Baby Shower Help, suggestions please :)

Hi Ladies,

I'm not really into the traditional baby shower where it's me and just a bunch of girls, i'm fine with my friends but it would mean i'd have DH's mum, Aunties, sister etc and i'm not really comfortable with them on my own.
We were thinking of having a casual bbq guys n girls (I want hubby to be a part of it if possible) at a local park with our family & friends but our list so far has 70 ppl on it and I feel like this is way too extravagant for a baby shower.
Do you invite some ppl and not others? Friends & not their partners?
Do you have any suggestions? What did you do for yours?
I'm not really wanting to sit around with the girls and play games, i'd prefer it to just be a more casual bbq in the park kind of setting but i'm concerned about the numbers.
Help pleeeease :)

I think this sounds wonderful! I'm not sure of your journey to become parents, but given this is a much wanted baby, go for it. Too much is based on what other people think - what does your DH think? Make that decision as a couple! And enjoy it!

Thanks Kazbah :)

Maybe we should just go for it! Might try and cut the list back a little.

Why dont you have one for friends and one for family? Were having a bbq with families invited too, but neither me or DH have any family here so dont have to worry about numbers.

i think it sounds fantastic i had 45 ppl at mine and that was with ppl not turning up or bringing some person with them.. lol
and mine was all women lol but i think if this is ur first and it obviously is a much anticipated bubba then go for it!!
GL hun and congrats :)

it hink it is fine. i threw a shower for DH's friend and his gf and cause we didnt really know her that well it was more of a manly baby shower lol. there were about 30 people (male and female) we still played games and the guys got into it more lol.
its up to you and wat u feel comfy with. i had a girls only for my first and had about 15 ladies and then my 2nd my exSIL threw for me and there was only about 8 people but that was only because alot didnt show up.

I Think big baby showers are great. I had girls only at mine but had about 40 people. I have been to quite a few baby showers that are unisex bbq's etc and they are really nice! A really great way to involve your partner. I would say with regards to inviting partners I would probably say yes, if you invite some of your close friend couples and then invite a friend and not their partner you don't want them to get upset that their partner wasn't invited or for them to feel awkward not having them there with everyone else in couples..... I know it sounds petty but it's surprising how some people get offended by the simplest things and being pregnant you don't want to or shouldn't have to deal with that kind of crap! Hope it all goes well and you have a beautiful baby shower/BBQ!! Xxx

DH and I have loads of mutual friends, and there was the general family members coming too ...

So we had it at our place (HUGE yard) and had a BBQ lunchy thing with everyone, then sent the lads out for cricket and kick-to-kick while we did embarassing games (which I wanted) and then the fellas came in for arvo team after a couple of hours for the present opening and a few casual drinks.

But very few people said anything about it being a co-ed thing :)

Becuase it was at our place, we weren't fussed about numbers - but if we were at my old place (very little yard) I would happily have done the same gig at the local park, minus the beers :)

I saw you mentioned that you're not keen on the daggy games, so I won't post up those! But there was lots of general chatting and sport... and then a small number of us ended up watching a couple of old movies until about 1am ...

Peanutter,
I love the idea of playing some sport etc.


I'd love to have it at home but our backyard is tiny :)
You're right about inviting partners, I was concerned about the party being too big but if it's at a park I guess it doesn't matter.

What was your budget? I'm a little worried about how much it will cost. We won't provide drinks, was thinking BBQ meats, salads and dessert.

budget was small ... some girlfriends brought balloons and streamers, we had paper plates and serviettes and plastic cups left over from other gigs, we ignored the green stuff, and spent about $30 on a few of kilos of snags, a loaf of bread or two, and 2L of homebrand tomato sauce and a bunch of homebrand chips and softdrinks ...

anyone who asked of they could bring anything was asked to bring sweets, and people brought their own drinks.

we had a blast :)

We had a Mocktail baby shower. I wasn't especially organised (suggest getting a friend to make the mocktails to free you up to chat, etc), but it was great fun anyway.

Sounds good Peanutter, I like your style :)

My DH is adamant that he'll be attending the baby shower and that he wants couples invited, not just the women (he's just lucky I don't object ;)). He has also suggested that we have one for our friends and one for family (actually probably one for each family since my mum has a talent for creating tension between our families). I think if you keep the group smaller you'll get more interaction with each person and enjoy it more.