Pregnancy is such a time of anticipation, with both wonderful moments and stressful ones. For lots of women and couples, I think the baby shower is one of the most magical moments. Surrounded by those who love you, and who have either done this whole parenting thing already, or the friends not there yet, but ready to cheer you on. SO MUCH LOVE! I wanted to share a few moments from my shower (sadly it got too hectic to get a group photo!) but my sister Carly, hosted at my house and it was really special to have so many women I love in my home together. Here are some baby shower ideas from florals, to food, to my favorite books and baby gifts:

TIP ONE: Let your invitation set the color palette. My sister found this artsy plaid invitation (paperless post/ paper source) and I loved it! We used the peach, maroon and greens as fall accent colors picked up in the florals and had a similar cookie made for a little favor.

TIP TWO: We had the shower at my home. Don’t be afraid to re-arrange the furniture to add extra seating. I set up multiple card tables and folding chairs around the first floor so there were additional places to sit. I used a few yards of fabric from JoAnn’s for table cloths and made lots of little floral arrangements so it looked festive no matter where your seat.

TIP THREE: Keep the food simple with a mixture of store bought and homemade. We used store bought items to create a cheese and charcuterie board, used a local bakery for quiches, and made our own salad dressings and desserts. Use elegant serving ware options to make everything look more beautiful. Quiche looks much prettier when displayed on a cake plate! Rent or borrow from friends if you need more serving ware. Large baskets work well for cheese boards, and adding a bit of greenery or floral helps the food look better too.

TIP FOUR: Reading has been a great way to calm my anxieties and get more excited about birth and motherhood. Here are my three favorite reads, that are mostly non-medical, and more uplifting / help you and partner prepare.

TIP FIVE: Your registry! I had a lot of success using the universal registry link called Baby List. You can add a widget to your bookmarks which allows you to add almost anything from any site to the registry in one click. I love using it! Here are some of the most highly recommended gifts I received.

If you’re a new mom or mom-to-be reading this blog I’d love to know! Hope these tips are helpful if you’re thinking about planning a shower, or planning for someone you love.

XO – CLAIRE