In-person parties might be out right now, but you & your beautiful bump still deserve to be celebrated! While we’re all maintaining our social distance, why not think about throwing a virtual baby shower?
We’ve covered all the basics in our how-to guide.
Watch the Video
Choose your Platform & Invite your Guests
First you need to decide the best platform to host your virtual baby shower. There are plenty of options out there – Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts… the usual suspects.
We think Zoom is great – it’s user-friendly with minimal set-up (great for older relatives), and the free version allows you to invite up to 100 guests for up to 40 minutes.
Of course, you can always start a new call when the timer runs out, and the natural pause provides a great opportunity for a bathroom break!
Another helpful way to use that 40-minute limit is to divide up your guests, almost like a seating plan. Video calls can become chaotic with too many people involved, so by breaking up the party into smaller, more manageable groups – 1 for friends & 1 for family, for example – you’ll enjoy more quality time with everyone.
Pick your Baby Shower Dress
Get the Look: Blush Pink Midi Wrap Maternity Dress
One great way to cultivate that special occasion feeling is to choose a special outfit! Ditch the leggings & loungewear for the day & put on your best maternity party dress. You’ll be the centre of attention after all, so you’ll want to look & feel your best.
Check out our gorgeous range of maternity dresses online & treat yourself!
Virtual Baby Shower Games, Décor & Food
Get the Look: Deep Blue Beaded Maternity Cocktail Dress
One big advantage of a virtual baby shower is that it involves much less prep work for the hosts. In terms of decorations, you only need to think about 1 area of your home – the bit the camera will be pointing at! This is great because you can make a really big impact with minimal resources.
Catering is also much easier – everyone provides their own! Though we think it’s a nice idea to set a theme for the snacks to make things feel a little more cohesive – how about ‘Bring Your Own Afternoon Tea’ or ‘Take out of your choice’.
When it comes to games & entertainment, trivia, quizzes & scavenger hunts work well online – why not ask all your guests to send over a baby picture of themselves in advance & play a virtual round of guess the baby!
How to Handle Gifts at a Virtual Baby Shower
Get the Look: Navy Blue Midi Wrap Maternity Dress
Of course, one of the focal points of the party is usually opening up the gifts & cooing over the impossibly tiny baby clothes. There are two ways around this, and which you choose largely depends on how organised you & your guests can be.
Option 1: You ask your guests to send gifts in advance so you can open them up on camera
Option 2: Your guests reveal their gifts on camera & send them on to you after the party
For gifting inspiration, check out our gorgeous collection of baby shower gifts online now.
Added Extras & Alternatives
Get the Look: Navy Blue Dot Maternity & Nursing Dress
Of course, you may not feel up to hosting a full video call party right now, and that is completely ok! There are plenty of other ways to mark the occasion.
A small celebration at home with just your immediate family will be every bit as special. If your other half is handy with a camera, you could arrange a pregnancy photoshoot at home. And if any of your friends & family live locally, why not organise a drive by & socially distant gift drop off!
Another idea is to ask your would-be guests to send a short message of advice or encouragement for you & a wish for baby’s future. This could either be online or by post, which you could gather into a keep-sake scrap book. Or you could even ask them to record it as a video & ask a clever friend to edit them together.