Planning a baby shower in Melbourne is a labour of love — pun intended. There are so many details to coordinate, from the guest list and venue to the theme, food, games, and styling. This complete checklist will keep you organised and ensure nothing slips through the cracks, whether you are planning an intimate gathering for ten or a larger celebration for fifty.
8–10 Weeks Before: Setting the Foundation
Start by consulting with the parents-to-be about their preferences. Some parents have strong opinions about themes, colours, and whether they want a traditional or co-ed shower. Others are happy for you to take the reins. Either way, confirm the following early:
- Date and time — weekends are most popular, typically early afternoon
- Guest list and numbers — this determines your venue choice
- Budget — set a clear total and allocate across categories
- Theme and colour palette — choose two to three colours maximum
- Gender known or surprise — this affects colour choices significantly
Once these decisions are made, book your venue if you are not hosting at home. Melbourne offers great options for baby showers — the City of Melbourne lists bookable community spaces, and beyond the CBD there are cafes with private rooms, community halls in suburbs like Preston and Oakleigh, and garden venues with natural backdrops.
6–8 Weeks Before: Booking and Planning
This is when you lock in your key vendors. Book your event stylist and prop hire — popular dates fill quickly, especially on weekends. At iDo. Events, we recommend browsing our hire collection and choosing a combination of items that suit your theme, or selecting one of our packages for a complete, coordinated look.
Our Classic Elegance Package and Garden Party Package are the two most popular choices for baby showers. Both include a backdrop, balloon styling, dessert table elements, and a welcome sign — everything you need for a polished celebration.
Also during this period, order invitations, book any entertainment or activities, and start planning the menu. If you are having a caterer, book them now. If you are DIYing the food, start collecting recipes and planning quantities.
3–4 Weeks Before: Finalising Details
Send reminders to guests and collect RSVPs. Finalise your catering numbers and confirm all vendor bookings. This is also the time to:
- Order or bake the cake — coordinate the design with your colour palette
- Confirm your styling details with your prop hire company
- Plan and purchase games or activity supplies
- Organise favours or thank-you gifts for guests
- Create a playlist or book background music
Share your venue layout and access times with your stylist. If you have hired a balloon garland, backdrop draping, or other installation pieces, your stylist will need adequate setup time before guests arrive.
1 Week Before: Final Preparations
Do a final venue check. Confirm the layout, lighting, and any restrictions. If the baby shower is at home, declutter and prepare the spaces where styling will be set up. Clear the area for the backdrop, dessert table, and any additional displays.
Prepare any personal items: framed ultrasound photos, baby shoes for display, guest books, or advice cards. Pack these in a clearly labelled box for easy setup. Confirm contact details between all vendors — your stylist, caterer, and venue coordinator should all be aligned.
Day Of: Enjoy the Celebration
If you have booked professional styling, your job on the day is simply to coordinate guest arrivals and enjoy the celebration. Our team handles all setup and pack-down, arriving early to transform the space and returning after the event to collect everything. We style baby showers across more than 30 Melbourne suburbs including Craigieburn, Dandenong, and Point Cook.
Ready to start planning? Visit our baby shower page for theme inspiration, browse the hire collection, or request a free quote and let our team help you create a beautiful celebration for the parents-to-be.
