Cathy Peshek hosted her first baby shower for the arrival of friend Merrick's baby boy in January. With help from a few of her friends, Cathy co-hosted a party that every mom-to-be could wish for. She shares with us her top five tips for hosting a baby shower at home.

Her first tip, pick an easy theme. Picking an easy and cohesive theme is a great way to start your party planning and gives you direction. She advises picking something that is not too specific but that has a clear vision. Merrick loves penquins so they decided to incorporate that into the theme. They decided on a "Winter Wonderland" concept with shades of blue, mint, and silver. 

Her second tip, invest in the decor. Although the party was at home, Cathy wanted the space to look different than it would on a regular day. She decided to invest in a simple but statement-making balloon display. The team from MomsKloset Balloons came over the night before the shower and set up a super fun display incorporating all of the themed colors. It was the first thing to catch your eye as guests arrived and many snapped photos with it throughout the shower. Another sweet touch was baby photos of mom & dad around the house, making for fun conversations at the party.

Her third tip, order catering but add personal elements to the menu. Merrick's favorite food is sandwiches, so Cathy wanted to have a variety of sandwiches for guests to choose from. However, rather than making a bunch before guests arrived, Cathy decided on catering and made hot cider that morning.

She also ordered custom penguin, snowflake and onesie cookies from High Waisted Cookies incorporating the party theme colors. These simple but personal elements added to the menu made a big difference.

Her fourth tip, go for paper plates and cups. Cathy decided to go with pieces from our Rebelle Collection to match the winter aesthetic of the party. She chose our Black and White Brush Strokes Large Paper Plates, Small Paper Plates, and Cocktail Napkins for the food set-up. And our Black Colorblock Paper Cups for the drinks. This was a major time-saver and made cleanup a breeze. 

Her last and final tip, have fun! Being a party host isn't easy, and sometimes the to-do list can seem never-ending. However, try not go get too caught up in the organizing and remember to enjoy this time with those around you. Parties are meant to be a time of celebration for everyone to enjoy, everything else can wait.