If you’re planning a party for a friend or family member who’s expecting a baby, you’re likely thinking, “Where should I host a baby shower?” You’ll want to choose a venue that will make the event special and memorable. But with so many different types of event available, it can be tough to decide which one is most suitable for your needs. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the best baby shower venues, ranging from charming garden parties to rustic barn showers to sleek and modern event spaces.
No matter what your style or budget, you’re sure to find a few baby shower venue ideas on this list that will suit your needs. So start planning your event today, and be sure to check out the list below before making your final decision.
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Tips for Choosing the Best Places to Have a Baby Shower
- Decide on a budget for your baby shower first. This will determine the size and type of venue you can afford.
- Come up with a guest list. You can’t pick a venue until you have a clear idea of how many guests you’ll have in attendance.
- Consider the mom-to-be’s comfort. For instance, a baby shower at the beach mid-July is probably not practical for someone who’s 8 months pregnant. (Regardless of where you decide to hold the shower, let mom know ASAP so she can choose an appropriate baby shower dress!)
- Decide whether kids will be invited or not. For some, the more the merrier. But if you’re hosting a baby shower in a fancy tearoom, having children in attendance may not be the best idea. Or, if you’re having the shower at the beach, near a pool, or at a lake, the same thing applies. Moms will be too busy chasing the kiddos around to enjoy themselves.
- Try to find a convenient location. If the mom-to-be has lots of out-of-town guests, a venue near the airport may be a smart idea.
- Decide what kind of decorations you want. Some locations are easier to decorate than others!
- Think about whether you need a kitchen. When brainstorming baby shower venue ideas, think about if are or are not having the event catered. If so, having a kitchen on site is not a big concern. But if you have several people prepping food at home or need to do it on site, you’ll need a refrigerator, places to plug in Crock pots, etc.
Affordable or Free Baby Shower Venues
When the budget is super tight, you have to get creative with the venue. After all, you don’t want to spend most of your money on the location when you still have decorations, food, baby shower prizes, and baby shower gifts to worry about. With that in mind, here are some free or cheap venues for hosting a baby shower.
1. At Home
The cheapest place to hold a baby shower will be in someone’s home. A great option is the mom-to-be’s own home, since then you won’t have to worry about transporting the gifts from one place to another; she’ll have them right at her fingertips. In this case, the hostess would be responsible for cleaning and decorating before and after the shower. The last thing you want is your pregnant friend having to clean up after guests on the day that’s supposed to be about celebrating her baby.
Alternatively, the hostess can have everyone over to her house, or a friend or family member may be gracious enough to host the event.
If you choose this option, take parking into consideration. If parking spaces are limited, request that guests carpool with each other or ask someone to serve as a “taxi” of sorts, shutting guests from their homes or hotels to the event and back again.
2. Backyard
Consider a backyard baby shower instead of packing everyone into someone’s house. This is ideal for the spring or fall when temperatures are more moderate. Just make sure there is enough seating and that the space can accommodate the number of guests you’re expecting.
Renting chairs and tables can get a bit pricey, but you may be able to borrow enough from family and friends to make it work. Coordinating the tablecloths and centerpieces can bring the whole look together even if the tables and chairs don’t match.
Have a backup plan for taking everything in doors in case it starts to rain or is unexpectedly cold.
3. Garden
Do you have a friend with a stunning flower garden? Is there a botanical garden in your community you can rent space in for cheap? For a springtime baby shower or bridal shower, a blooming garden sets the prettiest scene, and the best part is, you won’t need much in the way of décor.
4. Church Hall
Many church halls will rent out the cafeteria or annex inexpensively or even for free for church members, so this is a terrific budget-friendly option. The perk to this baby shower venue is that church halls typically house a kitchen, making food prep and refrigeration much easier. They’ll also have chairs and tables, so really, all you have to do is decorate, have fun, and clean up after yourselves.
If the church allows you to use the space for free, it’s still customary to offer a donation if you can.
5. Poolside
Does the mom-to-be have a friend or family member with a nice pool? A poolside shower is such a fun idea for a summer shower when it’s hot and sticky but you still want to be outdoors. Instead of playing baby shower games—which some people don’t really enjoy—guests can lounge by the pool or take a dip in the water. It’s a really relaxing option if you like low-key parties.
Best Indoor Baby Shower Venues
In most cases, an indoor baby shower venue is preferred. Guests will stay comfortable even in the summer and winter, and you don’t have to worry about bugs or weather. Scour this list to find the perfect place to host your shower indoors.
6. Apartment or HOA Clubhouse
If the hostess or mom-to-be lives in an apartment, condo or has an HOA, you may have a luxurious clubhouse right at your fingertips to house you and your guests. In most cases, club houses rent out only to their residents, so keep this in mind when calling around and scouting out potential locations.
7. Community Center
Call up your local community center or YMCA to see how much it costs to book their room for parties and events. They often have large spaces with tables and chairs available at an affordable price. Not all community centers are “pretty,” though, as they’re used for many different types of events. So plan to spend a little more in the way of décor here. If you’d like some help with cleanup after, ask if they provide that service. If so, it’ll save the hostess hours of cleanup once the shower is done.
8. Restaurant
Choose this option if you don’t want to worry about making or serving the food. Many restaurants will allow you to book the entire space, a private room within the restaurant, or just a few tables—it just depends on how much privacy you want. Since you won’t have to deal with the food, you can focus all your efforts on table décor, the expecting mother, and the party guests.
9. Banquet Hall
Banquet halls are ideal if you want to be “hands off” when it comes to the food and basic decorating. You know the space will look nice and the food will be delicious. While this may be one of the pricier options, it’s totally worth it to have most of the work done for you, especially if it’s a large guest list with lots of family and her closest friends.
10. Country Club
Perfect for a coed baby shower, golf clubs or country clubs are becoming new favorites. The guys (and gals!) can enjoy a round of golf after the shower and games are finished.
11. Hotels make great baby shower venues
A hotel event space or meeting room can be a great choice, especially if it’s architecturally interesting. Plus, you can book a hotel room or suite for all the girls and have a grownup “slumber party” of sorts. You’ll need to check with the hotel to see what can be brought in, in terms of outside food. They may allow it, or they may require all the food to be prepared on site.
12. A Barn
Barns aren’t just for wedding receptions. They’re great for baby showers if the mom is planning a cowboy, cowgirl, or farm animal theme for the baby’s nursery. Barn spaces for events are more common now than ever, and if it’s during the wedding off-season, you may just be able to rent one inexpensively.
13. Spa or Nail Salon
Get together for a day of pampering! Instead of the usual food and games, you can get manicures and pedicures in a small, intimate setting. It’s a great way to let the expectant mother spend time with her close family members and friends before the baby comes.
14. Art Studio
You know those paint and sip studios? They’re certainly unique baby shower venues! Guests will love having a private paint party with a lesson for painting something cute instead of playing the usual baby shower games. When you schedule a paint party, all materials are provided. It’s actually rather inexpensive in many areas!
15. Museum
Museums often have elegant rooms for parties, special occasions, and other events that are usually reserved for speakers and conferences. While you don’t usually have to be a member to book them, some smaller museums may require it. Many of these event rooms have a stage, which is perfect for the mommy-to-be to open her gifts.
16. Library
Is the expecting mom a bookworm? Host her shower in the library! It’s the perfect baby shower venue because you can theme the shower around popular children’s books. You can ask guests to bring a gift for the baby’s collection or a book to give to the library. Remember to keep the noise level in check, though, since you’re in a quiet public space. A library is a better option for smaller baby showers than a large group.
17. Tea Room
For a sophisticated shower, book a local tea room. Decorate with stunning flower bouquets, and let the tea room plan the menu from start to finish. It’s the perfect way to have an elegant party with all the expecting mom’s girlfriends.
18. Bed and Breakfast
Get together for a girls’ weekend and enjoy yourselves at a bed and breakfast. These locations are already decked out in elegant style and are well suited to serve a brunch or luncheon. Add a gorgeous baby shower cake and some personalized décor, and you can set up a spectacular shower in no time. Plus, there’s no rush to get back home!
Best Outdoor Baby Shower Locations
Instead of staying cooped up indoors after we’ve all been inside for quite some time lately, plan to host the shower in an outdoor area! You can make the shower as formal or informal as you’d like. Plus, outdoor venues are preferable for those who are hesitant about getting together in person.
19. Tent
Set up a large, gorgeous tent to enjoy a stylish baby shower outdoors. This idea is perfect for an evening baby shower when you can set up twinkle lights and enjoy each other’s company into the later hours. It doesn’t have to be a massive tent, though. You’ll need room for at least one long row of tables to seat the mama-to-be and her guests, and areas off to the side for the food and gifts. If you’re throwing a coed baby shower, a tent is the perfect location.
20. Rooftop Terrace
A nearby rooftop terrace offers a beautiful location for a special event like a baby shower. You don’t have to go over the top with decorations when you have a stunning view. The emphasis is on delicious food and drinks and the mom-to-be. Keep in mind the time of year and the weather. A rooftop terrace is perfect for summer evenings but may be a tad too chilly in early spring or late fall.
21. Farm
Whether you’re outdoors or in the barn, local farms are fantastic for event hosting. Plus, you can do so many themes at a farm! Try with a Farmer’s Market theme focusing on healthy food or a farm animals theme for a really cute party for the upcoming baby. Ask the guests to bring a stuffed farm animal toy like a pig, cow, or horse! A tractor theme or sunflower theme also works well here. Remember to visit the farm first before booking the venue. Working farms with certain types of animals may not have the most appetizing smell.
22. Local Park
If you have a nearby park that’s just beautiful with shelters or picnic tables, book the baby shower there. They’re relaxing, easy to set up, and since you usually have a strict time limit of about two hours, you don’t have to deal with “lingering” guests if you’re not the mingling type.
23. Beach or Lake
A beach or lake offers a peaceful backdrop for a baby shower and will look stunning in the photos. Some considerations to have in mind are whether or not the beach you’re going to allows you to set up canopies. Many of them don’t anymore, so it’s always a smart idea to make sure.
Renting a spacious lake house via Airbnb or VRBO will likely be much cheaper than hosting a shower at an event hall. Book it for the weekend so you can spend extra time with the expecting mama and her friends.
Baby Shower Venues for Social Distancing
Right now, some new parents aren’t quite up to getting together in large groups. That doesn’t mean that her baby shouldn’t be celebrated, though. This is an opportunity to celebrate at a comfortable distance with her and her close friends and relatives. In addition to hosting a shower in an outdoor space, you can host a virtual or drive-by baby shower.
24. Virtual Baby Showers
A virtual shower is now easier than ever thanks to Facetime, Zoom calls, Facebook Live, and similar platforms. Instead of getting together in person, the hostess sends out an event invite, indicating the date and time of the virtual shower. You’ll also want to send links to the baby’s registry as well.
When it’s time for the shower, the soon-to-be mom and her “guests” can chat for a while before she opens the gifts that were sent to her live on camera. You can also host a diaper raffle online, which will give one of the guests a prize!
25. Drive by Baby Showers
This is such a fun idea for any mom who may be immunocompromised. She can sit outside for a couple of hours while guests drive through to chat from their cars and bring gifts for the baby. You can give each “guest” a goodie bag with an individual cupcake or another small party favor as a thank you for driving by.
If you’re still planning your shower, make sure you pin this post to come back to it when you’re ready to decide on the perfect venue.