Any suggestions for a sophisticated baby shower?!
Any suggestions for a sophisticated baby shower?
The mom-to-be is having a girl, and loves the color pink. But, she's a city girl and doesn't like anything too cutesy or shower like. She does not like baby games and the shower is co-ed.
Help! Does anyone have any ideas for menu, decorations, or themes?
Answers:
Ooohh sounds like fun! I'm not so sure about a brunch though, guys just don't dig brunches.. know what I mean? I think you're better off doing dinner, but that's just my opinion of course.
I came up with only a couple theme ideas:
A 'Daddy's little Girl' Theme would be so cute! (everything his choice! and done by him and his buddies! food, decor & planning)
A 'Pretty In Pink' Theme would be fun and just gorgeous I think!...(you guessed it! Everyone and everything in pink)
A Baby Shower with no games? No fun! j/k
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With it being co-ed and all, you may want to consider BBQ'd meats, or lots of finger food as the men will cry all the way home if there isn't any... but that doesn't sound too sophistocated does it? Nevermind that idea.
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Potluck? No, not sophistocated.
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I picture tables, double covered in crisp white linens, with a handful of peach roses in the centre in a simple clear glass tumbler.
Glassware/Dishware/tableware: Renting is the best way if you got $$$. Go with traditional round platewear for a baby shower as it is symbolic of the circle of life, long life and yin/yang. If you are superstitious, it's supposed to bring bad luck to use square plates. Martini glasses, wine glasses (according to my menu!)
How does this sound?...
Mocktail/Cocktail:
Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri!
or
Sangria Punch
Finger Starters/Appetizers:
Baked pita with taramosalata dip (pink)
Melon wrapped with prosciutto (pink)
Crackers with cheese, dill and salmon (pink)
Holed out Pumpernickle with roasted red pepper dip (pink)
Start:
Mixed green salad w/beets, prosciutto and grapefruit (triple pink)!
Entree:
Simple Roast Beef
or A beautiful, succulent and juicy Prime Rib Roast with Rosemary garlic infused oil and jus...(or garlic thyme compote!)
topped with mushroom and onion sauteed in garlic, wine and butter!
Side:
Smashed red potatoes (kinda pink) with boiled egg (baby shower tradition), rendered crispy bacon, green onion and garlic!
Side:
Baked tomato halves (kinda pink) with shallot and blue cheese!
Dessert:
Puff pastry sticks dipped in strawberry mousse! (pink)
Strawberry ice cream (pink) with Lime flavoured foam and chocolate shavings. (Martini Glass would be nice for this)
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haha.. anyways Have Fun and Good Luck.
It depends on how many people are attending. I have thrown a couple of co-ed showers. You could rent china, flatware, glasses etc (or borrow) and have a dinner party. I did one with a mexican fiesta theme and decorated with a beach tropical theme. The bar had a beach umbrella and served differnt kinds of Mexican Beers, decorated the buffet with dried chile peppers and bottles of hot sauce and everything was very colorful.
The food was easy refried beans , rice, taquitos, carne asada, chips and salsa, guacamole. The only games we did was the bring a baby picture and post if on a board and then people wrote down who they thought each belonged to. And a guess how many jelly beans are in the jar. Both were fun for those that wanted to play but not required for those that didn't.
Guys tend to like it if they have a place to go when the gifts are being opened up...and they like booze. Don't do too much pink or the men will feel uncomfortable. Brown and pink is hot right now...so if you did a lot of brown with a little pink it would be very chic. Have fun!
Go with brunch. Its very classy and you can make it as simple or involved as you like (plus, its at the beginning of the day so the mom to be won't get too tired). Serve mimosas (champagne & OJ), fruit, little pastries, good tea, quiches, etc. If she doesn't like cutesy stuff, I would stay away from themes all together. Everyone knows why they are there, they shouldn't need a theme to make it fun. Decorations...I'd keep it simple. Can't go wrong with flowers. Flowers can give a feeling of fresh, new life. Most of all, don't stress too much. Just have a good time.
Brunch showers can be very elegant and not terribly expensive. You really don't need much in the way of "decorations" if it's at someone's house, which is preferable.
The theme will be baby girl. Please don't torture people by making them play silly games. It is unnecessary and cheesy.
A brunch would be perfect. I hosted a nice brunch at a beautiful hotel restaurant with a nice fireplace. Check around I'm sure you've got just the place in your locale. Everyone enjoys a good breakfast. I also hosted another shower for a luncheon. Soup, sandwiches and salads were served, it too worked out quite well.
You don't need games, but center pieces can be given away as a rememberance of the good time.
You don't need a theme, the theme is "Your Having A Baby".
Maybe decorate w/ green and use "A Pea in a Pod" as the theme. Green polka dots on white plates, green tablecloths, white forks.... and a touch of pink here and there so everyone knows it's a girl.
Just have nice appetizers (maybe cream cheese-stuffed snow peas, to fit the theme?!) and let guests mingle. After opening gifts, the couples can mingle some more and visit.
co-ed showers are hard to plan because men like meat to eat...
How about all finger foods.... look at mostly appetizers... hot dogs in biscuits with a colored tooth pick sideways looking like a diaper.... meat balls in the crock pot with bbq sauce, bag of chicken wings with sweet and sour sauce.. pickle roll ups are good too take a slice of ham take cream cheese and a little dill spice to it... or use a flavored spread...and spread it on the slice of ham with a knife..put a sweet pickle in the center and roll the slice you can call them baby in a blanket.... also vegs and dip... shrimp and dip... easy stuff to make ahead of time and will go really far.. ..tell them they have to eat with their hands just like the baby will do.... just have plenty of wet wipes... supply no forks or spoons... even have the cake like that too or do cupcakes..... and all plastic plates etc.. to prevent breakage etc.. for a punch take cream soda and icecream in a punch bowl... or cream soda and orange sherbert... the first on is called a cream cicle... and the second is called a cream bert... you add ice... it looks foamy and brown... when you make it but its yummy...
Have a game... its a lot of fun for men and woman to play but if she is real uppity she may not like this one...
take a panty hose put two oranges in the foot part tie the rest of the panty hose to another panty hose and wrap it around your waist... with the foot part hanging down between your legs..you set up a plastic bottle of some sort and you have to knock it over moving your waist can't use your hands and and swinging the oranges between your legs... the panty hose swings like a pendulum knocking a small rubber ball knocking the plastic bottle over or anything you want to set up you could use baby bottles...... first team that knocks down the course first wins...
second game take pictures of the mom to be... and copy it on the photo copier you can use color copy or black and white ink.. black and white is actually harder...... enlarging it... now get a coloring book or magazine (picture of a beautiful scene etc..)... and find a picture of an animal or clown or something like that.. copy it on the copy machine...make it as big as her picture... now cut it out... one on top of the other... but cut it small... put it in an envelope.... and the first team that puts it together first wins... they will put parts to a clown on her body... or a horse etc.. its fun and people will laugh etc... or use a picture of the father... but you have to cut it one on top of the other so the pieces will fit both puzzles...
Everyone has a name game... take the whole first name and last name of both parents and let them come up with names for the baby... but... let the men come up with the nick name...
like sally the girl comes up with .... snickers.. etc.. so the mans list is not names just words... put them together and they will laugh..
Another game... take straws and cotton balls... set a table up have the men blow the cotton ball into a bowl..person that does the most wins..
I was JUST thinking of this for my friend's baby shower. If you watch Sex and the City, Charlotte threw a really classy baby shower for Miranda. Basically it's just minus all the overly cutsie-poo themed stuff like the hat made of ribbons (yuck!).
Just plan like you were a sophisticated party (minus the cocktails- make mocktails instead) and add a few simple details from there.
No finger-sandwiches, no storks, no teddy bears.
Good luck and congratulations to your friend.
you must go with brunch! Serve pink cosmos, finger foods, and mini strawberry shortcakes as dessert. You can keep the pink (for a touch of cutesy) but work it into things that are a bit more posh.
Rather than baby games, hire a great jazz band and dance the afternoon away.