Invitation wording

The wording of messages for baby shower invitations, for baby shower cards and for baby shower thank you notes can all be quite tricky to get right.

Below are some baby shower wording ideas for each category to help you come up with thoughtful messages suitable for the occasion.

You will still want to add a message of your own of course. One suggestion for those struggling with baby shower wording ideas is to start the invitation with a baby shower poem or a lovely quote about parenting to help put your feelings into words.

Baby shower wording for invitations

Make sure you've got all the details locked in before you send the baby shower invitations because it's such a drama to go back to everyone with changes.

Here's an example to help with Baby Shower Invitation wording:

Please join us in a baby shower for: (Name of mother or names of couple)

Date:
Time:
Address:

Hosted by: (Names of all the people hosting the shower)

Please RSVP by (date you need to know numbers)
RSVP to (name) on (phone or email or address)

Other details

Gift registry

Will the parents use a gift registry? If so, you can include a card from the registry and/or perhaps a sentence on the invitation (Name of parent) is registered at (name of store or registry).

Theme

Are you organising a theme- like teddy bears, or the colours blue and white? Let guests know if you expect that to extend to gifts, or clothes. For example: Theme: Teddy bears (that's for decorations, not for gifts!) Or Theme: Blue. Wear something blue to match the decorations, if you can!

Bring/dress

Do you need guests to bring or wear something in particular, or bring something along for a game? Let them know what to do. E.g. Bring your swimming costume and towel, if it's hot people are welcome to swim in our pool. OR Please bring a photo of yourself as a baby for a game we will play at the shower.

Pass the hat

Are you asking guests for a contribution of money to help host the party, or are you holding it in a cafe where everyone will be asked to pay for their own food? Make sure you are clear about what's expected in the invitation, so people can make an informed decision about whether to participate. Be clear that people should speak to the host rather than the guest of honour if they want to discuss the request.

Some suggestions for wording when asking for baby shower contributions

Be quite specific about the amount you want and who to contact to talk it over. If you ask for a donation you can t really plan a budget. If you are asking for money, do prepare a budget to show guests how their money has been spent and even keep receipts, to save any misunderstandings later on. If you are asking for food, try and give some guidelines on type of food and quantity, or ask people to nominate an item, so that you can plan.

Because times are tight, we are asking guests to contribute (amount eg $20) each towards the catering for the party. If you use online banking, please deposit into the host's account BSB 123 456, Account Name Jane Smith, Account number 1234 5678, Reference: Shower and your surname. Otherwise, can you please bring cash to the party on the day? Please let (host name) know if you have any problems with that, we're happy to discuss.

The cafe will provide a buffet meal for all guests at a cost of $20 per head to be paid to the caf on arrival. or Guests are asked to pay for their own lunch at the restaurant, which can be done at the time of ordering.

To take the pressure off, we are asking all our guests to help with catering. You have been selected to provide: 3 dozen mini sausage rolls (frozen is fine!). Please let (host name) know if you d like to bring something else instead or if you have any problems with the catering, we're happy to discuss further.

We hope you can come and if so, could you bring a plate to help with catering? Please let us know what you will bring, when you RSVP, to make sure we don t have all cakes and no sandwiches!

Baby shower wording for a baby shower cards

When you are attending a baby shower, you will usually give the guest of honour a gift together with a card with a personal message for the mother-to-be or the new parents.

But what do you write on the card? In general, the reason for the gift and the card is to mark this person's transition into a new part of their life and to welcome the new baby that will shortly arrive.

Usually you can handwrite a message of just one or two sentences to express your feelings. If you're struggling, a baby shower poem can help.

Otherwise, just try to write a brief but sincere message with good wishes for the couple's pregnancy, birth, and the health and happiness of their baby and themselves.

Here are a few examples of wording for a baby shower card:

• What an exciting time for you! Hope the rest of your pregnancy and the birth all go well for you and that you are soon home safe and sound with your beautiful baby.
• You will both make such lovely parents, I m so happy for you and wish you all the best through the wonderful times ahead as you finally get to take your beautiful baby home to your family
• Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy, a safe and miraculous birth and a healthy and content new baby.
• May your new baby's arrival bring you happiness that lasts the rest of your lives

Baby shower thank you wording

While it might seem a bit daunting to write all those baby shower thank you notes, you need to get stuck into it as soon as possible after the shower. Get together a list of each guest and what they brought (a card, gift, donation of food or money towards the shower) so that you can personalise each thank you note.

You should take special care to thank those who spent so much time and effort organising the baby shower.

The wording of a baby shower thank you note needs to be sincere and personal but there's no need to write a novel; a couple of sentences is usually enough.

Start by addressing each note personally, to the names of those who signed the card eg Dear John and Jane and family.

Then, it's time for a thank you sentence express your appreciation that they attended the shower (unless they organised it! Then that's the first thing to thank them for, effusively.)

eg Thank you so much for attending my baby shower, it was lovely to see you.
Or: A huge thank you for all the work you put into organising such a wonderful baby shower for me.

Next sentence express appreciation for the gift or food or even for doing the washing up, whatever they have done for you, try to mention it specifically. Try to indicate how you will use the gift.

eg The baby outfit is so cute, I can t wait to see our new baby wearing it!
Or for a cash donation: Thanks for your generosity, it will help us to get our baby a safe new car seat.
For something they have done: It was so lovely of you to organise the games at the party, it really made the whole day lots of fun.

Then, close with a personal sentence:

• Looking forward to seeing you again soon, perhaps next time we'll have a baby in tow!
• Thanks so much again for your help / generosity / kindness, it really means a lot.

Sign off with either love or warm regards. You can decide whether to sign your note from the mother-to-be, or both members of the couple or by both parents and baby.