This is part 2 of a 2-part post.
Step #8: Shop, bake, create. The week or two before the shower is the time to shop for plates, napkins, forks, non-perishable food items, drinks, game prizes, decor, favors, craft items you will use to create personalized details for the shower, etc. Don't forget to buy a gift for you to give to the mom-to-be!
Step #9: Shop your house. On the day before the shower, shop your house to see what things you have lying around that could be used for the shower. I have lots of white serving dishes, so I usually end up serving the food on various white serving dishes that I bring from home. Maybe you have serving dishes you'd like to use. Or candle holders, baskets, vases, apothecary jars, etc. If the shower is at your house, go ahead and put these items out where you think you can use them. If the shower is somewhere else, load these things in your car the night before. Here's a picture of my dining room table the night before a shower I threw in the spring. All of these things were about to be loaded in the car!
Step #10: Set-up. It's great to set-up the day before, if you can. Most of the time, you probably won't be able to, and that's okay. Give yourself plenty of time for set-up. Minimum 2 hours before the shower is to start. If you and the co-hosts will be cooking and decorating at the same time, allow 3 hours. Try to have as much done as possible before set-up. Favors should be assembled before. Decorative banners should be sewn or purchased before. If you're wrapping the utensils in a napkin, do that before-hand. Try to save the hours before the shower for arranging tables, preparing hot food, arranging food on dishes, displaying favors, setting out chairs, arranging flowers, etc. Assume that guests will start to arrive 15-20 minutes before the shower is set to begin.
Step #11: Be a hostess. When the shower begins, make it your task to greet guests as they enter the door, put their gifts in the proper place, take their coats and/or purses, and tell them to make themselves at home. If someone still needs to be working on hot food, that's okay. Just have one or two people greeting guests. Your number one goal is to make sure your mom-to-be enjoys herself and feels showered with love, and she will not be able to do this if her guests aren't feeling welcome.
Step #12: Follow timeline. Make sure your guests know what's going on. It's fine for people to come in and mingle for the first 15 -20 minutes. When most of your guests are there, one of the hostesses should formally greet the crowd, thank them for coming, and give them an idea of the flow for the shower. This is a good time for a blessing of the food. From here, just follow the timeline as you've laid it out.
Step #13: Have fun and look like it!!
Step #14: Be a hostess. Pick up empty dishes, throwing them away if they're disposable. Tend to the needs of guests. Pay attention to make sure everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves. When it's time to open gifts, offer to write down who gave what, and have someone else collecting trash as the mom-to-be opens each gift. When guests are mingling, take pictures for your mom-to-be, and email them to her later (or burn them on a CD). She will appreciate not having to take pictures at her own shower. She will be too busy!
Step #15: Thank everyone for coming. When the shower is over (typically when mom-to-be has finished opening her gifts), make a verbal announcement, thanking everyone for coming to celebrate with mom-to-be. Say kind words about her and how much she means to the hostesses and what a pleasure it's been to give her a shower. Remind the guests to take a favor on their way out.
Step #16: Clean up. If you're at someone else's house, do not leave them with a huge mess to clean up. Dispose of any leftover food. Load the gifts in the mom-to-be's car. Round up any leftover favors or other decor. Wash, dry, and help put away dishes. Try to leave the host home as you found it. If it's your home, allow your co-hosts to help you clean up. There's no sense in insisting on doing it all yourself. You will be tired enough. Take advantage of any help that's offered.
Step #17: Crash. Feel good that you loved on your friend and gave her a memorable baby shower!
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