Marisa – Page 6 – Marisa Meidle's Baby Showers

Symbolic Flowers for Baby Showers

Baby showers are really about celebration of new beginning with the new baby on the way, and also parents-to-be’s journey toward parenthood. Now new beginnings are often tied with blooming flowers and their bright colors. The flowers’ soft petals represent that of life and growth, and the later also represents new life.

Choosing the right kind of flower or flowers are depending on their significance. Sometimes a certain flower can remind of a special moment or event for the mom or parents-to-be or may have special meaning to them. And often flowers are picked for baby showers because of what they symbolize.

So how do you pick the right flowers for your baby shower? What are the meanings behind some of the most popular and loved blooms? Here are a couple of best flower picks for baby showers and why:

1. White Roses
It represents new life and new beginnings. It is also a symbol of innocense, purity and youthfulness.

If you choose to use white roses, best to combine it will other colorful flowers, especially those with pastel colors. This way, your white roses stand out. Just make sure that your white roses are dominant.

2. Hydrangeas
This flower represent beauty, grace and gratitude. It is a symbol of hope for the future and abundance, because of its lavish number of flowers.

It is best to pair them with garden or spray roses. They really make for a bountiful bouquet and elegant centerpiece, because of the texture it creates.

3. Daffodils
This is a favorite spring flower. It represents and symbolizes new beginnings and fresh season.

It can stand alone because it comes in variety or you can make arrangements by combining it with narcissus varieties or gender neutral tones like cream or yellow hues.

4. Plum Blossoms
This flower represents and symbolizes beauty, hope, perseverance, and purity. This is the best pick when you celebrate the impending bundle of joy, as well as motherhood.

When arranging this flower, it can stand alone or mixed with variety of flower arrangements. Experts say that when you choose to use it as a stand alone, the longer the branches, the lesser the flowers needed for pairing. Because the tall branches give you that drama that signifies hope for the future, and more.

5. Peonies
This flower symbolizes compassion, honor, and prosperity. Their petals look like clouds and cute and tiny pillows.

They can be styled on their own or paired with other flower arrangements. They stand out when paired with leafer flowers, because it balance out the fluffy look of peonies. This flower can also be arranged as flower-crown for the mom-to-be.

Finally, these flowers are some of the best picks for baby shower because of what each represents and symbolizes. But, there are plenty other flowers you can choose. It really depends on how you arrange them, and to always pick the ones that best represent the mood or theme of your baby shower, as well as the personality of the mom-to-be. You can mix and match flowers too, just don’t overdo the pairing. Too many colors in a single arrangement is an eye soar. Simple, light and soft looking flower arrangements is always the best.

Throwing a Gender Neutral Baby Shower

Some expecting parents do not want to learn of their baby’s gender during pregnancy. They want to be surprised, and therefore they wait till the baby is born. This is one of the reasons why you should throw a gender neutral baby shower. Perhaps the expecting parents are not into that blue or pink palette, and whether to have a girly or super hero theme. Some parents find that idea oversentimental or ‘cheesy’ as they say it.

A gender neutral baby shower is rather fun and entertaining, it gives you more choices on themes or activties and others. And it also gives your guests a lot more ideas on what gifts to buy for the baby.

Perhaps you haven’t hosted one yet, and wondering what does a gender neutral baby shower look like, and how do you organize one. Well, you have come to the right place.

Here’s a basic guide to help you put together your first ever gender neural baby shower.

1. Select a Unisex Theme
When a planning a baby shower, whether it is gender focused or gender neutral, the most significant step and the first to do is to decide on a theme. It is hard to put together the party elements, when you do not have that general design that gives you direction. But, when you have a theme, you can easily and nicely piece together everything.

2. Select a Gender Neutral Color Palette
Besides the baby theme, it is also best to pick a motif – something that is gender neutral as well. While the theme gives you direction, having a theme color makes it easy for your to curate your decorations and other decorative elements – from stationary, dinnerwares, flowers, and the goodies and party favors.

Another great thing about having gender neutral shower is that you can do away from the conventional pink or blue palette. Instead choose pastel shades like pastel green or safari inspired palette like khaki, olive or taupe.

3. Plan your Menu
Once you have the theme and color palette, everything else should be pretty easy from here. You can decide what food or dishes would reflect your theme and color palette.

It really makes is easy for you to decide what to have to on your menu. For instance if you are having a bee inspired theme and chosen a khaki shade, then you can include in your menu some honey biscuit or honey lemon cakes for nod to both your theme and color palette.

Best to stick with finger foods as well, and single servings so that there will be no sharing of utensils.

4. Pick a Gender Neutral Party Favor
Giving away party favors are always appropriate regardless of the celebration, not only baby showers.

Stick with your theme or you can give away something edible, like sugar cookies or cupcakes. You can also have DIY gift boxes or little baskets filled with some candies, goodies, and cookies. Make sure you put a small card with iterations that feel general. And make sure to include the baby’s due date.

Finally, don’t forget about having some fun activities and games. There really is no game in particular that is gender neural. Any baby shower activities will work. In my previous posts, I have shared quite a number of games and activities. Check them out for some ideas and inspiration.

Baby Shower or Baby Sprinkle – What is the Difference?

A new addition to the family is always a blessing and must be celebrated. When a family welcomes a new bundle of joy for the first time, it is celebrated with a baby shower. However, for the second baby and any baby after that, it is celebrated and welcomed with a baby sprinkle.

We know that the customs and tradition of baby shower is not just to party and share with the joy of the expecting parents, but more so to help prepare their essential needs during and after pregnancy thru gifts. The shower is intended to help them prepare for their journey towards parenthood.

Baby Sprinkle on the other hand is just like baby shower, but on a smaller scale. It is more of a celebration of a new baby and not so much about lavish gifts. Given that it’s the second or so child, the parents already have the essentials they will need from the first baby, and they already know what to expect as parents.

With that being said, baby shower and baby sprinkle are the same but a little bit different at the same time. This baby sprinkle might be new for your guests, and therefore may not know what to expect or what to do. Perhaps this may be new to you as well. So, here’s a walk through on how to go about and organize a baby sprinkle.

1. HOST
Who should host a baby sprinkle? Just like baby showes, the expecting parents or their immediate family must not be the host, rather it must be hosted by one of the expecting mom’s friends of one of the relatives of either the expecting mom or dad.

2. GUEST LIST
Depending on the venue or wether it is going to be in-person or virtual, and the expecting parents’ preferrence – whether to have a small intimate party or bigger crowd.

Always work on the guest list with the expecting parents, to make sure that you don’t miss out on some of the most important guests that either the expecting mom or dad would love to come.

Just like baby showers, you can also have more than one baby sprinkle. That way, you can easily organize and group your guests.

3. DECORATION
Just like baby showers, you can opt to have a theme for your sprinkle and have lavish decorations. But, really when it comes to baby sprinkle, the mindset is SIMPLICITY. It doesn’t mean you have simple decorations, then it is less of a party compared to the baby shower thrown for the first baby.

Often simple is more beautiful. Also, it gives you and the guests enough room and more reason to be with each other and have real conversation as oppose to taking pictures here and there because of the decorations.

4. GIFT REGISTRY
What is the proper etiquette on gifts for baby sprinkles? Normally, you make a gift registry for baby showers. Reason being, the expecting parents are starting zero and need a lot of preparation. Now for the second time around or so, the expecting parents may already have most of the essential stuff they will need. And the good thing is that, gifts can be focused on the essentials that parents need plenty of like diapers, baby wipes, bath shampoo and soap, lotion, powder, and the likes. Unlike baby shower where gifts are more of like show-stopping, for this one it is more on the practical side.

5. ACTIVITIES AND GAMES
Well, a party is not a party without some fun activities. You can choose to play games just like the baby shower games. But, it will be best to have less of that and do something that is not only fun, but at end of the activities that you do, you leave the parents something as a keepsake or something that can be useful for the baby or the nursery.

Also, best to opt for activities that are more intimate and meaningful.

6. PARTY FAVORS
It is always good to give away something for the guests as a simple thank you. There is no right or wrong party favor. It is can be a bag of goodies, basket of fruits, cupcakes and cookies, flowers, or some scented candles. Anything that reflects the tone of the party and comes from the heart are thoughtful gestures, and will surely be appreciated by the guests.

Finally, whether it is the first, second or so child, they must be welcomed with joy and celebrated, for they are all blessings to the family. The celebration has to be as memorable and special as it was for the first born child. But then, there is no need to overspend or be lavish about it like the baby shower. You need to be practical and save, especially now that your family is growing.

More Baby Shower Centerpieces that Works for Any Shower Theme

If you have checked out my previous post, I have rounded up a couple of ideas for centerpiece that works well with any type of baby shower theme. In case you can’t decide on the previous list, here are more ideas that you can look into for inspiration, and hopefully help you come up with something you and the guests, and the expecting parents can marvel on and enjoy.

Without much further ado, allow me to share with you these beautiful centerpieces:

1. Sand and Shell
This centerpiece is perfect for an evening baby shower on a beachside. If you are not having the shower by the seaside, this centerpiece also works well for other outdoor venues.

The idea is to place slim candles, around 2-3 pieces inside a clear glass vase. Secure the candles at the bottom of the vase using candle adhesive. Then gently pour a few inches of sand into the vase, and add a couple of shells on top of the sand. The glass vase will refract the light from the candle, giving you that sweet and relaxed ambience, plus it also protects the candlelight from the breeze when you are in the seaside or the wind because you’re outdoors.

Make a couple of these arrangements and spread them on the table if your having a long table or one on each table if you’re having couple of small tables.

2. Tea Tin Vases
This one is perfect for tea party theme, but also works well with other baby shower themes. It uses a recycle concept by making use of empty tea tin containers and giving it another life by turning them into unique flower vases.

Make use of both vintage and new tea tins. Tea tin containers usually have interesting designs, old-fashioned prints and letterings, and comes in different colors. Clean these tea tins and put some water in it. Fill each one with different kind of flowers – roses, sweet peas, gomphrenas, and for taller tins you fill it up with carnations, daisies or chrysants. No need to worry about leaking water on the table, because tea tins are watertight and leakproof.

3. Rose Arrangements
This one is very easy to make, but nothing short compared to other floral centerpieces, because a rose alone is beautiful on its own.

The idea is to display a single rose in a glass votive candleholder. Each one with a different colored rose. Make sure to cut or trim the stem, and then arrange them in a set for each table. Make a couple of the same set. This centerpiece really, really gives a stunning look to your venue.

4. Tiered Lilac
This centerpiece really lifts up the aesthetic arrangement of your baby shower. Make use of your bigger bowls in your kitchen or chinawares, put a vase inside a bowl to have like tiered vessels. Then, fill each vessel with lilacs or other highly fragranced flowers like lilacs. You can mix the flowers, but better to have one kind for each set-up, that way you can have single frangrance for each. Using highly fragranced flowers like lilacs help set the mood at your baby shower.

Hope this list here helped you find the centerpiece idea that you are looking for. Like I said in my previous post, you can mix and match centerpiece ideas to create something unique and wonderful. And like I also said.- you can never really go wrong, as long as your certerpiece is not overtly done. Because “simple” is often better and beautiful. Stay on the subtle side, but not too subdued.

Baby Shower Centerpieces that Works for Any Shower Theme

Whether you choose to have a gender-focused or gender-neutral theme, an outdoor or indoor theme, and whether you want a small and intimate group or a big crowd, what you really want as a host is to put together a party that is fun and memorable. And ofcourse, you would want the expecting mom or parents to appreciate it and feel special.

Baby shower is an opportunity for the expecting mom or parents’ family and friends to come together and celebrate with them this special moment, and welcome their new bundle of joy.

To do that, you want to ofcourse nail the guest list – you don’t want to miss anyone that the expecting parents would love to see come. You want to make sure that you have a stellar menu for your guests to feast and enjoy. And you don’t want to fall short on the aesthetics as well. Just like any kind party or event, you want to create that atmosphere and ambience that puts everyone on a festive mood and high spirits. It ranges from having interesting backdrops to beautiful linens to balloons or flower arrangements to photo booths and to baby shower centerpieces.

Now, speaking of certerpieces – it is a must. And your centerpiece has to speak to your shower theme and your overall decorations. You can create various centerpieces, depending on your theme, as well as the expecting parents’ personal style and interests. You can also draw inspiration from places you have been to or parties and events or baby showers you have gone to.

To help you find an inspiration or an idea you use for your upcoming baby shower, here a round up of some of the favorite centerpieces that suit any baby shower theme.

1. Fruit Basket
Arrange one large basket of fruits on each table as a centerpiece, and little baskets brimming with fruits hue for each guest. This concept can serve two purposes: colorful centerpiece and something to munch on for later or something the guests can take home as a simple party favor.

Choose fruits that’s easy to eat – like apples, pears, grapes or bananas and some seasonal fruits too. Make sure that you pick perfectly ripe ones.

2. Clementines and Daffodils
This is such a beautiful and adorable centerpiece for a baby shower, especially when the expecting parents are having a baby girl.

Place bowls of clementines on the table, and then you can add a bit of dimension by adding braided baskets filled with lovely daffodils. For added color, place orange colored clementines, and for contrast make sure keep some of the leaves on. Then, use pastel colored fabrics for your table cloth or table napkins.

3. Flowers and Candlelights
This one may be classic, but it really makes for a good and elegant centerpiece everytime – gives you that relaxed summer feel.

What you need to do is place votive candles in tall glasses. In each one, attach a flower – preferrably “dahlias” because it creates that summery feel. Make sure to trim the stems, so that it fits perfectly. Then tie each with raffia that matches the color of the dahlias. Now place each set on a saucer filled with water, to keep the flowers fresh throughout the party.

This one’s really great when you’re having an evening or dinner time baby shower.

4. Monotone
This certerpiece idea is really cool to the eyes and puts you in such lovely mood. It is quick and modern.

The idea is to float bright colored flowers in small bowls. And then arrange these set of flowers with votive candles on cheese boards.

If you’ve set-up long tables, you can place a couple of platters down the middle of each table. Then use pastel colors for your table cloths and napkins and decorations.

These are just a couple of ideas. You can mix and match them together or with another centerpiece idea or use any of these ideas as inspiration in coming up with your own unique centerpiece. I will be sharing more centerpiece ideas in my next post. If you can’t seem to decide on this list, then hopefully you can find one in my next list.

On another note, you can never really go wrong, as long as its not overtly done. Often simple is beautiful, and always go for cool pallettes instead of striking colors – around pastel and dreamy colors as oppose to bold and super bright ones. And lastly, make sure you enjoy creating them. Because when you do, it’ll show on your certerpiece and work.