Baby shower dilemma, help please!

Help guys. Here is the thing. My sister Melissa is having a baby but she lives across the country in Glendale, Arizona. She is coming to visit here on July 14-18th and we would like to have a party/baby shower for her.

We want to invite everyone, friends, family from our side and her husband Derek's side. We are having it at my parents house.

Problem is how to word the invitations. We would like everyone to come, men too. I think traditional baby showers are women only and knowing the men in our families, they won't come to a BABY SHOWER. But if we just say something like "Summer get together for Melissa and Derek" The friends and relatives won't know that is it a baby shower too and won't bring baby gifts. Which leads to another problem of getting her gifts back to Arizona. Shipping is expensive. We cannot tell people to just give gift cards without sounding like snobs, ya know?

They are only here for those few days and that includes a weekend, perfect for a party/baby shower. Should we just say party/get together, remind everyone that they are in from Arizona for a few days and hope the guests consider the fact that large gifts will have to be mailed back to them? Should we provide some online links to baby stores so they can shop online? But then they won't have a gift to bring. But we don't want to tell people what kind of gifts to bring. Or we can do the registry thing and sort of set it up for them and just include smaller items, or not (just a thought)

Anyone ever throw a baby shower for someone from out of state? How can I word these invitations to include everyone, not make it sound too girly/baby showery so men will want to come, not make people feel that they have to bring a baby gift, but not let them feel horrible if they don't, and not sound rude int he whole process?

I just had an idea for a two sided invitation where everyone can come and eat together and see my sister and mingle and then the baby shower can officially begin maybe 2 hours into it and the women can gather in the living room, play a baby game or two and open gifts, while the men go out to the bonfire in the backyard and smoke cigars, drink a beer or something.

Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Jen

I just had an idea for a two sided invitation where everyone can come and eat together and see my sister and mingle and then the baby shower can officially begin maybe 2 hours into it and the women can gather in the living room, play a baby game or two and open gifts, while the men go out to the bonfire in the backyard and smoke cigars, drink a beer or something.

Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

I like that idea! That way they know that both your sister and her husband will be there, that it isn't *just* a Baby Shower, but that a baby shower is included too.

I also like the idea of registering. I never know what to get someone, especially if I live away from them (like for a baby shower or wedding gift). That way, too, if they want to get something larger they could have it shipped and just bring a printout or something to the shower itself. Or they could get the smaller items that they need and will be able to bring back with them.

Maybe word it as a couple baby shower?? Have a couple games where partners are needed. The one where you have to diaper a doll baby blindfolded for instance. It seems there are lots of little shower gifts that people could buy (clothes and such). People would have to be a bit more creative in gift buying (gift card with a picture of what they really wanted to buy but to big for expample) If you know the airline could you call and ask about sending a box back in the cargo hold, height limits etc.....
Good luck.

I would say make the inviations for a "get-together for Melissa and Derek." Then print out an insert on your computer saying something like "Melissa and Derek are expecting. They are registered at ...... Please send gifts to (their address.) Then be sure they register at Wal-Mart or Target or Toys-R-Us (someplace with gift shipping and extensive online products.)" If you said baby shower, people would automatically bring gifts, but by including an insert, they will realize that its a couples event and can send gifts for the baby as time permits.

I'm pretty sure that like with wedding invitations you can't mention anything about registry in your invites. That's just bad taste. I would word the invites something like this "You are warmly invited to the baby shower of Melissa and Derek" and let people in your family know that they are coming from out of town and that gift cards are a good idea. Many people ask what the couple needs or wants, at least that's the way it has been for most people I know. If all the aunts and grandmas know about the situation they can offer suggestions as requested. Everyone knows baby showers are all about showering baby with gifts, but you don't want it to look like your greedy or that someone's gift is unacceptable or not good enough.

I agree with esrgirl... the best way to spread the word about appropriate gifts is via friends and family. Convention with showers and weddings has become to include it all in the invitation, but from an etiquette standpoint, it's not a good idea.

I always have been invited to showers, wedding and baby showers, with where the people are registered at written right on the invitation. Is this not a good thing to do then? I have never known it any other way, I thought that is what you are supposed to do hehe.
I like everyones ideas, please keep them coming if anyone things of anything else. I will share this thread with my mom and see what she thinks tomorrow.