Baby shower checklist

A calm, step-by-step plan for hosting a baby shower, from picking the date to thank-you notes. Most showers happen 4 to 8 weeks before the due date.

6 to 8 weeks before

• Talk with the parents-to-be: who's invited, how big, and whether it's a surprise.
• Pick a date and time. Weekend late mornings or early afternoons work well; 2 to 3 hours is plenty.
• Choose the place: a home, a restaurant's private room, or a park pavilion.
• Set a budget and decide whether co-hosts are sharing costs.
• Ask for the registry link so you can add it to the invitation.

4 to 6 weeks before

• Send the invitations with the date, time, address, registry, and a line asking about dietary needs.
• Choose a theme or a simple color palette.
• Book anything that fills up: a caterer, a bakery, a photographer, or rentals.

2 to 3 weeks before

• Plan the menu: brunch or light bites, one main dish, and something easy to eat standing up.
• Order the cake or desserts.
• Pick two gentle games or activities, such as advice cards for the parents or guess-the-baby-photo.
• Buy decor, tableware, and favors.
• Ask a friend to help with setup, gifts, or photos.

The week before

• Confirm the headcount and any dietary needs.
• Reconfirm vendors and pickup times.
• Write a simple schedule: arrivals, food, games, gifts, cake.
• Prepare a gift table and a way to note who gave what.

The day of

• Set up an hour early: food, seating, the gift table, and a photo spot.
• Keep the program light: guests mainly want to chat and celebrate.
• Opening gifts takes about 2 minutes each, so plan time or skip it for big groups.
• Have someone note each gift and giver for thank-you notes.

After the shower

• Help pack gifts and leftovers.
• Share photos with guests.
• Send the gift list to the parents-to-be so thank-you notes are easy.