Baby shower invitations: what to say and when to send
A baby shower is usually organised by somebody other than the mother, which changes the invitation: it has to make clear who is hosting, and it has to answer the gift question before six people message the host to ask it.
Send four to six weeks ahead, and hold it in the third trimester
Most showers are held four to six weeks before the due date — late enough to feel imminent, early enough that the guest of honour is comfortable and the baby is unlikely to pre-empt it.
Send invitations four to six weeks before the shower itself. Weekend afternoons fill up quickly, and this is a guest list where several people will be travelling with small children of their own.
Say who is hosting
If the mother's sister or a friend is organising it, put that on the invitation. Guests reply to the host, not to the mother, and being clear about that spares her the admin at the point she least wants it.
"Join us to celebrate Sarah and baby Alice — hosted by Emma at 14 Green Lane, Sunday 12 September from 2pm."
Answer the gift question on the invitation
Everyone wants to know and nobody wants to ask. A single line settles it: a registry link, a theme ("a book instead of a card, if you like"), or plainly that nothing is expected.
If there are games, say so. Guests who hate them can make their peace in advance, and guests who love them arrive ready.
- Who is hosting, and where replies go
- Date, start time and roughly when it ends
- Gift line — registry, theme, or nothing expected
- Whether children are welcome
Frequently asked
Who should host a baby shower?
Traditionally a friend or a member of the extended family rather than the parents themselves, mostly because the invitation asks for gifts. That convention has loosened, but naming a host still makes the invitation read better.
Are men invited to baby showers?
Increasingly, yes, and many couples now hold a mixed party. Say which it is on the invitation so nobody has to ask.