Hosting A Baby Shower For A Loved One Living Abroad: 10 Tips For A Perfect Virtual Celebration
Hosting any virtual celebration can be challenging, but often the payoff is worth the time and effort. If you’re in charge of planning a baby shower for a mom-to-be who is living abroad, there’s no reason the celebration can’t be just as fun as if it was in person.
You’ll need a lot of the standard party planning tools: guest lists, decorations, games, and presents, to name just a few. You’ll also need to know what kind of party the mom-to-be will enjoy and consider getting some other guests to help you, particularly if this is a surprise celebration.
Use A Virtual Guestbook
Guestbooks can be a fun way for the guest of honor to remember their baby shower in years to come. You can find many options for virtual guestbooks online that guests can fill in once they’re on the party call with everyone. Consider taking a screenshot of all the attendees at the end to add to the virtual guestbook.
Sign Them Up For A Registry
A registry is a great way to ensure that the mom-to-be gets the presents she actually needs. You could ask for a list of items and create the registry for her or see if she already has one set up. When it comes time to send out the invites, ensure you include a link to the registry so that guests know to buy. Â
Choose Some Virtual Games
There are all kinds of virtual games you can play for a baby shower. It may help to get the guest of honor to decide which games she wants to play and have a few different options set up. It is best to choose games that aren’t too long to keep your attendees interested and having fun.
Make A Guestlist
You’ll need to ensure you invite the right people to the baby shower. This should include close friends and family of both the parents-to-be. It is a good idea to get the guest of honor’s help in curating the guest list to ensure that no one important is accidentally left out.
Use The Right Platform
You’ll need to choose a video calling platform that everyone invited can use easily. It is also a good idea to choose a platform that doesn’t have a time limit for non-premium users. Google Meet doesn’t include time limits and is simple and easy to use.
It could also help to have someone on hand to talk to the less tech-savvy by logging on and getting their microphones and webcams working. Â
Find Some Cute Invites
The invites should give attendees all the information they might need about the party. This should include the time, date, registry, and a short itinerary. If there are guests in different time zones, you should ensure that the time is listed in each time zone.
The invites themselves should set the tone for the party. Consider what kind of vibe the mom-to-be will want when selecting the perfect invites. For some inspiration, check out these virtual baby shower invitations from the experts at Greenvelope.
Co-Ordinate Time Zones
If your guest of honor has a lot of international friends and family, you may need to work out a time for the party that won’t be too difficult for everyone to make. This may mean hosting the party early for some and later in the day for others. It is best to choose the times that work best for the guest of honor and try to time it so that no one will be forced to get up early or stay up late.
Have Decorations Delivered
You might need to get friends or family that live nearer to your pregnant loved one to do some of the set-ups, particularly if you’re planning a surprise virtual baby shower. Consider having decorations sent to the house of a loved one nearby and get them to visit to create the festive décor for the guest of honor. Choose some classic fun baby shower decorations or something a little more elegant and classy, depending on the tastes of the person you’re holding the shower for. Â
Get Gifts For Mom As Well As The Baby
While a baby shower is about celebrating a new mom and her baby, a lot of the gifts can be more centered on the baby. Choosing some gifts for mom can be a great way to help her pamper herself and get some important me time before the baby arrives. For baby, you can gift an interactive 4moms swing, and for mom, you could gift her a spa day or some clothes she’ll love wearing once she’s bump-free.Â
Make A Quiz About The Mom-To-Be
A fun party activity for your group could be a quiz about the mom-to-be. This can be organized like a pub quiz where whoever gets the most answer right wins a prize.
Conclusion
Hosting a virtual party can be every bit as enjoyable as a party in real life. It is vital to put just as much planning and effort into a virtual party as you would a physical one. Ensure that you plan around what the mom-to-be will enjoy, and importantly, enjoy the event yourself!
