Oh Baby! Pink & Blue Baby Shower

Amy emailed me looking for ideas for a blue and pink baby shower. Though she already has inspiration ready for an upcoming shower I am happy to add to that with a few ideas of my own.

- Add a small floral centerpiece and light blue rimmed china to a blush pink tablecloth for a beautiful and sophisticated table setting.

- Light pink tulle maternity dress for the mom-to-be

- Petit fours with blue and pink booties are an elegant and appropriate dessert for the occasion

- A simple favor consists of a light blue box topped with a pink slip of paper that can denote the guest's name. Make the scroll element by wrapping the paper around a pencil.

- Pink invitations with blue text and a damask-patterned blue envelope liner [via]

Oh Baby! Bright & Modern Spa Baby Shower

Daysi emailed in asking for some inspiration for a modern and warm multi-colored spa baby shower. There are many things you can do to make a home environment into a spa setting. Light tons of votive candles to create a nice ambiance. Purchase or create cds to provide soothing background music. Give each guest a pair of slippers which also can serve as a favor. Though this may be a little costly, consider hiring a masseuse to give 10 minute massages to the guest of honor and all guests.

- Modern and fun, this place setting combines a bright dotted placemat and a contemporary floral napkin [via HWTM]
- As a fun but low-key activity have guests help read a few children's books aloud. How great for your little one to have these recordings of friends and family reading to them as they grow older. Idea and cute packaging from Martha Stewart.
- Give the mom-to-be a color-coordinated spa gift basket [image via flickr user Gift Guru]
- Cute, modern silver favor bags can hold spa supplies like nail polish, nail files, samples of perfumes, etc
- Fresh florals in a vase decorated with a coordinating contemporary flower design [via HWTM]
- Customized water bottles fit the colorful theme and add the ultimate healthy spa beverage [via HWTM]

Oh Baby! Lavender & Brown Baby Shower

Niharika emailed in need of inspiration for a co-ed baby shower with a lavender theme. To make the color palette a little more male friendly, I added in the darker hue of chocolate brown.

- Chocolate truffles adorned with miniature lavender blooms are an elegant and color-coordinated dessert. A similar look could be achieved with mini chocolate muffins or brownie bites. [via Martha Stewart]
- White china with a subtle lavender flower and branch design would be lovely for serving dishes or each place setting. [via Michael C. Fina]
- These lavender and brown paper flowers are great as place cards or as table decorations. [via Martha Stewart]
- Striking table centerpieces made with lavender hydrangeas, sweet peas, manzanita branches and golden centre tail feathers. [via the Knot]
- Patterned chocolate cookies in a white favor box wrapped with a lavender ribbon [via Brides]
- DIY lavender booklets can be used as guest books or favors

Oh Baby! Red & Pink Valentine Baby Shower

Melanie emailed me searching from some red and pink heart inspiration for a baby shower she's planning around Valentine's Day. The theme really couldn't be more perfect as the couple's last name is actually 'Hart'. So, though no typography is used in the images above, I would definitely take advantage of that fact and use the last name spelling wherever possible in the party elements.

- A scoop of red sorbet looks extremely elegant when placed in a lovely white dish and garnished with a pale pink sweet-pea. [via Brides]
- Homemade stained glass heart card [via Martha Stewart] - using this as your invitation is a great way to uphold the traditional element of hand-making valentines
- Pink floating heart candles could be set on the table on placed atop water in a low rectangular vase
- The Mom-to-be should be stylishly comfortable - this red, soft knit maternity dress from Olian fits the bill
- Seating cards attached to strings adorned with clear, pink beads and pink roses. Not having assigned seating? Use this idea for a photo wall instead. [via Brides]
- Beautiful red and pink floral arrangement for a centerpiece [via]
- Raspberry macaroons are a lovely and delicious dessert. [via Brides]

Oh Baby! Modern Animal 1st Birthday Party

As part of my Oh Baby feature I ask readers to submit baby shower or party themes they need help planning. If you have the general theme idea, I'm happy to put together an inspiration board to help get you started. Today's post is in response to an email from Danielle who wants to plan a 1st birthday based on these modern animal flash cards from MoMa. She mentioned they would be great as tabletop decor but they would also function as unique place cards or even as the invitations if you print the details on card stock and attach to the back. Other fun elements to these them could include animal print balloons and animal-themed cupcakes. These animal nose cups are realistic and provide a bit of whimsical humor- kids in attendance will definitely get a kick out of these! Lastly, give out animal adorned favor bags to serve as a great reminder of the event.

Modern Mama Baby Shower

Kati of The Finer Things created this fun and vibrant inspiration board for the more modern mom-to-be. She pairs red, black and white for a bold baby shower. Check out her selections below...I just love the invitation, the tabletop and the bag! Visit Kati's post for all the details.

Gold & Fuchsia Tea Baby Shower

Today's post was inspired by this excellent invitation idea from party perfect. Guests were invited to a tea baby shower with an actual tea bag. The letterpress invitation with all the party details was the tag attached to the tea bag. The tea bag and attached invitation card were sent in an envelope lined with a vintage-esc stork and baby liner. I LOVE this invitation idea. So unique and so lovely!

The invitation pairs a bright fuchsia with a golden yellow so the rest of my elements reflect this palette. First, a classy table setting featuring fuchsia napkins, a subtle floral tablecloth, candles, clear glassware and an elegant crystal chandelier. [via Snippet & Ink]

Serve dessert atop this golden cake pedestal. For a favor, send guests home with a perfectly coordinated favor box full of earl grey tea and cookies.

Preppy Baby Shower for a Girl

Pink and green combine into preppy stripes and polka dots for today's baby shower theme. My inspiration arose from this lovely table setting featuring green place mats and pink napkins tied with a pink striped belt. Invite your shower guests with a this pink and green striped invitation from FineStationery.com. Serve up this rose drink of pink lemonade (with or without the vodka depending upon who's drinking it) alongside a slice of this adorable pink, green and yellow cake as photographed by Rebecca Thuss. For favors, send guests home with some sweetly decorated candy treats that fit perfectly into the color scheme.

September Birthday Dinner in Bright Blue

As summer is almost over, I wanted to make this month's birthday dinner reflect the sunny brightness of the season before we switch to the deep and rich hues of fall. So, here is September's Birthday Dinner in bright blue.

- A bright blue ice bucket and water bottles with loopy straws is practical and pulls in the color scheme nicely
- Blue and white paper decorations
- Two-tier blue cake with white initial for the birthday celebrant
- Add some flair to the chairs with blue geometric shape garlands
- Place some bright blue confetti in round clear acrylic containers and add in some candy or other treat for a fun favor
- Make or purchase blue invitations to gather friends and family for the party

Blue and Green Striped Baby Shower

Today's post features a blue and green striped baby shower. Though the blue and green palette lends itself for a boy, simply switch out the blue for pink and you'll have a great theme for a girl.

- Blue and green striped invitation from FineStationery.com
- Table setting featuring blue dupioni-silk linens and blue, green and white grosgrain ribbon woven runners
- A close-up of a place setting shows a green menu card and vases of cream calla lilies
- Multiple hues of blue, green and white candies make for great and fun favors
- Pre-package a candy assortment in these light green dotted packets tied with vibrant blue ribbon [via flickr user Northern Transplant]
- For dessert, bake and decorate adoable cucpakes such as these by flickr user birdahoy

Tamara's Hollywood Baby Shower

Today's real party was submitted from Tamara of Designs to Impress. She planned a Hollywood themed baby shower for her sister Tiffany. From the red carpet, movie posters, themed centerpieces and Oscar statuettes, Tamara has every detail of this theme covered! Check out the images she sent to me below. Have questions on a specific element she included? Contact her at Tamara {at} designstoimpress.com. Thanks so much for sharing with us Tamara!

Oh Baby! Sports Themed Couple's Shower

Today's Oh Baby! feature was requested by Nicole. She's planning a September couple's baby shower with a blue and green color scheme combined with a sports theme. Here are my inspiration picks for Nicole:

- Blue sports invitation from FineStationery.com
- Blue and green paper lanterns to add color and design around the event space
- Sports lollipop mold - great for favors, just place in a clear plastic lollipop bag and tie with light blue or green ribbon
- For a sports themed centerpiece consider using multiple football, baseball, basketball and soccer ball frames. Fill with family photos, images of the new baby's name (if known), sport team logos or meaningful words. These would make nice decorations in the baby's room afterwards too.
- Light blue cake with sports adornments [image via flickr user gelcolet]
- Wooden sports themed ring toss game - I saw this in my sports search and thought it was really cute! There are lots of ways that baby or family trivia can be incorporated into a game using this classic piece.
- Add sports themed adhesive embellishments to light blue and green place cards for a sports place marking

Oh Baby! Rubber Ducky Baby Shower

Today's Oh Baby! feature was requested by Krisinda who needs inspiration for a rubber ducky baby shower. As soon as I received her email, I immediately thought of an amazing event theme that Jenn, of Hostess with the Mostess, put together. Entitled Bubbly Ducky Brunch, Jenn assembled lots of excellent details to create an event scheme that's a ton of fun for both the mom-to-be and each guest who attends.

The following images are just a few of many on HWTM. Please visit the Bubbly Ducky Brunch page to see additional pictures and to learn where to find the elements needed to create this look.

Parisian Inspired Bridal Shower

Parisian pink and black party themes have always been popular and will continue to be because they can be elegant yet fun and what better color combo than black and pink. For those of you looking for a feminine and chic theme for a bridal shower, baby shower or almost anything, consider Parisian pink and black...

- Beautiful and impressive cake [via cakegirls]
- Eiffel tower place card holders - a nice way to bring the theme into the little details
- Striking table settings - black and white stripe linens, white dinnerware, light pink napkins and pink floral centerpieces
- Eiffel tower invitation from FineStationery.com- Lovely use of silhouettes (which I adore)
- Eiffel tower favor bag kits - fill with bon bons or any favorite treat
- Framed signature board on an easel - have everyone write a message for the guest of honor

Oh Baby! Turquoise & Brown Baby Shower

Welcome to the first Oh Baby! feature. Today's theme was requested by Heather who is in need of inspiration for a turquoise and brown modern/vintage baby shower. Heather, I hope the collection of items above helps with your shower planning!

- Clear Teal Vases - This is a great idea for a centerpiece! Check out your local thrift or antique stores to find vintage vases in clear or in teal. Group together for easy but super attractive table decor.
- Teal and Brown floral table decor - Beautiful teal linens and multitudes of white florals makes this table setting truly come alive. Lots of little details that work together to create a stunning look. (via Jennifer Dery 's blog)
- Gorgeous turquoise chandelier - Though this may be a little too extravagant for a baby shower, try to use the style in other ways - maybe use vintage (or modern) teal beads strung together to decorate the backs of the chairs. (via the amazing Snippet & Ink)
- Brown & Turquoise favor boxes
- Modern turquoise and white cake - Can easily be interpreted into a smaller cake depending on the number of guests (also via Snippet & Ink)
- Turquoise ceramic crackle dinnerware
- Modern baby shower invitation- The tropical turquoise, brown and orange elements of this invitation are fun and modern for a co-ed baby shower.
- Turquoise table decor - Another table decor that infuses deeper browns and orange as an accent color. (via Jennifer Dery's blog)

Steph's Black, White & Pink Baby Shower

Today I'm featuring a fabulous real party thrown by Tastefully Entertaining reader, Steph Flies. She dreamed up and planned this beautiful hot pink, black and white baby shower. It's bright, fun and filled with energy! I just love all the little details she includes to tie in the color scheme.

Below is a collage Steph created to best portray the elements in her event:

Steph even created the invitations! Here is the design:

Thanks so much to Steph for sharing her work with us! She definitely knows how to host a great party!

Oh Baby!

Today I'd like to present a new feature on Tastefully Entertaining entitled 'Oh Baby!' Are you planning a baby shower for a friend or family member? Do you need some help coming up with theme inspiration? If so, then help me help you!

I'm looking for baby shower planners out there with a basic idea in mind. Did you want to plan the shower around a specific cake picture, a room decor, a favor, an invitation, etc? Send me your initial inspiration, no matter how crazy, and I will plan a shower based on that element!

Interested? Email me at OhBaby[at]tastefullyentertaining.com.

Please note, that depending on the number of idea submissions, I may not be able to incorporate them all into this feature.

Seaside Blue & Orange Wedding Theme

The Knot recently featured a seaside wedding theme in bright blue, purple and orange hues. I love this modern color combination as it would be great for a baby shower, a bridal shower, a summer dinner party and of course, a summer wedding.


- Table setting - Blue glass chargers, white plates and blue glass bowls. Centerpiece made of stacked acrylic boxes filled with eryhgium thistles, orange dahlias and white hydrangeas atop blue sea glass.
- Menu card - Bright blue letterpress card by Smudge Ink placed on each place setting and topped with an orange dahlia
- Table name/numbers - Matching blue patterned petal catcher filled with blue hydrangeas and tied with orange ribbon; Would also be great as ceremony decor
- Wedding cake - Lovely eyelet white 3-tier cake
- Place cards - Clear glass bud vases filled with a variety of bright blue candies, a pick with the place card and an orange ribbon accent; The Knot also suggests providing extra candy in buffet form for guests to fill before they leave (a place card and a favor all in one!)
- Boutonnieres - Orange, blue and purple boutonnieres to complete a stunning groomsman look

Jungle Baby Shower

Today's post features a jungle theme baby shower. I find these sweet jungle animals absolutely adorable and, really, what more could you want in a baby shower theme? Consider the following elements:

- Pop up animal favor boxes
- Jungle animal cake- There is a lot of cake and cupcake inspiration out there for animal themes. This particular cake is from flickr user Fun_Y3n.
- Animal baby shower invitation by simply put (from FineStationery.com)
- Lotus flower tealight candle holder - great for on your table and all around to enhance the jungle theme.
- Animal party favors by flickr user qiatytre. These would be amazing for thank you notes as well!
- King of the Jungle party picks

Birthday Dinner in Hot Pink

For this month's Birthday Dinner feature I've chosen to create an inspiration board for a hot pink event. Though I'm specifying these ideas for a dinner party they would also work for a bridal shower or a baby shower.

To start send a simple and pretty invitation such as this pink Falling Flowers letterpress invitation by The White Aisle. Upon arrival, welcome your guests with a refreshing pink cocktail to set the mood and start the birthday fun.

If your dining table is on the smaller side serving dinner buffet style is a great option that will allow space for a table centerpiece. Set up your buffet table nearby with pink tablecloths, pink florals and white food dishes. For your centerpiece, consider a simple clear vase with a mixture of hot pink flowers.

For dessert, consider something a little different such as this icy combination of coconut, lemon and watermelon granitas.

As a favor, send guests home with a box of two cream puffs, cutely packaged in a hot pink box.

Celebrating a male's birthday or just not into hot pink? Check out my other monthly birthday dinner features in teal and in black.