Whether you are planning a party for a friend who’s expecting or attending your first, navigating the world of baby showers can be an intimidating uncharted territory.
After all, there is a lot to consider from themes to gifts to party etiquette.
As you start to build your party itinerary you might be unsure of how much time you need to commit to hosting. Or, if you have just received an invitation in the mail, you might be desperately trying to find a way to cram attending into your busy schedule.
No matter which category you fall into, you might find yourself wondering “how long do baby showers last?”
Thankfully, we’ve got the answers.
Here, we have highlighted everything you need to know about baby shower timelines, scheduling and related etiquette.
Typical Baby Shower Breakdown
To give you a rough idea of what you can expect, here is an example of a typical baby shower schedule. That being said, the amounts of certain activities and time allotments will vary greatly from event to event.
Simply use this template and modify to suit your needs.
Arrival of Guests (30 minutes)
You will want to factor in some time for guests to arrive and get acquainted. Not everyone will show up right at the minute and hour you printed on the invitation, so it’s best to build in a buffer.
Plus, it’s unlikely you’re going to be able to get anyone’s attention to start an activity until they’ve made their way in, taken off their jacket, signed the guest book and said hello to the guest of honour.
Serve food and drinks (45 minutes)
Whether you have a grazing table, catered and plated meal or hot buffet, you will need to plan enough time for guests to get their food, eat it and take a breather before moving on to the next event.
Unless your meal is plated and served, this will likely operate more like a cocktail hour where guests roam around and chat with each other while snacking. For this reason, you will want to build lots of time into your schedule.
If the main focus isn’t consuming everything on their plate before moving on to the next activity, then the pace will be much more leisurely and the timeline should accommodate for this.
Baby Shower Games (30 minutes)
Try out another classic baby shower favourite, or plan something a bit more modern, like building a baby time capsule or painting letter blocks for the nursery.
Gift Opening and/or Unstructured Socializing (1 hour)
Some guests like sitting through gift openings and others cannot stand it. The one opinion that really matters though, is the guest of honour’s.
Take into account that the more guests you have, the longer it will take.
This means it might be more prudent for larger events to skip the public opening.
You should also build in some free time for guests to do as they please. The main reason anyone comes to a baby shower is to be with the mama-to-be, so they will want to get some face time with her.
What time of day should a baby shower start?
Most baby showers are planned surrounding lunchtime, as is tradition. That being said, many modern mamas are choosing to shift towards earlier or later timelines to suit a less-traditional baby shower style.
Some moms would prefer a brunch gathering, so they will have the rest of their day free to relax, while others prefer and sunset shower with cocktails for their non-pregnant friends.
If you are not planning to default to tradition and you are hosting for a friend or family member, you may want to consult them about the timing they would prefer.
After all, the party is ultimately for them.
Striking a balance to choose a time that does not interfere with guests’ other commitments for the day is key.
In general, most women agree that 11 am or noon is the ideal time to start a baby shower.
This way, the shower is not rushing anyone out of bed, interfering with religious services (for the most part), or impeding on their dinner plans.
However, the consensus online is that co-ed baby showers that are typically paired with barbecues and adult beverages for the non-pregnant guests are best planned as late in the day as possible.
These types of showers have preferred start times between 4 pm and 6 pm and will drag a little later in the evening.
It’s also worth pointing out that these gatherings tend to be less formal and focus more on celebrating casually with the parents-to-be than structured baby shower games.
Should a baby shower have a set end-time?
Once you have decided on when the baby shower is going to start, the next thing to think about is when it’s going to end.
While there are typical time frames that one can expect a shower to stay within (i.e. 2-4 hours), ultimately the person who will decide how long the party will go on is the person hosting.
If it’s important to you that guests aren’t lingering around all day and into the evening, you may want to put a set end time on the invitation.
Usually, you will have formal activities end well before this time so that guests have had a chance to socialize leisurely. Building in this “grazing” time will allow guests to leave when it feels appropriate to them.
This allows people with an open schedule for the day to stay and chat, while those with other commitments can leave the party sooner without seeming like they are making a hasty exit.
You may also leave your shower open-ended. Just know that while this might seem like a polite way to keep your guests from feeling unwelcome past a certain time, it can confuse others.
Your guests will be trying to fit the shower into their day, so it’s best if you can give them a general idea of how much time they can expect to commit to your event. Otherwise, they might find themselves on an article like this one trying to figure out when they will be heading home.
This is especially true for guests who might be coming from out of town, hiring babysitters or taking time off work to attend.
How many games should be played at a baby shower?
How many games you decide to work into your baby shower schedule will largely depend on how long each game is set to last.
Most shower hosts will plan between 3 and 5 games, and each will generally last between half an hour and forty-five minutes. If you’re planning minute-to-win-it-style games, then you might choose to plan a few extra.
Chances are, all of these fast-paced games can be played in the same amount of time as one or two typical baby shower games. Some modern shower game alternatives such as onesie decorating could take longer, or be set up as a station where guests can come and go freely.
It may also depend on your mama-to-be’s preferences. If you have an ultra-competitive mama on your hands, you may want to put a heavier emphasis on games versus other shower activities.
You also might have a mama who doesn’t enjoy games and would rather socialize freely with her friends.
In this case, you might only plan a couple of games or none at all.
Do you have to open gifts at a baby shower?
While it used to be a given that expectant (or new) mothers open their gifts at their baby shower, this is becoming less and less common. If you are planning the shower for a friend or family member, be sure to check with them about their gift-opening preferences and schedule accordingly.
This will greatly affect how long the baby shower lasts?
If she does want to open her gifts during the shower, you will need to allow enough time for her to do so. If she doesn’t, make sure you don’t leave a gift-opening time slot available- this might result in her being pressured to open gifts in front of people when this is not her intention.
For a mama who is anxious about being in the spotlight, or hoping to open gifts with her partner, this can be quite upsetting.
If you are not carving out time for gift opening, be sure not to open any gifts during the party. Once one gift is opened, other guests will demand to see their gift opened too causing a domino effect.
If this happens, your party will surely run over time.
Is it rude to leave a baby shower early?
It’s normal to feel guilty about having to leave a baby shower early. Ultimately though, no date or time is going to work for every single person on a guest list.
Whether you know ahead of time that you have to leave early to accommodate the rest of your schedule or something comes up during the party, just be sure to communicate.
Letting the expectant mother, and the hostess, know that you need to leave is considered the polite thing to do.
Make sure to apologize, say goodbye before your departure and let them know the reason you need to leave if it’s appropriate to do so.
In most cases, the mama-to-be will be grateful you made the effort to attend despite your busy schedule and will appreciate that you took the time to celebrate with them.
Is it rude to arrive at a baby shower late?
The same rules apply to arriving late as to leaving early. It’s to be expected that the time and date chosen for the baby shower will not suit every single guest who is invited, so you don’t need to feel terrible if you can’t be there right on time.
Usually, some time will be allotted for guests arriving and saying hello right at the beginning of the party. this means there’s no need to fret if you’re running just a bit behind schedule.
That being said, communication is even more important if you are planning to arrive late to avoid interruption to activities and diverting attention away from the expectant mama.
If you know you will not be able to make it for part of the event, contact the hostess ahead of time and see when there will be a time for casual socialization.
Usually, this time is towards the end of a party and will allow you to slip in and celebrate with the honouree without causing too much disturbance.
How much time should be structured vs. unstructured?
While every baby shower can benefit from some structured activity, you will want to be sure to plan a party with a good balance of activities and socialization time.
While most guests (and expectant mamas) will enjoy a few games and watching a gift opening, too much can lead to a less-than-perfect party experience. You want to ensure that your guests are entertained but also have time for genuine and authentic conversation, especially with the guest of honour. So what is the perfect balance?
That will depend on your friend group, but more important on your guest of honour. Take your cues from the mama-to-be and the type of party she enjoys attending.
If you’re not sure and cannot seem to come up with a plan you think will suit everyone, sticking to a 60/40 split for structured/unstructured time is probably a safe bet. You can also include eating time as “structured” time.
This way, everyone will be happy with the activity level for at least half of the party- it’s the best of both worlds.