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Spring and Summer Baby Shower Etiquette

10 Apr 2023 By: Diane Gottsman

Spring and Summer Baby Shower Etiquette | Food table at a baby shower decorated with pink accents and fresh flowers

There is nothing more exciting than waiting for a baby to arrive, and hosting a baby shower for one of your friends is a lovely way to show your support and spread the love. But, the reality is that showering a mom-to-be is no easy feat and is very similar to planning a wedding—you want every detail to be perfect! Plenty of questions arise when celebrating your expectant BFF; here are a few spring and summer baby shower etiquette tips to help you plan, organize and host the perfect celebration this season.

Spring and Summer Baby Shower Etiquette

Location – Location – Location

Whether you are planning to host the baby shower at your home, a restaurant or a family lake house, making it easily reachable to most attendees translates into a stronger turnout. When deciding on the location, easy access is the key. If your guests have to travel too far out of the way, or for several hours to a mountain top lodge, they may opt out for a variety of reasons. Most guests have small children and other responsibilities they need to take into consideration. Identify the best area with this in mind and brainstorm away.

Include an RSVP

When sending the invitation, include an RSVP date rather than opting for “Regrets Only.” Life gets busy, and it’s easy to let time slip by; an RSVP helps to put a deadline on the decision. This gives the host or hosts an idea of how much food, beverages and table seating will be necessary. Never assume the host knows you will be attending until you officially respond with a yes or no answer.

Creative gender neutral baby shower or birthday decoration in the garden. Bohemian style outdoor event set up with balloons. White cream peach caramel balloon arch kit. Sweet table for a party

Send Out a Timely Invitation

After working with the guest of honor on her guest list, send out the invitation at least three weeks in advance. Spring and summer are especially busy, and it is best to give each guest plenty of time to make arrangements. Include important information such as a theme, date, time, location, gift registry and other pertinent details. If the mom-to-be wants to share whether it will be a boy or girl, add it to the invitation.

Perfect for Second, Third and Fourth Babies

It is perfectly acceptable to have a baby shower for a third or fourth baby. Every sweet baby deserves to be honored! Of course, when there are multiple siblings, mom may already have much of what she needs. Don’t hesitate to be specific on the gift registry and tell friends and family by word of mouth what is on the wishlist. Just because there are previous children does not mean there is nothing left that the mom and dad will need.

Spring romantic table setting with pink peony flowers on a white table. Close up.

“Nature Is the Best Designer”

My love of fall brings me so much joy, but there is no denying the sweetness of springtime greenery and summer blooms. Pull inspiration from nature when decorating the venue. Fresh peonies with their oversized blooms, varieties of vibrant foliage, sweet daisies, shoots of lavender and more are easily accessible this time of year. A striking flower on each place setting elevates the look of your event and delights shower guests.

A Gift Is Always on the List

Much like a birthday, every baby shower requires a guest to bring a gift. While a gift is not an obligation to attend a function, when invited to a baby shower, the first or the fourth, it’s only polite to bring a gift to honor mom and welcome the new bundle of joy. If you don’t attend the shower, you don’t have to give a gift unless you are very close to the family and will feel awkward the next time you see any of the family or the parents-to-be.

Games Are Optional

Some moms-to-be enjoy games, and others prefer to spend time with their family and friends, catching up and visiting. When hosting the shower, ask the guest of honor what she prefers before spending a great deal of time planning and preparing activities.

Opening Gifts in Front of Guests

Generally, the mom-to-be will open her gifts in front of all of her guests. Similar to a children’s birthday party, everyone wants to see what she received and watch the joy on her face as she opens each gift!

Baby Showers Are Not For Women Only

Baby showers are no longer reserved only for moms. Men are adopting, dads are often included in the festivities, and there are no specific gender rules when hosting or being the guest of honor at a baby shower.

For more information about working with Diane, America’s “Go to” social and professional (manners) skills authority, please visit The Protocol School of Texas. 

You may also like our baby shower segment on Fox 7 Austin. See what Diane is up to by following her on Instagram and Facebook. Find etiquette inspiration on her Pinterest account and keep up with her latest tweets. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, refer to her posts on Inc. and HuffPost.

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Diane Gottsman

Diane Gottsman is a national etiquette expert and modern manners professional, sought out industry leader, television personality, accomplished speaker, Huffington Post blogger, author, and the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in executive leadership and etiquette training. Diane is routinely quoted in national and international media including The New York Times, The BBC, CNN, Bloomberg Business Week, Kiplinger, Huffington Post Canada, U.S. News and World Report, and Forbes. She is the resident etiquette expert for two popular morning talk shows, SA Living and Good Day Austin. She has been seen on The TODAY Show, HLN Headline News, WGN Chicago, and CBS Sunday Morning. Her clients range from university students to Fortune 500 companies and her workshops cover topics ranging from tattoos in the workplace to technology at the dinner table and the proper use of social media.