What better way to welcome a little bundle of joy than with the best baby shower ever! And we've got the baby shower supplies, decorating ideas, food ideas and more, that will have you doing just that.

Planning a Baby Shower

For peace of mind, begin planning your baby shower party six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including baby shower decorations, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your baby shower party’s attendance.

One of the first steps in planning a baby shower is sending out fun, cute invitations. You can buy personalized or pre-printed baby shower invitations from Birthday in a Box.

To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Baby Shower Planning Timeline, take a look at our Baby Shower Etiquette question and answer page, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting decorations, supplies, activities, and more for the baby shower.

Baby Shower Decorations and Supplies

If you plan to use paper tableware and baby shower supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.

Whether you want to throw the baby shower inside or out, pastel colors are a must. Combining an assortment of soft colors like pale yellow, light green, baby blue, lavender, light pink, and white will work well whether the mother-to-be is expecting a boy or a girl, or if the baby's sex is unknown. Keep these classic baby shower colors in mind as you pick out decorations like:

• Balloons
• Personalized Baby Shower Banners
• Basic Partyware (e.g. plates, napkins, & cutlery)
• Corsages and/or Boutonnieres (i.e. for the mom- & dad-to-be)
• Loose or Arranged Flowers
• Streamers

Start decorating by hanging or floating bunches of balloons throughout party area(s). If you know the mother is expecting a girl, consider using a combination of light pink, lavender, and white. If she's having a boy, consider using pale yellow, blue, green, and/or white. Then, twist together streamers in the same color scheme as the balloons, and hang them along the walls and doorway(s) of the main party area(s). For a fun touch, you can also hang long strips of streamers in a row across the entryway(s), creating curtains for your guests to pass through as they come and go. Or, form a canopy of streamers over the entranceway(s) and/or over the party table by attaching them to a central point in the ceiling, and then down and out to level points on the surrounding walls.

Add a few finishing touches to your decorations by placing fresh flowers in pastel colors and baby-related items (e.g. storks, rubber ducks, pacifiers, baby bottles, etc.) throughout the party area. You can also use baby bibs as placemats or open-top baby bottles as cups. Put a baby shower centerpiece on each table. Be creative!