Making Final Preparations for the Baby Shower

Pulling it all Together

On the day of the baby shower, timing is everything. Here's what needs to happen now: The location has to be decorated, the furniture has to be arranged to accommodate all the guests, the food has to be put together and arranged in an attractive presentation, the drinks have to be put out, and any last minute errands have to be worked into the schedule. Can it all be accomplished?

Yes, it can, and the wise host will enlist the assistance of others. The wise host will also work off a checklist so that no task is overlooked. There's nothing worse than forgetting to take the pre-made roll-up sandwiches out of the freezer so that they can thaw in time for the guests!

The extent of decorating that will happen is going to depend on the location of the shower. If it's being held at a home or a private club, it'll be necessary to allot a couple hours to tackle this task. Start by rearranging tables and chairs into a comfortable seating arrangement, and once that's done, the tables can be decorated with tablecloths and favors, and whatever else has been purchased for table decorations. Don't forget to decorate the food and beverage areas as well as the gift table. Next, hang streamers and banners as allowed. If balloons or balloon bouquets are part of the decorations, they'll need to be picked up (if they've been ordered) or filled up and put into place.

To ensure it's as fresh as possible, it is best to coordinate the cake so that it is baked and decorated on the day of the shower. Be sure that someone has been assigned the responsibility of picking up the cake and delivering it to the party location.

Don't Overlook the Small Details

Taking care of all the miscellaneous details happens today as well. These are tasks such as setting out garbage containers, making sure each food item has appropriate serving utensils, filling up ice buckets, making fresh coffee and tea, gathering game supplies and marking the location of the party with balloons or signs.

Before the guests begin to arrive, the host should have everything in place. That way, she can be ready to greet her guests as they arrive. The host should designate a special chair for the guest of honor, one that's comfortable and centrally-located. When it comes time to open gifts, the host should make sure someone creates a list of the gifts each guest brought. When it's all over, the host must also make sure someone helps pack up all the gifts and safely delivers the guest of honor back home, where she can think back on her special day!