Planning a baby shower can be a lot of work. Trust me. Time sneaks up on you, and suddenly, you realize you only have a few weeks left to get everything reserved, ordered, and organized for the big event. Yikes! I recently had my baby shower, and let me tell you, having to make sure everything was prepped and ready to go was—well—a lot. Luckily, I consider myself a pretty organized person, and I am blessed to have some great friends who helped me with the planning and the day of, so I could enjoy my shower.

Today I’m sharing my baby shower checklist that helped me stay on schedule and have a flawless shower. If you’re planning a baby shower for a friend or family member, this checklist will help you with your planning efforts. It will guide you to a smooth, fabulous, and worry-free event. 🙂

Seven Weeks in Advance

• Determine who the host(s) will be.
• Set a date and time.
• Set a budget.
• Choose a location for the shower.
  • Decide whose home the party will be held in, or reserve a restaurant or party room.
• Prepare a guest list (consult with the mother-to-be), complete with full names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers (if possible).
  • Determine how many people can fit in the room or home.
• Decide if the event will be catered (and if so, which company/restaurant) or if you or someone else will be helping make the food and determine who will be making what.
• Ask the mother-to-be if she has a particular theme or color scheme in mind for the event.

Six Weeks in Advance

• Order invitations and prepare invitations for mailing.
• If the expecting mama has registered somewhere for baby items, make sure her registry information is included in the invitation.

Five Weeks in Advance

• Mail the invitations.
• Plan the menu.
  • If catering: keep the budget in mind.
  • If cooking: assign who will be making what.
  • Check if any guests have food allergies—make sure there are options available for them.
  • Order the cake.
• Check tables, tableware, and chairs to ensure you have enough of each. If there isn’t enough, look up your local rental options.
• Decide what kind of decorations and/or flowers you’ll have.
• Make a list of any props or party favors you may need.
• Think about the baby shower games you want to play and the prizes for the winners.
• Assign a photographer or hire a professional photographer.
• Order any entertainment (if you want a band, etc.) or additional surprises.

Three Weeks in Advance

• Write out place cards, if desired.
• Order balloons and flowers if they are planned decorations.
  • Are you going to have a flower crown, corsage, or something special for the mother-to-be to wear for the shower?
  • Order table centerpieces.
• Order the props, prizes, or party favors that you’ll need.
• Wrap all favors and gifts.
• Have a plan for how the mother-to-be is getting to the shower. Is someone picking her up? Is she driving herself?

Two Weeks in Advance

• Re-confirm your reservation if you are hosting the shower at a restaurant or party space.
• If the party is at your home, decide which serving dishes, utensils, table linens, and napkins you’ll use.
  • Clean or iron table linens if necessary.
  • Re-confirm rental supplies (if needed).
• If catering: Re-confirm your order with the caterer.
• If cooking your food: Prepare a shopping list for the food and beverages you need.
• Re-confirm the entertainment or create a baby shower playlist for a fun and inviting atmosphere.

One Week in Advance

• Phone anyone who has not called to RSVP and have a final headcount.
• Prepare dishes that you can freeze ahead of time for the event.
• Re-confirm with guests who’ve been asked to bring food or special items.
• Put together or re-confirm party favors.

2 Days in Advance

• Shop for perishables, ice, and other remaining supplies.
• Prepare food that can be made in advance.
• If the event is at your home:
  • Put decorations into place
  • Set the table(s) and have
• Have a comfortable chair picked out, with a pillow or seat cushion, for the mom-to-be to use at the shower.

1 Day in Advance

• Finish preparing food.
• If you’re not cooking, pick up the cake and prepared foods, or check in with the caterer.
• Pick up flowers, or make sure they get delivered.
• If hosting in your home: Vacuum and clean the guest bathroom.
• Set up extra chairs for guests.
• Set up a designated space for holding baby gifts.

The Morning of the Shower

• Pick up balloons if you’re using them as decor. If you pick them up earlier, they could deflate.
• Have all hosts congregate at the party site an hour or two ahead of time to help set up.
• Chill some refreshments to be ready at party time.
• Set out food, except items that need to stay warm or cold.

Party Time!

• Introduce the guests to each other.
• Mingle.
• Eat.
• Take pictures.
• Play baby shower games.
• Open gifts.
  • Designate someone to record who gave which gift.
  • Designate someone to help give gifts for the mother-to-be to open. Bending down is now more difficult for her.
  • Designate someone to collect all wrapping paper for trash.
  • Designate someone to repackage all the gifts for the expecting mom to take home.
• Make sure that she is eating, is comfortable, and is happy. 🙂

After the Party

• Collect all the gifts and place them in the mother-to-be’s car or ride.
• Give flower arrangements to the mother-to-be to take home or have the other hosts make additional arrangements.
• Make sure that all guests are leaving with their party favors and coats.
• Clean up plates and cups once guests are finished.
• Gather all rented linens, tables, or chairs together if needed to be picked up or dropped off.

There’s my checklist to help you have the perfect baby shower. I hope it’s a blast!