If you recently found yourself on a baby shower planning committee, your head is probably spinning with questions.
What day should it be? How will we surprise the mama-to-be? What theme should we go with?
And while all of these questions are essential for planning the perfect baby shower, there is still one that’s perhaps even more important: Where should we have a baby shower?
If this question has been bogging you down lately, you’re not alone. This can feel like a big decision, and odds are you want to make the right one! The good news is, we’re here to help!
Keep reading below to find out what factors you should consider when trying to figure out where to have a baby shower, and our list of unique venue suggestions!
4 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Baby Shower Venue
Picking a venue without any guidance can feel overwhelming, but luckily you don’t have to feel overwhelmed anymore. Use the following determining factors as a jumping off point to figure out what kind of venue makes the most sense for the type and size baby shower you hope to throw.
1) Vibe
What is a party without the right vibe? When we talk about vibe, what we’re really referring to is the overall mood you want the baby shower to have. Is the mom-to-be’s family rather soft-spoken and enjoys fine foods and wine? Then perhaps a private room at a restaurant works best.
Or perhaps the shower will mainly be made up of talkative young ladies who don’t want to worry about how loud they are or be shooed away by the restaurant staff once the shower hits the three hour mark. If this is the case, a backyard DIY shower with energetic games and themed beverages might be better for you! Understand your guest list, the mom-to-be, and what they consider “a good time.”
Catering to their personalities, and mostly to the mom-to-be’s, is probably the best spark of inspiration to use when deciding on where to have a baby shower.
2) Guest Count
Believe it or not, it might be wise to create a tentative guest list before deciding on a venue. Not only does this give you a better idea of who will be in attendance and therefore the intended “vibe” (see above), but it also gives you a rough idea of numbers.
Typically, party planners can assume that 15% of those invited politely decline the invitation (that number might be higher if the shower is far away from them or if the invite isn’t sent out far enough in advance). Use your intended guest list count, minus 15%, to better understand what you will require of a baby shower venue.
How should you do this? First of all, many venues have a minimum guest requirement or maximum guest capacity. Obviously you’ll want to look into venues where your number of intended guests matches with the venue’s expectations.
More than that though, some venues, typically private rooms in restaurants or hotels, charge per person. This is oftentimes because they are also supplying the food and drinks. Because of this, if you understand your guest count ahead of time, you can get a better idea of what each venue will cost you- an important piece of the planning process, i.e. budgeting, that we’ll get more into later.
(P.S. – We have one little bonus side note about guest count that is often overlooked…remember that number of guests = number of gifts! The more guests you have, the more likely the mom-to-be is to receive all the gifts on her registry.
This is certainly something to keep in mind if you’re unsure about whether or not to extend someone an invite.)
3) Location and Accessibility
While this might not be a factor you need to consider when picking where to have a baby shower, this might be a good consideration for large guest lists that span many zip codes.
For example, if you plan to invite the future father’s side of the family who lives quite a few towns over, it would be considerate to pick a venue in the middle of all the guests so that everyone has a relatively easy time attending. (Remember- oftentimes the further guests are away, the more likely they are to decline the invite.)
Another factor to consider when choosing the shower venue is how accessible is it for all your guests? Does the mom-to-be have grandparents that use walkers or wheelchairs?
Will they require extra time to get into the venue and need easy access to the restrooms? Considering questions such as these may steer you away from certain venues, such as ones without elevators or ramps, and towards ones that works better for your guests and your party vision.
4) Budget
Like any good party, you need to know and understand your budget before deciding where to have a baby shower. If you are the only one planning the baby shower, then this might be pretty easy to figure out.
However, if you are planning with a group, a conversation will have to be had. Ask each fellow party planner what amount they are comfortable spending and agree on a number together. This way no one feels that they’ve over-contributed to the budget or questions where their money is going.
By setting these expectations beforehand you’re not only avoiding drama, but you can get a better idea of the type of place you can afford to have the baby shower.
For example, for a lower budget shower, you might be best using someone’s home, typically someone who is very close with the mom-to-be. Because food, drinks, decorations, and favors can add up, it might be wiser to dedicate your budget to these party essentials rather than blowing your budget on a fancy venue.
Baby showers held in a home can have a cozier feel and be super cute! Your guests won’t have to hold back in having fun; there won’t be any limitations on how loud you can be, how much time you can spend, and the amount of space you can take up! Plus it allows for more time and space to stash and set up decorations and presents!
For a medium budget shower, you might consider renting out an empty hall. Keep in mind that depending on where you live this cost may vary, although you can typically plan to spend around $500 for a 4 hour hall rental (think of that as 1 hour for set up, and 3 hours for partying).
A shower in a hall can feel slightly more formal than a shower in a home and might be a better, more traditional option if many older family members are present. A shower in a hall allows you the flexibility of catering in food or bringing in your own home-cooking as well.
Plus, a hall allows for a great empty canvas as far as selecting decorations- although setup and cleanup will be totally up to you and your party planning crew.
Finally, for a high-budget shower, the sky can be the limit! Typically, higher budget showers will take place in the private room of a restaurant, in which case you would be expected to pay per guest.
This type of shower requires the most amount of research to plan, as you might find that you want to shop around for menus and price points. Some restaurants will also have a guest minimum- meaning that your price is locked in even if you do not hit the required amount of guests.
In these situations, it’s best to try as hard as you can to hit the minimum number of people to get your money’s worth- especially when you consider that state taxes and gratuities will likely be added on top of this per guest price.
Overall, an upscale venue certainly gives your guests the “WOW-factor” and the waitstaff will make sure you don’t lift a finger as far as food and drink are concerned- although it does often come with a hefty price tag!
Popular Venue Ideas
Just like bridal showers and birthday parties, there is certainly no right or wrong answer to where to have a baby shower…but if you’re really stumped, here are some popular ideas and their accompanying advantages, estimated guest capacity, and price point:
-Rent a Tent for the Backyard of the Hostess’ House
- This allows for lots of room to play games and socialize without any time limitations
- Perfect for up to 35 people (depending on the size of the home/backyard)
- A great low-mid budget option
-A local VFW Hall or Church Annex
- Great for the hostess who loves all things decorating and DIY
- Every hall differs, but can likely fit up to 70 people
- A perfect mid-budget option
-A Vineyard or Brewery
- Gives a nice upscale feel and takes the pressure off providing the beverages and food (just make sure the mom-to-be doesn’t feel left out of the drinking festivities!)
- Every venue will differ, but likely a good option for 25 to 40 people
- A classy, fun high budget option
-A Tea Room
- For a warm, cozy, classy feel
- Check with your local venue- although typically “high tea” guests are served at one grand table; likely a good option for up to 20 people
- A cute high budget option
-A Local Community Center/YMCA
- Leaves lots of room for gifts and for your guests to spread out
- Perfect for up to 70 people (check with the venue for exact guest capacity limitations)
- A great low-mid budget option
-Private Group Event Rooms at a Hotel or Restaurant
- Great for the hostess who doesn’t want to lift a finger
- Perfect for 30+ people (Remember- you’ll likely pay per head)
- Mid-high budget option
-A Local Garden or Terrace
- A classy, outdoor vibe!
- Ideal for up to 20+ guests on a warm Spring or Summer day
- A great mid-high budget option
-A Local Barn or Farm
- Perfect for the mom-to-be who loves all things rustic and earthy
- Great for up to 30+ people
- A unique mid-high budget option
TIP: Check out unique venues ideas on Peerspace: https://www.peerspace.com/
- Want to have your baby shower at a place no one’s seen before? Check out Peerspace- an online network that connects people who need unique event spaces with venue owners around the country. All venues on Peerspace charge hourly so it’s worth a look to see if there’s something available in your budget!
Well, there you have it – our complete list of suggestions for where to have your baby shower! We know that planning a baby shower can feel stressful, but we hope we made it a little bit easier for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lQ8lrtPVqc