When I got designated as my friend-group “shower planner” I had no idea how to throw a surprise baby shower, but now that I know, I could throw one every day!
Throwing a surprise shower can be rather exciting as well as overwhelming at the same time. When your friend or family member is expecting their first baby everyone is really excited, but the mother to be may be feeling a lot of emotions.
This is why it’s so hard to plan a shower in general, much less a surprise one where you have to keep it a secret leading up! You have to think about your friend or family member’s changing hormones when planning to throw a surprise baby shower.
In addition to the planning stages, your friend may have certain needs that must be fulfilled when planning this surprise baby shower. If you’re in charge of throwing a baby shower this year, then you’ll enjoy the tips I’m sharing today to ensure that this event is spectacular.
How To Throw a Surprise Baby Shower
Decide on Gender Reveal
If you want to make this surprise party a gender reveal, you’ll need to coordinate that with the spouse or whoever is in charge of knowing what gender the baby is. Then, from there, you can decide exactly how you’ll do the reveal, whether it’s a cake, balloons in a box or whatever you decide.
Pick The Best Date Possible
In order to throw a surprise shower, you’ll have to figure out the best date, time and location. Try to speak to the mom to be’s partner to get a good feel for when they’ll be free to attend a surprise baby shower.
Most surprise showers are thrown about 1-2 months before the baby’s due date. This ensures plenty of time to plan and throw a surprise baby shower event before the baby arrives, even if the kiddo decides to come a bit early.
Be Smart About Location
Location is going to be key for keeping this shower a surprise event. Try to pick a location that won’t stir up many questions from the mom to be. This could be a familiar relative or friend’s home or a local restaurant that the mom to be is used to going to. You want to pick somewhere familiar to her, as a means to avoid any questions before they arrive as the guest of honor.
Make a Wishlist
Whether you create a wishlist or your friend does, it’s important to include a baby registry wishlist on the invitations. Every guest should know what the mom to be wants for gift ideas before the surprise baby shower event happens. This ensures guests bring gifts that the mom to be will find useful.
Send out Invites
Work with mom-to-be’s mom or significant other to make a good guest list. Then, send out invitations to this surprise baby shower at least 3 weeks in advance. If you need some help deciding on invitations, be sure to check out my resource for shower invites here.
Require an RSVP from all guests who plan to attend at least 7 days in advance. This will allow you to have at least one week in advance to prepare the food, baby shower games, and anything else that you need to do to throw a successful surprise event.
Choose a Theme
Next, if you’re hosting a shower, you’ll want to pick a theme for baby shower decorations, games and baby shower favors. Whether it’s jungle animals or tea parties, you will want to decide what works for both you and the mom-to-be (remember: this is actually her shower).
It’s important that you figured out some DIY baby shower games to have guests and the mom to be to have some fun during this surprise party. It’s important to have cake, food, and other fun options to keep everyone happy during the event.
If you’re looking for some great baby shower themes, be sure to check out these awesome baby shower ideas I pulled together for whenever I’m planning a baby shower.
Pretend It’s Another Event
Last, but not least, it’s important that you maintain the element of surprise for this surprise shower from start to finish. This means that you or someone else you designate to get the mom-to-be to the baby shower will have to pretend this is another event.
A great option is to say that you’re planning a photography session so that the mom-to-be will get dressed up to feel all fancy during their surprise baby shower event.
Get Ready!
Now that you’ve got everything ready for the shower, it’s time to get everything rolling. Gather up those ideas for a baby shower date, location and time. Give the guests the mom to be’s wishlist and then plan to have a fabulous time making your own decorations, food, and baby shower games to enjoy during this surprise baby shower event.
