A well-planned baby shower needs 6-8 weeks of lead time, with the key milestones being: set your budget and guest count first (8 weeks out), send invitations at 6 weeks, lock in games and activities at 4 weeks, and confirm all vendors and logistics at 2 weeks. A typical baby shower runs a few hundred to a thousand dollars, with food usually the biggest line item. Hosts who follow a structured timeline are far less likely to feel frazzled on the day of the event. Here's your complete week-by-week checklist.
Here's a week-by-week checklist that covers everything without overwhelming you. Start 8 weeks out if you can. 6 weeks works. 4 weeks is tight but doable.
8 Weeks Out: Foundation
- ☐ Confirm the guest of honor is comfortable with you hosting
- ☐ Set a rough guest count and budget
- ☐ Decide: home, venue, or restaurant?
- ☐ Choose a date (check with the mom-to-be's calendar — her OB appointments, travel, energy levels). The sweet spot is weeks 28 to 36 of pregnancy, when the mom-to-be is comfortable enough to enjoy the event.
- ☐ Choose a co-host if you want one (splitting logistics and costs is smart)
- ☐ Ask the guest of honor: any dietary restrictions? Guests she definitely needs there? Anything she absolutely doesn't want?
6 Weeks Out: Theme and Invites
- ☐ Pick a theme (or commit to "no theme, just pretty")
- ☐ Build the guest list and collect addresses/emails
- ☐ Send invitations (digital is fine — Paperless Post, Evite, or even a nice email). Most shower invitations are sent digitally now.
- ☐ Include: date, time, location, registry links, RSVP deadline, any parking notes
- ☐ Book the venue if needed
- ☐ Book a caterer or decide on food approach
4 Weeks Out: Games and Activities
- ☐ Decide on 2-3 games (less is more)
- ☐ Set up any digital games — test them on the TV or projector you'll use
- ☐ If doing "ask the partner" game, record the video now (partners get busy)
- ☐ Order any printed materials (advice cards, decorations that ship slowly)
- ☐ Plan prizes — a basket of candy, small gift cards, or a nice candle
2 Weeks Out: Confirm Everything
- ☐ Follow up on RSVPs — get a firm head count. Expect about 70-80% of invitees to actually attend.
- ☐ Confirm food order/catering with final numbers
- ☐ Order or buy the cake — confirm delivery time and address
- ☐ Buy decorations if not already done
- ☐ Plan the gift opening moment: will she open during the shower or at home? Both are valid — decide and communicate
- ☐ Designate someone to run the games (ideally not the main host, who'll be managing everything else)
1 Week Out: Details
- ☐ Confirm headcount one more time
- ☐ Do a test run of any A/V setup (projector, screen, laptop connection)
- ☐ Prepare the playlist
- ☐ Set up party favors if applicable
- ☐ Brief your co-host and game runner on their roles
- ☐ Prepare a simple run-of-show (arrival → food → games → cake → gifts → goodbyes)
Day Before
- ☐ Decorate (if at home or venue allows early access)
- ☐ Prep any food that can be made ahead
- ☐ Charge any devices you'll use
- ☐ Print advice cards if using
- ☐ Lay out games, prizes, anything that needs to be accessible
Day Of: The Hour Before Guests Arrive
- ☐ Test the game on the display one final time
- ☐ Arrange food and drinks
- ☐ Put on the playlist
- ☐ Take a breath — you're ready
A Note on Games
The most common planning mistake with games is leaving them until the last minute and then scrambling for printed copies that nobody can read. The simplest fix: use a digital game that runs on your phone or laptop, connected to any screen. No printing, no setup, no prep. Just click and play.
BabyShowerShow.com has 20 ready-to-run games — emoji pictionary, trivia, word scrambles, Price Is Right — all designed for groups. $9.99 unlocks everything. Buy it a week out, test it once, and you're done.