Baby shower at a restaurant, ideas?

[Periwinkle58]

So I'm planning my shower for March 26th (Sunday) for brunch. (yes i'm planning my own shower. don't really want to bother anyone with it and i would rather do it my way.)
Anyways though, it'll be at a restaurant (a $20+ entree nice Italian place), co-ed, and about 20 people. I've never been to a baby shower so i have no idea what i'm doing lol The GM at the restaurant is my boyfriend's brother and the other manager is a really good friend so we're basically free to do whatever.

My best friend is decorating, mom is a pastry chef who's in charge of the cake and desserts, food is taken care of, but now i don't really know what else needs to be done. Should I invite more people? What games can be played at a restaurant? Should I open presents there or at home? Anything I should know about? Just need a few suggestions as to what we can do at the party. I want people to have fun!

Thanks!

 

[Pulirula]

I had my first shower at my moms house and what I remember most was moving all the stuff I got. Huge pain in the butt loading up the car and then unloading it at home. I'm sure if you go to google and look up baby shower games it will come up with a million. Also try to keep the guests busy while your opening presents. It can get weird with them staring at you waiting. It's kinda boring for those watching. Or maybe just wait and open gifts at home.

 

[Mearly12]

I think people really enjoy watching you open their gift and see your reaction, I wouldn't do it at home. Definetly do a few shower games, I like "don't say baby" since it is easy, and people can play while talking to each other throughout the shower, use either necklaces or safety pens. Guess the belly size with either yarn or toilet paper would be easy to forget there. Go to Ross and get a few cheap gifts that can be used as prizes for the shower games. For my friends shower we did a diaper raffle, got a raffle ticket for each pack of diapers brought, and did a drawing for a $50 gift card, they were loaded with diapers. It sucks though since you are hosting, all of this comes out of your pocket and it could have been spent on baby.

 

[MummaBear16]

I agree that people love to watch you open the gifts! It's kind of a main point of the shower!!

Some games I've done at showers were guess the flavour of baby foods. Every guest gets a spoon and has to taste different numbered baby foods and writes down their guess at what flavours they are.
Another one you have a bag with small baby items and tell them how many things are in there.. they have 1 minute to have a feel without looking, and guess as many items as they can when they are done.
Guessing how long a piece of string needs to be to go around your pregnant belly is also a good one.
For prizes at the showers I've been to usually just do something like a nice small box of chocolates.

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

The only hard thing I could see having it at a restaurant is all the gifts. You don't have to open them in front of people, but I've never been to a shower where they expectant mom didn't open them. Personally I love seeing what is given and the reactions.

Fun games: prizes can be chocolates or snacks, bottle of lotion or something from a soap store. Little things.
- Guess mom's belly size with ribbon
- "don't say baby"
- a box with baby items in it, guests get a minute to feel inside then write down what they think is in there
- gift bingo (this makes gift opening more fun for guests)
- have small bags that are labeled in letters spelling "baby shower" and in each bag is a baby item that starts with the letter tag. Guests can lift the bags but can't peak inside and have to guess what's inside. (this one is harder than it sounds!)

 

[Kanichen34]

My sister did a baby oriented quiz at mine and we split into teams - was quite fun and interesting.

Maybe you could also ask everyone to lend you a baby picture of themselves and you could display them so people can guess who is who? Always fun and a talking point for any quiet bits.