How To Throw The Ultimate Outdoor Baby Shower

Now is the perfect time to plan for your Baby Shower! Being out in the fresh air and around nature will put your guests immediately at ease, provide the perfect setting for a relaxed party and the perfect lighting for your photos!

How to set up your outdoor baby shower Hosting a garden baby shower will give you ample space for guests to mingle and relax, and is likely to provide more of a ‘blank canvas’ than a cluttered room inside. That said, to maximize your space, the first step should be to clear the garden of any unwanted items. You can then do final sprucing up of the garden to get it into party mode; trim unsightly branches, cut the grass a day or two prior and, if there’s space, plant some extra flowers and fragrant herb pots.

While picnics are lovely for other outdoor occasions, they don’t work when your guest of honour is pregnant, so dress up your garden table in a pristine white tablecloth for a pretty tablescape and comfortable seating for family members of all ages.

Set up a "bar area" (ideally near where guests will be making their entrance)— if you're in Montreal, you may already know about our BUBBLY PACKAGE, if you're not in our city, wine coolers, soft drinks dispensers and a tea/coffee station can be set with your own tables. We love our Bubbly Package because it's perfect for all of the drinks you may choose to serve, but can also be used throughout your event for gifts, favours, photos and cake, which makes a gorgeous focal point. We styled it with our "Oh Baby" neon, BABY cubes and balloons for this drive-by shower. How to weatherproof your outdoor baby shower While there’s nothing like a garden party, the famously unpredictable Montreal summer weather can be "a thing" to say the least. Weatherproof your party by buying, hiring or borrowing a pop-up gazebo or tent for shelter and shade come rain or come shine. If cold weather is predicted or if you live by the water, hire patio heaters or fire pits, then roll up throws, pashminas and blankets to gather into baskets for chilly guests to use. If a heatwave looks likely, buy large bags (and I repeat, large bags) of ice to keep drinks cooled, set up a few little baskets with bottles of sunscreen and cooling sprays, and consider providing little Spanish-style fans as party favours.

Baby shower decorations Now for the fun part! If you haven't been to our Pinterest Boards but need some inspo, you can check them out before visiting our SHOP. We carry everything you may need for the perfect decor; from backdrops, to cake risers and gorgeous pedestals, to our famous sweet carts and even a white bouncy castle for the kiddos! We can pair it with pastel-colour balloons and florals or go bold with pinks or greens and golds (the choices are endless!). If you're on a budget, a stunning backdrop which looks striking in photos can also serve as decor. Decorate your tables with a floral table runner over white tablecloth, add a botanical garland, tea light candles, and little hessian glass jars filled alternately with peach carnations, white roses and baby pink bunny tails.

Outdoor baby shower activities The beauty of a baby shower is the opportunity make the mother-to-be feel like the queen she really is, and to bring her most loved people together and make the most precious memories before the baby arrives! Some organized activities help to break the ice with people who don’t know each other, and put the mom-to-be at the front and centre of the event. Firstly, an outdoor photo booth area is fun while also letting guests take some IG-worthy snaps. Our BLISS PACKAGE is a go-to for the occasion! Don’t forget the mommy-to-be sash! Filling in these predictions cards is an uplifting activity. Ask your guests to predict certain things about the new arrival; it’s a lovely conversation starter. Equally, these Wishes for Baby are very sweet: guests write what they hope for for the new baby, and their handwritten messages can be kept in the glass jar as a nursery decor and then given to the little one once they’re old enough! Lastly, why not put together a ‘Day Four’ jar for the expectant mother. Use a mason jar or a beautiful keepsake box like this one, and ask your guests to write a message of support for the mom-to-be. She can read them four days after having the baby (when she’s likely to be feeling very tired and possibly emotional). It’s bound to be a reminder of how loved she is and how you all have her back!

Outdoor baby shower games Look, it’s true that some baby shower games can be pretty disgusting but that doesn’t mean they’re not fun. Here’s one horrible one – and some nicer games for the faint-hearted. The horrible game is when you buy a selection of baby food and purees. Guests take turns to put on an eye mask and to taste a teaspoon of each food and then guess what flavour(s) the concoction is meant to be. Is it ‘Broccoli, Pears & Peas, ‘Cheesy Pie’ or ‘Grandpa’s Sunday Lunch’? Only your tastebuds will tell…(I'm cracking up while writing this!). A sweeter baby shower game is to fill a maternity bag with essential baby items: think baby cream, wipes and a baby hairbrush, and ask your guests to place their hand in the bag and guess as many items as possible. The winner is the one who makes the most accurate guesses, while the bag and its contents can be a gift for the mom-to-be! Another easy and fun baby shower game to play is ’guess the size of the bump’, in which guests take it in turns to have their guess then measure the bump with the included iridescent measuring tape – the person with the closest guess wins.

Outdoor baby shower food ideas Our BELOVED PACKAGE is perfect for grazing platters, drinks and luxurious table spreads (these can be prepared with fresh local ingredients) that will hit the spot, and, because it can all be prepared in advance, give you more time to enjoy the day with the ones you love. Think trays of sandwiches, scones and a grazing platter of crackers, olives and nuts. If there’s cake (and of course there’s cake!), it can be placed on a beautiful pedestal and cake riser to match with the theme.

Outdoor baby shower drinks ideas Prep ahead with pre-mixed non-alcoholic cocktails served with ice and mint. Guests can serve themselves, giving you one less job. If you’d like to provide chilled wine and sparkly drinks, why not set out wine glasses out on a tray? (or our champagne wall - available with most packages). We hope you have a lovely baby shower and so many photos to remember it. Don't forget to tag us @balloom.ca in your photos!

xo

Tami