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For the mother-to-be who is
expecting a girl and becomes giddy over all things
pink and frilly, a princess-themed baby shower will
let her indulge her inner-girlhood fantasies while
welcoming her precious new daughter in royal style.
Designing an environment of
soft elegance is key to the princess-themed shower.
Start with the invitations: your local craft or
scrap-booking store can be a treasure trove of
beautiful papers, vellums, parchments and ribbons to
help you fashion the perfect announcements. Plan to
create ambiance in your party space using flowers,
soft lighting, background music (classical or gentle
instrumental music would set the right mood) and
scented candles.
The refreshments you serve must
be fit for royalty! Think about delicate petit fours
or cupcakes with pearly white or pink icing, baked
in silver or white cupcake tins. Sugar cookies can
be shaped as flowers, hearts, crowns or decorated to
look like Cinderella’s carriage (use small round
candies for the wheels). A refreshing pink punch can
be made from a cranberry or raspberry-blend juice
and ginger ale—just add crushed ice. Other good
options include chocolates (what princess doesn’t
love chocolate?), mini quiches, mini sandwiches and
perhaps fresh fruit and vegetable trays to keep it
balanced.
If you own—or can
borrow—crystal or fine china, this is an occasion to
pull it out! If not, pink or clear plastic plates
would be a nice alternative. Princesses can’t resist
a bit of sparkle, so a tiara tucked into flowers
lightly coated with clear or silver glitter spray
would make a fine centerpiece. Be creative with your
table decorations: a hard-cover book of fairytale
stories or a silver-plated baby rattle is sure to
enhance the princess theme. Place a single rose
under a glass globe to evoke Beauty and the Beast,
or spray apples with glitter to remind guests of
Snow White. Place a mirror on the table with a sign
reading “Fairest baby of them all”. Remember that
every princess must have a frog to kiss, and a
stuffed or glass one will do quite well.
Favorite shower
games and activities can be adapted around a
“pampered princess” theme. For example, play the
“Guessing Game” using only items to pamper Mom
and/or Baby. Place several items on a tray and carry
it around the room, letting all the shower
participants take a look. Then place the tray out of
sight and ask everyone to write down as many items
as they can remember. Whoever remembers the most
items correctly gets a prize, and the items on the
tray go to the Mother-to-be. You might include items
such as the new mother’s favorite candy, favorite
box of tea, hand lotion, back massage roller, etc.
For baby, you could choose baby lotion, a rubber
ducky for the tub, a soft baby bath-towel or cozy
blanket and baby hair bands or bows.
Enjoy this
opportunity to honor a special lady-in-waiting! |