Baby Shower Planning Checklist and Timeline

Eight weeks out: the big decisions

Start with the parent-to-be. Unless the shower is a surprise, ask what they want before you plan anything. Some people love games and a big crowd, and others want a quiet lunch with six friends.

• Agree who is hosting. If there are several of you, pick one person to hold the list and the receipts.
• Pick two or three possible dates and check them with the guest of honor and close family.
• Set a total budget before anyone buys anything.
• Decide the style: brunch, afternoon tea, backyard barbecue, co-ed or not.
• Ask for the guest list, with phone numbers or email addresses.

Splitting the cost between hosts

Money is easier to talk about before it is spent. Agree on one total, then on how it divides. As a rough split, food and drinks take about half. The cake and the decorations share about a quarter. What is left covers the invitation, game supplies, prizes and a small cushion for the thing you forgot.

If one host is providing the home, it is fair for the others to cover a little more of the food. Say so out loud instead of hoping someone offers. These messages are written to be copied.

• "Before we book anything for Priya's shower: can we agree on a total and split it three ways? I will keep the receipts in one note so we can settle up the week after."
• "I am happy to host at my place. Could the two of you split the food between you, and I will cover drinks and decorations?"
• "I will take food and the cake. Can one of you take decorations, and the other games and the gift list?"
• "Receipts are in. Tell me if anything is missing from the list, and I will send each of us our share tonight."

Six weeks out: place, list and invitation

From here on, every job waits on a number. The caterer wants a count, the cake comes in sizes, and the room holds only so many chairs. That is why the invitation goes out now, before the menu is planned and not after it.

With several hosts, replies tend to scatter across three phones. Blast is an animated video invitation with music that you send as a link by text, WhatsApp or email, and guests RSVP from the invite itself without an account. Each host can forward the same link to her side of the list, so the answers arrive from one invitation instead of three chats. Blast is free to create and send.

• Book the venue, or confirm whose home you are using. Count the seats.
• Finalize the guest list. Let the space set the number.
• Check that the registry is ready, if there is one, and ask how the parents want gifts handled.
• Choose a theme or a simple color palette.
• Make the invitation and send it. Four to six weeks of notice is a good window for a shower.
• Set the RSVP deadline one to two weeks before the date.

Four weeks out: food and plan

Now fill in the middle of the party. A shower of two hours needs less than you think: food, one or two activities, gifts and cake.

• Plan the menu. Order catering or a cake now if you are not making them yourself.
• Ask about allergies and dietary needs, and include drinks without alcohol that still feel festive.
• Choose the activities. Two games, or one game and a keepsake, is plenty.
• Order decorations and anything that needs shipping time.
• Confirm which host is doing what: food, setup, games, photos, gift list.

Two weeks out: chase the replies

There are always a few people who meant to answer. A direct message with a reason and a deadline works better than a reminder to the whole group, and it is kinder too.

• "Hi Dana! I am giving the caterer numbers on Friday for Priya's shower. Can you make it? A yes or a no is all I need."
• "No pressure either way, but I am setting out chairs for the shower this week. Should I count you in?"
• "Last call for Priya's shower. If I don't hear back by tomorrow I will put you down as a no, and you can still tell me if that changes."
• Give the caterer or venue the final count.
• Buy plates, cups, napkins and serving dishes, plus game supplies and small prizes.
• Plan where gifts will go and how they get home afterward.
• Pick a comfortable chair for the guest of honor, with a side table for water.

The week before

• Confirm delivery or pickup times for food and cake.
• Send confirmed guests the address, parking and start time again.
• Make a playlist and test the speaker.
• Shop for groceries two days before. Prepare what you can the day before.
• Write a simple run of the day and share it with the other hosts.
• Ask one person to take photos and one to write down who gave which gift.

On the day

Start setting up about two hours before guests arrive. Do decorations first, then drinks, then food, and keep the last half hour free.

• Set up a table near the door for gifts and cards.
• Put out drinks and snacks before the first guest arrives.
• Greet people and introduce guests who don't know each other.
• Serve food within the first half hour. Play games after people have eaten.
• Open gifts, or skip it if the parent-to-be prefers. Both are normal.
• Cut the cake, say a few words and thank everyone for coming.
• Load the gifts into the car and send the gift list home with them.

A sample two-hour schedule

• First 30 minutes: arrivals, drinks and mingling.
• Next 30 minutes: food.
• Next 20 minutes: one or two short games.
• Next 30 minutes: gifts, or a keepsake activity.
• Last 10 minutes: cake, thanks and goodbyes.

After the shower

Share the photos with guests within a few days, and pass the gift list to the parents so thank-you notes are easy. Then settle the costs between hosts while the receipts are still in one place.