Buying guide for Best baby shower invitations
The nursery is ready, the baby’s due date is just around the corner, and family and friends are happily anticipating the arrival of the bundle of joy. Now is the time to celebrate with family and friends. But if you’re hosting a shower, you must first find the perfect baby shower invitations to announce the special event.
The invitations might be simple, but there are lots of options to choose from. Themes vary from whimsical to inspirational. Some are designed for specific types of showers, such as gender-reveal parties. They might also announce the birth of a girl or boy or be gender-neutral.
Invitations come in various sizes and colors. Envelopes are almost always included, but some invitations also come with special request cards. What’s more, you can choose customized invitations or handwritten ones for a personal touch. A good buying guide and recommendations can help you choose.
How to buy the best baby shower invitations
Baby shower themes
There are several types of baby showers. Your theme should guide your selection of the invitations. Some designs are universal, while others are designed to match a specific type of shower.
Traditional: These baby showers are usually held several weeks before the birth. Those held for adopted babies center around the new addition’s arrival date. Participants often play fun baby-themed games. Because traditional showers are often held for first-time moms, useful gifts like a bassinet, stroller, diaper bag, bottle warmer, and baby monitor are good options.
Sprinkle: After the first child, many parents opt for a smaller shower for subsequent babies. That’s where the “sprinkle” shower comes in. These events typically have less fanfare and fewer guests than traditional showers. It’s also common for parents to request practical gifts, such as diapers, clothing, and bottles for these more subdued events.
Gender reveal: This type of shower adds to the excitement by centering around the disclosure of the baby’s sex. These events have been trending in recent years, so these invitations are readily available.
Sip and see: This shower stands out from others in that it’s held after the baby arrives. Gifts are chosen based on the parents’ needs. More importantly, this type of shower serves as a special gathering for friends and family members to meet the baby, share snacks or a meal, and spend some time with the new parents.
Gender focused vs. gender-neutral
You can find baby shower invitations that are designed for baby girls or baby boys. These options are ideal for future parents who know the sex of their baby and have already announced it to friends and family. Gender-neutral invitations are best for parents who don’t yet know if their baby is a boy or girl or who plan to reveal the gender at the shower.
Designs
In addition to factoring in the shower theme and baby’s gender when shopping for baby shower invitations, there are almost limitless designs to choose from. Some of the most popular include animals, flowers, balloons, children, and seasonal prints. For parents who prefer a simple design, invitations that simply announce the new baby with a congratulatory phrase are also available. The best invitations express the mom’s personality and highlight the optimism about the baby’s arrival.
Customized vs. handwritten
When it comes to the information included on baby shower invitations, you have the option of choosing customized cards with the information preprinted on them or cards you fill in by hand. The benefit of preprinted invitations is that they cut down on the work you have to do. Simply address the envelopes, slide in the cards, and mail them. However, many parents prefer to send handwritten invitations because they’re more personal.
Staff Tip
Choose baby shower invitations with colors that match the nursery décor for a coordinated look.
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Features to look for in baby shower invitations
Colors
You can find baby shower invitations in just about any color, from traditional pink and blue to gender-neutral green, brown, and yellow. Some parents prefer colors that match the other shower decorations. However, the color choice is really a matter of personal preference.
Quality
You can create and print baby shower invitations at home, but they might not match the quality of store-bought cards. Well-made invitations are printed on material with the thickness of standard greeting cards. If you’re choosing invitations you plan to customize with a pen, look for cards made of uncoated, not glossy, paper to ensure the ink dries quickly and doesn’t smudge.
Wording
Baby shower invitations announce the baby’s arrival with cheerful phrases. They honor parents while celebrating their baby. Customized invitations include the information you provide when you place your order. If you choose to handwrite the invitations, these cards have lines for filling in the necessary details of the event, including date, time, location, and RSVP information.
Size
Most baby shower invitations measure 5 by 7 inches. Although less common, invitations that measure 4 by 6, 6 by 6, and 4.25 by 5.5 inches are also available.
Quantity
Baby shower invitations come in multipacks. One of the most common options is 25 per pack, but you’ll also find packs with 10, 30, 50, or more invitations.
Envelopes and extras
Envelopes are essential for mailing the invitations and most packs include them in matching quantities. They are sized to fit the invitations perfectly. While some baby shower invitations come with envelopes in basic white, others come in various colors or feature graphics that match the graphics on the invitations.
In addition to envelopes, some invitation packs include inserts, such as diaper raffle cards or baby book requests. These extras are nice bonuses, but they can be purchased separately if you choose invitations that don’t come with them.
Baby shower game cards are available and can easily be included with invitations so guests know what to expect at the event.
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Accessories for baby shower invitations
Ink pen
If you choose invitations that you have to fill out by hand, you’ll need a quality ink pen for the task. A ballpoint pen in black is ideal. However, you can find pens with a wide range of ink colors if you want to match the invitations.
Request cards
Not all baby shower invitations include request cards. You can purchase them separately to send in the envelopes along with the invitations.
Raffle and game tickets
A variety of tickets are available for baby shower raffles and games. Similar to request cards, they can also be tucked into the invitation envelopes.
Stickers
Adding stickers with baby themes to the invitations or envelopes is a fun way to adorn them.
Staff Tip
Don’t forget to save a baby shower invitation as a keepsake. The mother-to-be can frame it or secure it in a scrapbook or baby book to remember the special day.
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Cost of baby shower invitations
Inexpensive
Some packs of baby shower invitations cost around $12 or less. While affordable, they are fairly basic, and the cardstock is likely to be on the thin side.
Mid-range
Between $13 and $20 is a common price range for baby shower multipacks. You’ll find quality cards with numerous design options in this price category.
Expensive
Invitations that cost $21 and up include packs with 40 or more, as well as premium options. However, spending more isn’t necessary when it comes to finding quality invitations.
Tips
- Be informative. Make sure you include all the important information on the invitations, such as time, date, duration, and location. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to overlook details during this busy time.
- Write clearly and neatly. This ensures that your guests will be able to read the vital information.
- Include baby registry information. Add an insert cart with the registry details to each envelope.
- Plan to hold the baby shower on a weekend. Typically, guests are more likely to be able to attend a party on a Saturday or Sunday.
FAQ
Q. When should I host the baby shower?
A. Although the timing of a baby shower is a matter of preference, holding the event at least one or two months before the baby's due date is ideal. The pregnancy is well advanced at this stage, yet it’s also a good time for avoiding an unexpectedly early delivery.
Q. When should I send out baby shower invitations?
A. It’s best to mail baby shower invitations at least four weeks but no more than six weeks before the shower. This gives guests enough time to plan to attend without it being so far in the future that some forget to save the date.
Q. Should I put both parents’ names on the invitations?
A. Including the names of both parents on the invitations is acceptable. Traditionally, a baby shower was focused on the mother, and her name was typically the only one on the invitations. However, many parents today opt for co-ed showers with both partners’ families and friends in attendance.
Q. Who should be invited to a baby shower?
A. Anyone! In the past, baby showers were often held for mothers-to-be and their female friends and relatives. Today, these heartwarming events have evolved into opportunities for expecting moms and their loved ones to gather and celebrate new life.
