Baby Shower Etiquette (2024)

FAQs

What is proper etiquette for who throws a baby shower? ›

Who plans and hosts a baby shower? According to tradition, baby showers are typically hosted by a friend or distant relative (like a cousin or an aunt) instead of an immediate family member. This custom is believed to have developed to avoid the appearance that the family was simply on a mission to collect gifts.

If you're worried that no one will offer to throw a baby shower for you, talk to a close friend or a relative and, if you're comfortable doing so, ask her to take the reins. But again, there are no hard-and-fast rules — if no one is available or you simply prefer to host the event yourself, feel free to do so.

It's totally fine for parents-to-be to host their own baby shower. We completely understand that some expecting parents might want a certain level of control over the celebration of their little one and enjoy party planning.

Traditionally, close friends, cousins, aunts, sisters-in-law, or co-workers of the mother-to-be hosted baby showers.

Who Traditionally Pays for a Baby Shower? The hostess traditionally pays for the baby shower and its associated costs. However, the hostess can divide up the responsibility and costs by asking a few close family members or friends to co-host.

Traditionally, baby showers were hosted by close female friends or not-so-immediate female relatives (like aunts or cousins) of the mom-to-be. But times have changed, and now it's considered acceptable for just about anyone to host this celebration.

If you're wondering whether or not you should provide party favors to your guests, honestly, it's really up to you. Party favors are a nice gesture to thank guests for coming, but they can quickly get expensive. If you do choose to give party favors, feel free to cap your spending at just a few dollars per guest.

It is customary to give a gift when arriving at the baby shower. However, the host would prefer you attend without a gift than for you not to come at all.

HELEN'S ANSWER: It is awkward for a mother to host a baby shower for her daughter because gifts are involved. If you are an immediate family member having the party, it is like you are watching to see who gives what gift. It is much better for a close friend to have the party.

The next etiquette tip for modern baby showers is that the mom can but doesn't have to open gifts at the event. In the past, when showers were smaller and women-only events, it was often easier for the mom-to-be to open presents at the event.

Who not to invite to your baby shower? ›

The modern baby shower has no strict rules: You can invite whoever the family wants to be included. Just be sure to clearly state whether or not you're accommodating +1's.

How Many People Should Attend a Baby Shower. Every baby shower is different, but most ladies agree that 15 to 30 is the perfect number of ladies at a typical baby shower or about 30-40 for a coed. These numbers change depending on the size of the family, number of friends, and even work colleagues involved.

Who Hosts a Baby Shower? Most baby showers should be hosted by a sister, mother, mother-in-law, or close friend. Baby showers were traditionally thrown by family members who weren't close with the parents-to-be, to avoid the assumption that close family members wanted to collect gifts for themselves.

And secondly, fear not because dressing for a day of bub-to-be celebrations is pretty straightforward. Yup, you read that correctly. There are no set rules for baby shower outfits, so unless the invite says otherwise, you're basically free to wear whatever you fancy and feel the most comfortable in.

Best Time of Week for a Baby Shower

Weekends are often ideal because less people have work scheduled and are able to attend. Saturdays and Sundays are also the time-honored choice, so more traditional mothers will likely prefer this option.

Tradition states that when it comes to throwing a baby shower, those who love you should do the honors. This person could be your best friend from college, a colleague from work, the next-door neighbor… or your sister, sister-in-law, mother, aunt, etc.

“Since the occasion for a baby shower is to bestow upon the mother-to-be presents that a newborn baby would need, it is considered inappropriate for immediate family members to host the baby shower,” echoed Tami Claytor, the etiquette coach behind Always Appropriate Image & Etiquette Consulting.

Traditionally, the mother-to-be is the guest of honor at the baby shower. That said, if you're hosting a couples' shower, then you should list both parents as the guests of honor. A few ways you can designate the guest of honor in your invitation wording are…