A baby shower is a very special event and as such it is only right that you would want to formally invite your guests. So, unless a baby shower is intended as a surprise or is being arranged rather quickly, then a written invitation is almost always the best method to use. If this is not possible then personally inviting guests by telephone is an acceptable alternative and e-mailed invitations should be avoided in spite of the fact that they might seem convenient and quick.

Providing your budget allows then your baby shower invitations can be custom ordered but this is really not necessary as there are plenty of first class pre-printed invitations available on the Internet or locally. As an excellent alternative you can also design and make your own shower invitations as long as you have enough time and a little creative talent.

As with any invitation to a party your guests will have to have some basic information like the name of the person for whom the baby shower is being given, the name of the host, the date and time of the baby shower, the location and instructions on how to reply.

One other thing to consider including is details of any theme of the event or the baby shower gift registry and this can be a little bit tricky because a lot of people feel that this is presumptuous and places undue pressure on your guests. Of course this is a matter of personal preference, but one answer which normally works is to leave this off your invitations, request you guests to reply by telephone and then slip this tactfully into the conversion when guests do confirm their attendance. Do not forget though that you must have this information on hand when your guests telephone and etiquette says that you should only give out any baby shower gift registry information when your guest requests it. When your baby shower is going to be a formal affair then you cannot go wrong if you stick to etiquette but, when your shower is less formal and involves only close friends you can probably relax the rules.

The timeline for a baby shower is very important and the greater the notice your guests are given the better. Accordingly, you should aim to mail your invitations out some 4 to 6 weeks ahead of the shower date and this is especially important if out of town guests are being invited. Where this is not possible then you should certainly aim to send your invitations out at least 2 to 3 weeks before the event. Advance notice allows your guests to sort out their personal schedules, reply and shop for appropriate gifts.

It is also important for you to request your guests to phone you and let you know whether they will be attending. With all the tasks involved in organizing your baby shower the very last thing you want to do is to have to phone around to find out if some of the guest plan on attending. However, there will almost always be some guests who do not reply and so a week or so before the shower date you will have to make time to call those individuals to find out their intentions. An accurate head count will help considerably with making the necessary arrangements for your very special day.

Parenting4Dummies.com provides everything you need to complete your baby shower event planner including details of boy baby shower invitations

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