Special Touches That add Extra Love

Is there anything more special than throwing a shower for a beloved friend or relative? It’s a wonderful way to mark such an exciting occasion!

I’ve been absolutely thrilled to help host a handful of showers for the most special of friends in the last few months. A few of you have asked if I had any resources, so…cue the trumpets…here we go! I’m going to split it all up so it’s not too overwhelming. Today’s post tackles those little details you can add to make a baby shower feel unique and special, and the honoree – most importantly – feel loved. This post, however, is a great starting point. It contains everything you’ll need to consider and check off the list as you’re planning a baby shower.

Here are my favorite little details, plus a few ideas:

Incorporate photos of the honoree as a baby. This is a wonderful way to bring in the honoree’s family, which makes the day extra special. Frame a handful of photos in silver frames or pick up a few inexpensive white frames from Target and scatter them throughout the entertaining space. It’s so much fun to see photos of your dear friend as baby – and to guess which features her little one will carry on!

Designate someone to take notes of gifts. This probably goes without saying, but if it’s your first time hosting a shower, it’s an important thing to remember. Having someone take notes while the mama-to-be unwraps gifts will make thank you notes the honoree writes a breeze. Pro tip: pick a fellow hostess or friend who has children since she is more likely to know what everything is!

Reserve your seating. Take the guesswork out of where the guest of honor will sit to open gifts by reserving a spot for her and her mother with a place card (we love Caspari’s). Since our theme for sweet Rachael’s shower was a teddy bear tea, place cards perched on teddy bears (provided by her mother) reserved these spots.

Consider signing books, advice cards, or a baby book. We included an enclosure card with the invitation of another dear friend’s shower that asked guests to please bring and sign a baby book in lieu of a card with their gifts. It’s a wonderful way to build a truly special library for the new baby.

Signing a baby book (this one is darling) instead of a guest book is another sweet idea. Or, you could have guests who are parents sign advice cards to the new parents. I recommend ordering these on Etsy or through the paper company you use for invitations (many offer branded party swag like this – more info on who I use and love further down this post!).

Hang a banner of onesies that are on-theme. This is chic way of adding a little decor to the walls – and it’s practical since I hear onesies are very much needed. We put one together for our sweet friend (she was having a boy) using blue clothespins and twine.

Tie a bow on your wreath if you’re hosting at home. Let guests know they’re at the right house by tying a bow on your wreath. You can use the shower colors or blue for a boy and pink for a girl.

Play up your theme with sweets. We love adding in special occasion sweets, such as decorated sugar cookies as party favors or a beautiful cake to cut. Buttercream Bakeshop is my go-to for fabulous custom cakes. They did the one below, complete with the beautiful teddy bear they did by hand in watercolor. Their available cake flavor combinations list is exhaustive and so much fun to scroll through. A cake is a fabulous way to add height and a focal point to a table or sideboard – and it’s certainly something reserved for special occasions.

Bring the family into the planning. Including family members in the planning makes the shower feel that much more special and personal. Find ways to collaborate, such as with decor, photographs, favorite menu items, and more.

Pay extra attention to the details. My friend, Allie, thought to freeze little blue hydrangea blooms into ice cubes for our sweet friend, Rachael’s, shower. They looked darling floating in the beverage tin. You can also freeze flowers, herbs, or citrus rounds to create a wine or champagne chiller. I highly recommend using this less-messy option from Crate and Barrel.

Party favors are another way to add a special little something extra. They can be edible (frosted sugar cookies are always a hit) or themed to go along with the shower. Our little tea bag infusers in loose tea tied with a blue gingham bow by our friend, Rachel, were perfect for our teddy bear tea.

I wore this dress by Tuckernuck in the reflection (TTS – I wore a size Small) for Rach’s shower. It was perfect!

Consider branding a few extra items. The invitation sets the tone for the party, so I like to go all out. There are so few times these days that paper invitations are a “given,” so why not make them extra special? I’m also a sucker for a good envelope liner! I love using the team at Nico and LaLa. The swag they offer is extensive and the designs are just adorable.

Calligraphy. If you’re hosting a seated luncheon, consider having a local calligrapher pen your place cards or menu cards. A simple silk ribbon tied into a bow or knot makes a beautiful statement at the top – just tell your calligrapher to leave a few inches for it.

Hope these tips are helpful! I’d love to hear your ideas (what you’ve tried or what you’ve been dying to try)! Let me know in the comments below.

Cheers, friends!

Special thanks to my sweet and chic friend, Rachael, for letting me use a few photos from her shower for this post!

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