How to throw the perfect outdoor baby shower

The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and your garden is finally in bloom-  so what better way to make the most of it than by hosting the perfect outdoor baby shower? To help you throw a memorable shower, I've put together my top tips for throwing a beautiful outdoor celebration that's sure to make any mother-to-be feel truly spoilt. Just read on to learn more.

Create a gorgeous seating area

The first thing you'll need to think about is where everyone will sit. If you're going to be hosting lots of guests and don't have enough chairs to accommodate them, you could even create a larger seating area by laying blankets and cushions on your lawn - not only will this be comfy, but it looks wonderfully summery and festive, too.

If any of your friends will be bringing their own bundle of joy along with them to the shower, then you should set up your seating area underneath a gazebo or awning. Our little ones have very delicate skin, so it's very important to provide a bit of shelter from the strong summer sun: one of these garden gazebos from Wyevale Garden Centres should be big enough to comfortably seat everyone. Plus, it'll mean you don't have to dash inside if there's an unexpected downpour.

Decorate your garden to perfection

Once you've worked out your seating area, you can begin planning your decorations. The aim of the game is to make the mum-to-be feel spoilt rotten, so bear her tastes in mind as much as possible: for instance, you could decorate your seating area with some arrangements of her favourite flowers, or some balloons in her favourite colours. If your guests will be staying into the evening, then some fairy lights or candlelit lanterns are a must.

Create a summery buffet menu

No baby shower is complete without some delicious nibbles. You don't want to spend the whole party slaving away in the kitchen, so serve a buffet of cold finger foods: you can find some ideas in BBC Good Food's round-up of the best baby shower recipes. If your friend has opted to find out whether her baby is a boy or girl, then you could even go the extra mile and add a touch of pink or blue to your menu. Simply add a little food colouring to the recipe, or dust over some pink or blue edible glitter: these pots from The Cake Decorating Co are sure to add some sparkle to your dishes.

Celebrate with some refreshments

Don't neglect your refreshments, either. While the mother-to-be may not be drinking alcohol, other guests might still fancy something a little boozy, so it's a good idea to serve both a bit of both. You can easily add some gin or vodka to this mocktail pitcher recipe from the Spruce: just make sure it's obvious which drinks are alcohol-free, to avoid any accidental mix-ups! To make it clear, you could even label your booze-free pitchers with some tags written in pretty calligraphy.

If a close friend or family member has a summer baby on the way, then there's no better way to celebrate than with an outdoor shower. Remember, we stock a huge range of baby shower gifts, including mum-to-be-hampers, so there's no excuse not to spoil both mother and baby rotten!