As part of the Cuddle Me Keepsakes Guest Blogs, I’m really excited to be featuring the fabulous Bonjour Baby Showers and their tips on how to plan a virtual Baby Shower – a great alternative whilst we’re not currently able to get together in person in large groups … 

A baby shower is an exciting milestone in any expectant Mum’s life and whilst we’re not able to get together in person, a virtual baby shower is the perfect alternative to ensure the Mum-to-be feels loved and supported.

It’s important to make the virtual celebration as unique as possible to avoid it feeling like an everyday catch up with friends, so here’s our top tips to do just that.

Getting everyone together

First of all, make a list of who you will invite to the virtual baby shower and pick a time and date that’s suitable for everyone. Saturdays tend to be a good option as people are less likely to have work commitments.

Next, look for a suitable platform to host the video call. There are lots of options available, each with different limits on the number of participants, so be sure to choose based on the number of guest’s who’ll be attending.

• House party: 8 guests maximum
• Whatsapp: 16 guests maximum
• Facetime: 32 guests maximum (IOS only)
• Skype: 50 guests maximum 
• Zoom: 100 guests maximum on free plan for 40 minutes

Once you have your time, date and video call platform decided, an e-invitation is the perfect way to invite your guests to this special event. Be sure to include all the key information your guests will need such as how to access the call and anything they may need to have to hand, like paper and pens for games.

There’s a host of great options available when it comes to creating your personalised e-invitations, here are some of our favourites:   

1. Paperless Post  has some great templates that can be emailed to all guests at a minimal cost. 
   
2. Canva‘s free editing platform is the perfect option to create personalised e-invitations with photos of the Mum to be that can be sent via text, whatsapp or email. 
   
3. Etsy has an array of e-invitations for a virtual baby shower that can be instantly downloaded and customised. 
   
4. Setting up a Facebook event can be the ideal way to invite a large number of guests and keep them updated on all key information.

The Perfect Baby Shower Gifts

Wherever possible, try and send some presents to the Mum-to-be ahead of the celebration so that she has something to open at her virtual baby shower.  

Here are our top suggestions for thoughtful baby shower gift ideas:

1. As seen on ITV This Morning, our  Baby Shower in a Box is the perfect gift package to make the Mum-to-be feel as special as possible at her virtual baby shower. She’ll love the decorations, which will make her whole experience more unique and as close to a ‘real’ baby shower as possible. She’ll also love our fun baby shower games, including baby prediction cards, which are always a highlight.
   
2. The Yummy Mummy Hospital Box
   Packed full of the key essentials for the Mummy-to-be to take to the hospital, the Yummy Mummy Hospital Box from Something a Bit Different is a great gift to make her experience special. From a dressing gown, eye mask and note book, to lip balm and body wash, and a gift for the new arrival, this is definitely a beautiful gift to show her you’re thinking of her.
   
3. Cuddle Me Keepsakes Gift Card
   The Cuddle Me Keepsakes collections of timeless memory bears and keepsake blankets make the perfect sentimental baby shower gift. Mum-to-be will know that all these beautiful clothes she’s being given can be transformed, once outgrown, into a gorgeous keepsake to be cherished forever. Gift cards can be purchased in any denomination, making the perfect gift for any budget and can be used for up to two years from the date of purchase towards any of the Cuddle Me Keepsakes collections.

Check out our baby shower gift guide for all budgets, for more inspiration.

Special Touches

A virtual baby shower may not be quite the real thing, but added touches can go a long way to making the Mum-to-be feel just as special. Here’s our top 5 tips to personalise your baby shower, guaranteed to delight the guest of honour.

1. Make the virtual baby shower a surprise!
   Ask the Mum-to-be’s partner or family to help by setting up their home prior to the call. Ask them to prepare a spread of her favourite food and hang up the decorations ready for the surprise. Rest assured, our Baby Shower in a Box can be sent in plain packaging (upon request) so it doesn’t ruin the surprise. If you decide to invite guests via a Facebook group, just remember to make it private so as not to let the secret out!
   
2. Play ‘Guess the Baby Photo’
   Everyone loves a baby photo so what better way to add a special touch to your virtual baby shower than playing this fun game that everyone will enjoy. Collate digital baby photos of all the guests prior to the shower and then everyone has to guess who’s who. Just be sure to choose a platform for the call which allows you to share your screen so all the guests can see the photos.
   
3. Personalised biscuits/ chocolates
   Personalised biscuits or chocolates are always a hit and add the perfect personal touch. If you love baking, you could always whip up some treats and decorate them with icing. The Mum-to-be will be thrilled you made them yourself.
   
4. Guest book with a difference
   Instead of a traditional guest book, why not ask guests to send a special message (advice, words of encouragement, personal memories etc) on colourful paper. These can be turned in to paper scrolls and placed into a decorated mason or jam jar to create a thoughtful present.
   
5. Send flowers
   A key centrepiece at most baby showers, a beautiful bouquet of flowers will bring a pop of colour to the guest of honour’s home and brighten her day. Earn extra brownie points by recreating a similar bouquet to the one she had at her wedding!

Music 

Play our FREE baby shower playlist at your virtual celebration to help everyone get into the party mood. With over 50 memorable songs with ‘baby’ in the title, it can also double as a fantastic game where guests can guess the song and artist. With songs from Britney to Beyonce to Bieber, it will be sure to provide hours of entertainment!

Please do tag us on instagram using #BonjourBabyShowers as we would love to see your virtual baby showers.