How to Host A Baby Shower: 4 Questions to Get You Started

So you’re throwing a baby shower, but aren’t sure where to start?!

A baby brings new beginnings, a fresh dynamic, and so much joy- we believe that every detail of a baby shower should reflect that. We know that as a host, you want your friend or family member to feel special and celebrated as they await their new addition to the family. We are here to support you in creating your party’s vision with these key 4 questions to ask the expectant parent(s). Our quick guide will help to get you started and hone in on your party’s purpose, theme and goals.

Question 1: If the shower is for a couple, would you like the baby shower to honor both expectant parents?

Couple baby showers are becoming more popular and in the spirit of the more, the merrier, opening up the guest list can add to the fun! Knowing if the parents would like a combined or individual event will help you to choose the appropriate location for the shower, as well as the activities (if any) planned for the festivities.

Speaking of activities… designing your shower to be experiential can add a fresh touch to the occasion and be inclusive to everyone attending. Some ideas that get guests interacting and engaged throughout the shower include:

• Mini golf

• A floral arranging class

• Progressive shower, a take on a progressive dinner! (Ideal if a few of the willing hosts live in the same neighborhood)

Question 2: Do you want a more traditional baby shower or something unexpected?

Knowing the answer to this will help you gain clarity on the expectations of the expectant parent(s). The traditional route could include a theme that appeals to the baby’s gender, games, gift opening and typically brunch fair. But what if they want something out of the box? Consider ways to reinvent the baby shower by incorporating a specific gift theme, a gender neutral design for a modern take on the occasion, or a full bar and hearty eats.

Once you have a better understanding of the expectations, then it's time to begin brainstorming some theme ideas! The best themes will stem from meaningful places, cultures, personal stories, or time periods that resonate with the expectant parents. Once you have put together a few possible directions, provide the parents with these options and find out their favorites. We recommend maintaining an element of surprise for the guests of honor; to achieve the perfect balance of honoring their wishes and still leaving a few tricks up your sleeve, have them narrow down the options and then the host(s) can choose the final direction from those pre-approved selections.

For traditional a theme we are loving:

• Baby in bloom with monochromatic florals, balloons made to look like large-scale flowers, build-your-own bouquet flower cart, and a fresh seasonal menu. Check out this bounce house inspiration below from Starr of Texas, who we adore and collaborate with often!

For a gender neutral theme we are swooning over:

• Bonjour bébé with white florals, lavender, greenery, charcuterie and fromage, baguette sandwiches and kir royale.

Or get groovy with a non traditional theme:

Mamma Mia featuring a Grecian disco with bold blues, pops of white, disco balls, boas, funky sunglasses and rocking ABBA tunes. Book Extragrams- their high-energy performers to delight guests with a surprise musical performance! Now that’s a baby shower we’d go to any weekend.

Question 3: Is there anything you absolutely do not want and what are your must haves?

By asking this question, you are ensuring any elements of the expectant parent(s) day is tailored to their preferences. When planning an event, it's just as helpful to have an understanding of what people do not want as what they do want. Having this dialogue may reveal that there is something they’ve always wanted when they envision their baby shower. How special is it to know that you get the opportunity to bring that to life?!

Some people have a hard time opening gifts in front of others. Some might want a more intimate gathering instead of large. We suggest always keeping in mind that the details of the baby shower should be based around celebrating the expectant parent in a way that makes them feel comfortable.

Question 4: Is there anything your community can do for you now to help you before the baby is born?

It might be helpful to provide some suggestions for this question. For example: start a food train sign-up at the shower! Perhaps there's furniture that needs to be assembled? A baby shower is a great time to get organized; imagine giving the expectant parents the gift of knowing this is already covered once their new bundle arrives.

Another option would be to gift something for the parent-to-be that’s focused on wellness or a little pampering. It’s nice to keep the parent top of mind and a little “me time” is always much appreciated, pre or post baby. We love any of the robe and slipper sets from Parachute- they're always great quality and functional for parents to be.

This final question can help you know what the expectant parents are needing now and possibly also once the baby is born. Bringing a child into this world is magical, but also very hard. Wouldn’t it be great to have a shower to showcase to the expectant parent(s) what an awesome community they have rallying around them to support their journey?

However you decide to host, we know for certain that your thoughtfulness and effort will be so appreciated by the expectant parents. As they say, it takes a village and a shower is a great way for the village to gather and celebrate welcoming new life into this big, beautiful world.

Images Courtesy of Dagnushka, Jerry Hayes Photography, and Starr of Texas

Your Not-So-Average Holiday Gift Guide

Those of us who are entertaining-obsessed have a way of finding each other. It’s often first through striking up a conversation with a new acquaintance you’re seated next to at a mutual friend’s gathering or a charity gala, or an introduction to welcome a new neighbor that turns into a weekly book club. Whether you love to host events or your friend is always the designated party planner of the squad, we know that selecting meaningful gifts for the consummate host can sometimes seem like an impossible endeavor.

A quick Google search for ‘holiday gift guides’ will present you with hundreds of options, but lucky for you, our niche is throwing a fabulous and intentional party — we’re here to provide not only fresh gift ideas but also tips that you can refer to throughout the season for successful, and effortless, holiday hosting.

Not to worry, sweet friends — the Cassie LaMere Events team has you covered. We’ve hand-picked our favorite gifts for the entertainer in this carefully curated holiday gift guide.

Showcase your personality when you can

When you’re the life of the party, you celebrate with details that are fun, quirky, and all the things that make you, you. Like these cocktail napkins, for example, embroidered with cheeky Southern sayings that will undoubtedly bring personality to any gathering. This is also the perfect gift for that Southern Belle Host friend; it’s gifts like these that can be used year-round and will elevate the presentation of cocktails and snacks. Not-so-subtle messages like being asked to leave by 9 on a napkin are sure to set a playful tone and prompt a few giggles, too. Whenever you have the opportunity to inject your personality into an event, act on it.

The holidays are also full of spontaneity and we say: embrace it! This crocheted pillow embroidered with a hilarious and all too familiar message is a superb gift for that one friend who is always up for anything. As a bonus, Furbish Studio’s designs are all as fabulous as they are clever, so there’s something for everyone in this collection.

A party-ready fridge

We always recommend that a well-prepared host have a bottle (or two!) of champagne chilling on hand for impromptu celebrations and the Veuve Clicquot + Smeg collaboration just leveled up your entertaining game in honor of the Maison's 250th Anniversary. Two beloved brands of the entertaining world have delivered us the ultimate kitchen accessory, made for the party-loving person whose fridge is used for keeping the bar stocked and prefers to order the hors d'oeuvres in (there’s no room for groceries here). Just picture a guest opening the door to reveal a sea of orange-labeled French Champagne — a statement that immediately says: “This calls for a toast!” As an entertainer, this is a milestone gift that should never leave your wishlist until it’s received.

Versatile, packable gifts

Many people will be traveling to be with loved ones this time of year, so why not accommodate them with easy-to-pack place cards in case they need to set a table at their in-laws’ house? Incredible stationery designer Laura Vogel collaborated with Melissa Smrekar to create a stationery set inspired by Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in 1966 — an iconic event that any party pro (us included) would love to set back the clocks to attend. Having extra place cards on hand this time of the year means you’re always prepared to entertain surprise guests, which is very likely this holiday season! Not only are these great conversation starters (guests will be eager to hear the signature style of each of their table counterparts), but they certainly give that *main character energy*.

Gifts that double as décor

We’re all for gifts that can also be used to make your home prettier in preparation to host. This Southern Living x Gordon bookstand is the perfect example of a useful gift that the entertainer will enjoy. We all have a collection of coffee table books that are too beautiful to be shelved, so a unique bookstand made from a combination of marble and acacia wood is a stunning way for them to be showcased. This is another gift that can be enjoyed as the seasons change — you may be in awe of a gorgeous cookbook one month and a design book the next. It’s also a lovely way to display a guest book that invites your favorite people to write in, capturing special notes that can be re-read for years to come.

Let us not forget that first impressions are everything and there is no greater example for the holiday host than their front door. An elegant wreath, like this berry and eucalyptus wonder from Flowerbx, makes a delightful introduction upon guest arrival. Delivering the gift of a holiday wreath is one of our go-to gift ideas that never goes out of style. We love this versatile gift for its ability to be used as exterior or interior décor. If the recipient's doorstep is already adorned, imagine the joy of hanging a holiday wreath from fine ribbon atop a gilded mirror in one's home. Or one of our tricks-of-the-trade is to use a wreath as a centerpiece on the table, building candles and décor around this verdant focal point for a statement that invites guests to "Gather around."

For the design aficionado

Gorgeous tableware is something a design lover can never get enough of. The culinary and hosting go-to experts at Williams Sonoma have collaborated with the celebrated Morris & Co. to launch a new range of tabletop items that translated the heritage brand’s iconic prints into tableware, giving hosts and guests alike a unique way to enjoy the artist’s quintessential style. Setting the table, whether it’s for the holidays or an everyday meal, with pieces from this collection will set the scene for memorable occasions. Sure to be instant heirlooms, we recommend taking a page from Morris’ book and having fun with pattern play, mixing the various prints and colorways from the collection into your own personal poetic presentation.

As much as we cherish traditions, we also live for a non-traditional color story moment around the holidays and the dynamic female duo behind Fenwick Fields has delivered us the perfect package just in time for dressing the table this season. Their clever use of blush pink and evergreen feels current and timeless all at once- a point of view that will resonate with the seasoned host and one that we strive for with all of our tabletop designs. The pop of tangerine is a thoughtful nod to Old-World traditions and if you ask us, the darling details beckons for an afternoon spent around the table crafting Pomander Balls with friends and family to put the finishing touch on your elegant (and original) décor. Gifting a set of dinner napkins is always a thoughtful gesture and will likely ensure an invitation to return. A new tabletop accessory is the perfect excuse for a gathering!

But what should I wear?

Whether you’re the host or guest, everyone wants to be the best dressed. Nicola Bathie’s latest collection for Antonio Melani is full of party-perfect staples that will make you stand out. These fanciful feathered shoes are, without a doubt, a foolproof way of welcoming guests or entering a dinner party in the utmost style. As forever-enthusiasts of all things toile, we love this tea-length dress for its idyllic ability to be a go-to for any occasion, such as holiday family photos and tablescaping, and its versatility allows the frock to be dressed up or down with different accessories to suit your social schedule. The velvet tie is absolute perfection and immediately makes you look more pulled together, even if it doesn’t feel that way with the frenzy that comes with this time of year.

Our hope is that your festive season is spent relishing in revelry, whether it be at the party you’ve created or attended with friends and loved ones, which is why we wanted to make gifting and entertaining as seamless as possible this year with this holiday gift guide. Life is too short for these special occasions to be anything other than fabulous and luxurious. If you’re looking to plan an intimate holiday event with your nearest and dearest, we’re here for you as a host’s secret weapon.

A Love Letter to Getting Published

“Cassie LaMere is the kind of event designer who starts out with the seed of an idea and then makes the entire garden bloom like magic.” — Camp Round Top Hostess

We couldn’t feel more grateful to receive a compliment as eloquent as this. We’re even more grateful that said compliment lives forever in print: both in a 10-page spread and on the cover of the iconic September issue of Flower Magazine.

This editorial brought the story of Camp Round Top alive on the pages of the publication. In the company of so many wonderful garden, home, and lifestyle stories, the article featuring our glamping event at Camp Round Top is the most perfect editorial spread to celebrate this memorable gathering. We hope that readers were inspired by the creative details recounted and enjoyed being transported to the world of Camp Round Top as much as we enjoyed planning the event.

Starting from the ground up

While Camp Round Top sounds like a spontaneous glamping event for those with an eye for style, not many realized just how gargantuan the task of setting up a multi-day event in this location was. In just a matter of months, we transformed what was a pristine field with no existing infrastructure into a luxury, 5-star experience for the guests.

We lived with a crew of 25 on-site for 10 days and had the best time building this pop-up village in such a picturesque setting. Attendees arrived to spend three nights in fully-appointed bedroom tents that take ‘glamping’ to a new level of glam, featuring king-sized beds, Frette linens, and monogrammed pillowcases, emerging each day to a brand new experience from the day before. As the sun rose each morning, it brought with it unique and spectacular itineraries that exquisitely struck the senses of the guests.

Cassie LaMere Events’ contributions to Camp Round Top

At each and every touch point of the event, Cassie had a part to play. Each tent was individually decorated with accessories chosen by Cassie based on her research on each guest, providing a truly tailored and considered experience that made their home for the four days even more comfortable. Every detail, every theme, and every experience was carefully planned by Cassie and executed alongside the CLE team and her expert team of vendors. The Camp Round Top hosts graciously gave Cassie creative license to style the event the way she saw fit, making her and her team the chief creative brains behind every concept and detail. Team CLE dreamt up the themes and event elements through many vision boards for everything from the nightly dinner parties to the daily attire, layers of design references, and scouring antique stores for authentic details that would set the scene.

What makes Cassie a notch above the rest is not only her creative point of view, but also her comprehensive network of event professionals who she has made a point of fostering long-standing relationships with. When she was approached to produce the Camp Round Top event, she knew exactly who to call on — vendors came from all over the country, from floral artist Antonio Bond to the chef, Yann Nury. She hand-selected every member of the team to execute the event, knowing who was needed to take this event to the level she envisioned. Her network and relationships with vendors worldwide brings unparalleled value to the events she produces.

Experts at creating ‘wow’ moments

As quoted in the Flower Magazine article, written by Karen Carroll, an attendee noted that “everywhere we looked there was a visual surprise or another magical experience.” Knowing that she wanted to create an experience that would ensure the high-profile guests’ expectations for comfort, design, and hospitality were exceeded, Cassie prioritized wowing them above everything else. She took the logistical challenges in her stride, collaborating with the various members of her personally curated event team, and turned to her myriad of design references and inspiration to get the wheels turning. In the end, she “established the aesthetic of the camp through art installations, curated furnishings, and thoughtful details that showcased local makers, as well as captured the overall spirit of both the antiques fair and Camp Round Top — the thrill of the hunt and a sense of discovery.”

While most of the prep work would normally take place behind closed doors, Cassie and her team immersed themselves in and among the guests to organize the different occasions on the guests’ itineraries, each with a different theme, where “each set change unexpectedly became a much-anticipated part of the show, with guests peering over the shoulders of both LaMere and floral artist Antonio Bond to ask questions and get impromptu flower-arranging lessons as each tableau evolved.”

A CLE reflection

If you’ve seen our Instagram posts about the article, then you know that getting published in Flower Magazine is a milestone moment for our agency. As Cassie so aptly states, “it is one of the greatest compliments we can receive as creators. Flower Magazine so beautifully shared the story of this magical event and it means a lot to me that this experience can live on through such a perfect tribute to our time in the field.”

What makes being a luxury event planner such a joy is sharing in the moments Cassie gets to create for other people — that these events are ephemeral in nature, never to be replicated again, and that’s what makes events like Camp Round Top and the memories created there so special. Because this four-day event required months of planning and hours of hard work, it’s so meaningful to see it be celebrated on the cover and pages of a national publication where the stories can continue to be shared and the team who went above and beyond to help make this possible receive the recognition they so well deserve. It’s also an absolute treat for us to be able to revisit the memories created at Camp Round Top and to know that those memories were created by the guests in the spaces and experiences that we visualized and brought to life.

Where we go from here

It’s simple: we keep going forward. And we keep pushing boundaries whenever we can. Our favorite conversations with clients begin with “What If…?”. We want our clients to imagine without limits and know that our team can make their dreamiest event happen. We have the experience, knowledge, and relationships to continue to wow even the most discerning of clients and guests. This is not a job for us, it’s a lifestyle. And our work is the special contribution that we add to the world, containing our vision and love for luxury events, sharing our passion and creations with others, all while delivering experiences that prompt feelings of otherworldliness and connection. Cassie spends countless hours researching, traveling, and exploring numerous sources of inspiration, continually archiving ideas for future projects. We understand the standard of quality and service our clients expect because we have experienced that level ourselves, and we immerse ourselves in environments and experiences that allow us to continue to formulate ideas on how to raise the bar.

We will continue to be exacting and meticulous in every event we produce. We will continue to let clients know that we have the ability to deliver. We will continue to dream up ideas for our bucket list events that we plan to someday create, with our library of ideas ready for us to turn to when the moment presents itself. And we’ll continue to create custom events that you won’t experience anywhere else.

Cassie LaMere Events has cultivated our expertise through over 15 years of event collaborations with Fortune 500 companies and elite private clientele. Camp Round Top was one of those culminating moments, as we watched a whole new world emerge in the middle of a field — a seemingly impossible feat. But, as Nelson Mandela once said, “it always seems impossible until it’s done.”

For the ultimate event customized to the tee, no matter how elaborate or out of reach you may think it is, we’re the events team for you. Get in touch to create something visionary.

Camp Round Top Images by Dagnushka