Setting the Scene  - “Vintage Baby Shower”
I'm not sure what's in the water these days but it seems like everyone's pregnant.  The stork must certainly be busy, and I doubt he'll be out of a job anytime soon.  Just take a look at Hollywood… it must be the "IN" thing to do this year.  Well why not?  One of life’s greatest occasions is a baby shower, a gathering of friends and family to bestow bottles, booties, bibs and more!  A baby shower is a great way to celebrate and help prepare your favorite new mom-to-be. 

When planning a baby shower there are many options for the menu, party décor and favors. Once you’ve decided on a theme, ideas will come from every where – scrapbooking stores, the local grocer, even flowers from your own backyard. For this party we decided to go with a vintage theme which works for either a boy or a girl.  We decided to use a very simple color palette of browns and blues (or brown & pink if it’s girl) and add whimsical decorations like these adorable cupie dolls and baby booties. We placed trios of centerpieces on each table and arranged them in simple white metal buckets with blue and white carnations.  You can also use a basic glass vase and tie a color coordinated ribbon around it to give the centerpiece a touch more color.  Also, you can help everyone find their spot with these great diaper pin placecards. Y ou can make them yourself by affixing a diaper pin to card stock or if you’re like me and are always short on time then you can order them ready made from our very own Social Couture. 

Let the fun begin…to start, give each guest a pacifier necklace (a clothes pin or diaper pin also works).  My favorite game to play is “Never Say Baby.”  It’s easy and doesn’t take away from socializing. The rules for this baby shower game are simple – inform everyone at the beginning of the party that whoever catches another guest saying the word  "baby," gets to steal their pacifier  (a near impossibility at a baby shower, but that’s the point!). At the end of the baby shower, the woman with the most necklaces wins a prize.  You can play the game with leg crossing or another word like “cute”... same idea - Pretty simple, you get it, right?! 

Ok, back to the baby shower; for favors, fill baby bottles or mint tins with colored jelly beans (M&M’s are also another inexpensive and easy option).  Look what the stork brought… Welcome guests with Peach Bellinis (make a virgin batch for the guest of honor of course). Serve chopped salad, open-faced cucumber dill & tomato basil sandwiches, egg salad & pimento sandwiches with pecan chicken salad in tart shells and herb cheese tortes with sundried tomatoes and pesto.

A note about Flowers:  Roses, Tulips, Lilies are all flowers that we typically think about when making our own arrangements, but carnations can be adorable as well.  They are fluffy, come in a rainbow of colors, are available pretty much year-round and best of all, they are inexpensive! About 10 stems were used to achieve this simple, cute and easy centerpiece and they cost less than a dollar a stem.  The key to creating great carnation groupings is to stick to one color and avoid pairing with baby’s breath and other greenery.  Also keep them trimmed short so that only the flower bud shows and not the unattractive stems.  They are so easy to work with that even someone without a florist’s green-thumb will look like a pro!
This may be the last outing for Mom-to-be for a long time, so the most important thing is to have fun!
The décor: See Attached Social Couture Vintage Baby Shower Party pics

The music: 
Baby I love your Way by Peter Frampton
Baby Now that I’ve Found You by Allison Krauss
Baby Come to Me by James Ingram
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Find more entertaining inspiration at Social Couture, the premiere online party décor store.