Oh Baby- It's a Sweet Little Girl!

/
1 Comments
This past weekend, I had the honor of co-hosting a baby shower for one of my dearest friends.  While most showers hover between 10-15 women, these parents wanted something a bit larger, with both men and women included (AKA a Jack & Jill Shower).  The biggest twist?  I'm in Philadelphia, the other hostess is in Los Angeles and the shower was in...Houston, Texas.  

No problem!  I love a challenge!  And, with the help of my fabulous friend, we cooked up a perfectly pink plan to welcome the bundle of joy.  


The Menu... 
Focusing on the "Sweet" theme, we prepared dessert buffet - perfect for the 2 o'clock time slot.  Eclairs, strawberry crisp treats with pink chocolate drizzle, brownie bites, lemon cupcakes & raspberry crisp were among the offerings. The father of the expectant mom added a fabulous homemade rum cake to the spread (and after three cancelled flights, and the very real possibility that I wouldn't even make it to the shower, it's probably a good thing he didn't have me help ... "One for the cake, one for me...").  

So that no one went into diabetic coma, we also made sure to have some healthier offerings... a crudites platter, several cheeses, various crackers, and fresh fruit - served out of a watermelon pram (with lime wheels) that I carved the morning of.  Pink Lemonade poured from a giant glass pitcher rounded out the refreshments. 

The Decor... 

 
The original plan was to only bring the smaller (read: packable) paper goods, and create the big decoration items in Houston in the days preceding the shower.  Unfortunately, thanks to major travel issues, my prep time and budget shrank drastically and by the time I got there, certain projects just had to be scrapped.  I've said it before, and it bears repeating: No Event EVER Goes Off Without Issues.  Sometimes, you've just got to roll with it.

My co-host and the mom-to-be were champs and did a good bit of running around for me before I got there.  Once my feet hit Houston soil, the whole family pitched in (probably a good thing as I'd been up 22 hours straight, and heaven only knows what I would have created without them. Not to mention it was probably better to keep the scissors from me at that point).  With everyone's good-natured help, by the time the party rolled around, the house looked like a candy coated confection. 

Pink streamers, pom poms, Chinese lanterns and balloons hung from every corner of the downstairs.  80 spray roses, 2 dozen white and pink carnations, and (of course) baby's breath were arranged into four different vases - all pre-wrapped with coordinating pink and white craft paper and ribbons of varying widths.  "Sweet Baby" proclaimed the theme on a homemade flag banner above the buffet.   And finally, all of the gorgeous rainbowed gifts piled up to create an "ooh and ahh" inspiring vista in the living room.  


Games...
- Names of celebrity moms and dads were pinned to the backs of guests as they entered.  The guests then had to ask their fellow partiers yes and no questions in order to figure out their hidden persona.  (This game is a great way to break the ice and encourage mingling) 
- All guests were also given 2 pink clothespins upon entering the party with instructions not to use the word "Baby" throughout the shower.  If caught uttering the "forbidden word" the guest must give up one of their pins to the person who caught them.  The person at the end of the party with the most pins wins a prize! 
-Two clotheslines spanned the fireplace with die-cut onesies bearing guests names and baby pictures.  The mom and dad to-be each had a turn at matching them up - it's actually harder than you think!
- Quizzes galor... I actually spent time creating mine, however, there ARE sites where you can download basic baby shower quizzes.  Don't forget the prizes! 


The Extras... 
- Wishes for the Baby: Guests were given a small card upon entering and asked to write down a wish for the baby.  Funny or sincere, the parents appreciated the keepsakes written by each of their dearest friends and relatives. 
- A Wish Scrapbook: As the mom and dad recently moved from LA, many of their friends were unable to attend the party.  My co-host and I secretly collected messages and pictures from those who couldn't join, and created a keepsake scrapbook to present at the shower.  Some pages were void of pics and messages so that the party-goers wishes could be included at a later date.
- Prizes: As the shower was co-ed, we bought $5 gift cards to a coffee shop and presented them in handmade paper diaper envelopes.  Presentation is everything!
- Favors: Closing out with the "Sweet Baby" theme, guests received a pink and white lollipop as they exited the party, along with the sincere thanks from the parents, and an appreciative wave from the co-hosts - who may or may not have been sucking on pieces of rum cake.  

Don't judge us - you would've done the same thing.  



About Post Author

Hey guys! My name's Emily-Grace and I'm so glad you've found my blog! E.G. is all about decor, entertaining, laughter and finding joy in the everyday. The meaning of the name is threefold: 1. "Entertaining" in the sense of providing for guests. ("Hey, come on over for dinner and I'll break out the good mason jars and moonshine...") 2. "Entertaining" is also meant to indicate my love of laughter ("That Emily-Grace. She's hilarious. And she should quite possibly be medicated.") 3. And finally, "Entertaining GRACE" is about the idea of granting each other a certain amount of kindness, mercy, and tenderness. This world can be a tough old bird and the truth is, we're all in it together. When we take the time to celebrate the bright moments we magnify that light to the people around us and, hopefully, add some hope and joy to their lives (as well as our own!).

You may also like

1 comment:

  1. DominikaJanuary 13, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    Absolutely adorable! Looks like you did a fabulous job! x

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!

Powered by Blogger.

Subscribe

Popular Posts

About the Author

My photo
Hey guys! My name's Emily-Grace and I'm so glad you've found my blog! E.G. is all about decor, entertaining, laughter and finding joy in the everyday. The meaning of the name is threefold: 1. "Entertaining" in the sense of providing for guests. ("Hey, come on over for dinner and I'll break out the good mason jars and moonshine...") 2. "Entertaining" is also meant to indicate my love of laughter ("That Emily-Grace. She's hilarious. And she should quite possibly be medicated.") 3. And finally, "Entertaining GRACE" is about the idea of granting each other a certain amount of kindness, mercy, and tenderness. This world can be a tough old bird and the truth is, we're all in it together. When we take the time to celebrate the bright moments we magnify that light to the people around us and, hopefully, add some hope and joy to their lives (as well as our own!).

Facebook