow reflect the theme of the baby shower.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randy is owner of
planning-a-baby-shower.com where you will find further tips on baby showers and baby shower games.
