High End Baby Shower Without the High End Price Tag

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Hosting a fabulous baby shower does not have to cost you an arm, leg, and firstborn child. Its as simple as keeping it small with high end elements. 

~ Before you do anything else... Decide how much you want to spend  on the total event.

Your party budget is your road map to avoid overspending. 

~ Give yourself at least 3 months to plan so you aren't rushed into impulse buys.

~ Keep the guest list small. This will allow you to have enough spending money for finer food, invitations, decorations,  and favors. 

~ Choose a location that matches your budget, your style, and your estimated guest count. 

You don't want a large venue to look empty with a small group... and you don't want to cram a lot of people into a tiny space either.

~ Don't serve a full meal. You can serve hot + cold hors d'oeuvres, a signature drink with a cute name, and a beautiful cake (or cupcakes). 

The high-end look comes from your display. Finger sandwiches on a tiered stand will look more upscale than serving them on a dinner plate. 

(Another classic baby shower option - Afternoon Tea)

~ Plastic table covers, paper plates, and paper cups are an absolute no no. They actually take away from the expensive look you are trying to create.

~ Send printed invitations - not handwritten. 

Visit our partner for Unique Baby Shower Invitations

~ Decorate with floral arrangements. A few arrangements throughout the party space will add a touch of elegance.

~ Hire a live musician. You can pay a college music major a small fee to play an instrument during the party.

Fabulous Baby Showers

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If you are planning a baby shower and seem to be having trouble getting started or motivated, read these past posts:

Baby Shower Etiquette
How to Have a Platinum Baby Shower

One essential tip: If you decide to host a baby shower in your home, please be sure you have enough space for the number of guests you are inviting. You want to be sure everyone can move around without tripping over one another. You also want the mother-to-be to be able to spend some time with each person so no one feels their presence is unappreciated.

Punch Bowls

Great for outdoor events, including wedding receptions. Present your refreshing punch (spiked or virgin) in beautiful vessels. If you are not using the kind with a spout, be sure to provide a ladle so your guests can help themselves. Dress your punch bowl with pretty flowers, as shown above, to make the punch bowl a part of the event decor.

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What's Up... Today?

Hey... I am usually writing about stuff that is going on in the fabulous world of weddings and parties, but I wanted to make this one a little more personal.

What's up with Always Fabulous Events today?

I am working on a Sweet 16 party that is scheduled for mid-May. We are planning a nightclub theme. Currently, we are looking for a venue. We have looked at 3 very different places so far and we have 2 more to see before we make a decision.

I am also helping friends plan a baby shower for a young lady I watched grow up (security blankie and all). I still can't believe she is all grown up and ready to raise a family.

My brother is also expecting his first child this month. This will be my first time being an aunt. I'm so excited!

Winter seems to be a popular time for spa parties. We have had done 3 this season and have 2 scheduled in January. A little "girl time" never hurts. A couples' spa retreat would be cool to do in February.

Speaking of February... we have a multicultural wedding celebration at the end of the month. The bride's family is Caribbean and the groom's family is from London, but the couple is as American as anyone born here. They are having a big party on Saturday night and an elegant ceremony and brunch on Sunday.

In between events, I am back at the Bridal Event to help brides-to-be with their DIY projects and answers to their planning questions.

I am very confident that 2010 will be FABULOUS! I'm looking forward to it.

How to Have a "Platinum Baby" Shower

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, than you already know that I was up late last night watching the new show on WE called Platinum Babies. If you think Platinum Weddings is extravagant, then one episode of this show will push you over the top.

Natalie Klien, baby planner @ Hot Moms Club, shares a few tips on how to "Create Your Own Star Shower". Some of the highlights include (with my 2 cents added in italics):

• Tell your friends that you want to help plan your shower. After all, who knows what you want better than you.


• Help your guests feel like celebs. Roll out a red carpet (literally) and appoint a friend to take lots of photos of the guests as they arrive. Treat your friends to a spa suite (it can be as simple as hand treatments and nail polish or as extravagant as body shaping treatments).


• Register like a movie star. Giggle.com has a wide price range for every guest's budget.


• Bite-size food and fruity drinks. Serve signature non-alcoholic drinks like a Preggatini (TM). These are all the rage in Hollywood and you can spike them for the guests. Serve mini foods like sliders and cupcakes.


• Send them home with swag. A swag bag is not your usual party favor but you don't have to spend your life savings on them either. For a budget-friendly swag bag that your guests will still love, include pregnancy-safe nail polish by Zoya, ChicBuds earphones, and Boogie Wipes in an eco-friendly reusable bag (like the Ecologie Bag from Olive Barn).

Another important detail to nail down early in the planning process is the location. Make sure it matches your vision for the rest of the party and the time of year. Also make sure there is ample parking available for your guests.

Platinum Babies airs on Fridays @ 9pm ET.

Cupcakes

Many of our clients have requested cupcake towers instead of a cake. Here are a few examples of those we have incorporated into weddings and parties.

Although you can be creative with cupcakes, I found a great way to add a touch of whimsy to even a box of store-bought cupcakes for a smaller-scale party. These cupcake holders are from Wedding Things.

Picket Fence

Filagree

Butterflies

These wrappers can inspire or coordinate with your party theme. These will work for a bridal shower, baby shower, housewarming, or even a small wedding.

Places to Have a Fabulous Party

The Philadelphia area is full of fabulous and fantastic places to host your next big event. There are already so many websites dedicated to wedding venues, so I won't be redundant. Where do we go for smaller, but very important, parties?

Here are a few picks:

1. Bridal Shower: The Radnor Hotel

The garden room overlooks the amazing formal gardens. The view is breathtaking and the service is top of the line. If you want the bride-to-be to feel like a princess, this is the place to be.

{both photos from The Radnor Hotel website}

2. Bridesmaids Luncheon or Tea: Mary Cassatt Tea Room at The Rittenhouse Hotel
I could not scream the word "elegance" any louder than the Mary Cassatt Tea Room already does. You'll feel like you stepped into a Cassatt painting. The large selection of teas and yummy variety of tea sandwiches and pastries will make you wish you could be there every day.

{photo from The Rittenhouse Hotel website}

3. Baby Shower: Jericho National Golf Club

The Gold Room at Jericho has a great big "window wall" so that lets the sun in and allows you to look out over the golfing green.

{photo from Jericho National Golf Club website}

Daisy Baby Shower

Pictures from MarthaStewart.com and PopularFavors.com

Baby Shower Etiquette

I have 2 children: a girl (11) and a boy (3). Because of the huge gap in their ages, it was necessary to have a baby shower for my second child. After all, why would I save a car seat or high chair for 8 years? Amazingly, a lot of people had negative comments about the idea of a second baby shower.

So what is proper baby shower etiquette anyway?

Second baby/ Adopted baby
Although baby showers are traditionally held for the first baby, there is nothing wrong with throwing a party to welcome a new baby into the family.

Who should host the shower?

The expectant parents should not have to host their own baby shower. Formal etiquette dictates that the host not even be a relative. Now we all know that expectant grandmothers and aunties LOVE to host baby showers, so that knocks this formality right out the window. Just for the record, it is perfectly fine for close relatives, friends, and coworkers to plan and host a baby shower.

Like any party, planning a baby shower takes time and money. It is not a good idea to ask someone to plan your shower. Let them volunteer. It is perfectly fine to drop hints to let your friends and family members know that you want one.

When should the shower take place?

Most showers are held before the baby is born. Personally, I think it is a good idea to throw a shower during the 8th month of the pregnancy (typically 1-2 months before the baby's due date). During this time, the mother-to-be is usually feeling good and still has a glow about her. She won't mind dressing up to go out. She has probably registered for baby items but hasn't purchased much on her own yet. Having the shower far enough in advance will give the new parents a chance to determine what items they still need to purchase without feeling that time is against them.

Be sure to plan the shower when the most important people (parents, grandparents, etc.) are available. It's ok to tell the parents-to-be if they have plans for a specific date without spoiling th surprise (if you are planning a surprise).

It is also perfectly acceptable to have the shower after the baby is born. In this case, everybody gets to see the baby, which is an extra bonus.

Does the shower have to be a surprise?

This depends on whether or not the mother-to-be would like the surprise.

I am a hard person to surprise because I am always on the go. If you want me to be somewhere, then you have to let me know in advance so I can plan to be there. A friend wanted to surprise me with a shower at a restaurant the week before my due date. It was also a week after my birthday, so I asked if we could get together for my birthday instead because I would probably not feel like driving anywhere that close to my due date. She had to contact everyone to let them know about the date change at the last minute and most of them were unavailable. Who knew?

When to start planning?
Give yourself at least 3 months to plan. Determine your budget and location first. Send invitations about 3-4 weeks ahead. Request RSVPs at least 2 weeks before the party date (expect to receive late RSVPs and guests who "forgot" to RSVP).

Who should be invited?

The final guest list should be reviewed by the guest of honor to make sure no one was left off (or inviting someone they would prefer not to include).

Traditionally, baby showers are for women only, but coed showers are popular and a lot of fun for everyone. The coed shower gives the often left out father-to-be a chance to shine too.

Leave it up to the guest of honor to decide whether to invite men and/or children. Keep in mind that you will have to plan activities to keep all of your guests entertained.

Baby Shower

Although I often blog about weddings, Always Fabulous Events plans special occasions too.

I love baby showers. They can vary from being very casual to extremely upscale. You could have a backyard bbq or a fine dining experience at a restaurant. You can play games or not. The main goal is for everyone to have a wonderful time.