If you found yourself here because you're in charge of planning a baby shower, quit stressing! You've come to the right place.

A baby shower is one of the most exciting events leading up to the birth of a new bundle of joy. Not only is it an opportunity for the mom-to-be to celebrate among her closest friends and family, but a chance for the guests to honor her as well. Sometimes you volunteer to throw the shower, sometimes you are asked; either wayit is important to make sure you throw a party that is fitting for the honoree and stays true to her taste and sense of  style.

We know thatplanning a successful baby shower can be fun but challenging - especially if you have a full-time job. The secret is to stay organized throughout the process and make sure to start the planning process early. To this end, we have built out a timeline and checklist below to make sure the celebration goes off without a hitch!

Nine Weeks Before:

• Get the guest list.
• Make sure the guest of honor provides you with an extensive guest list along with addresses (or email addresses) for the invitations.Tell her that you can always make additions throughout the process, but you need the main list early.
• Set a budget.
• Determine how much you are able to spend for the whole event. The total budget divided by the number of guests will help you determine how “big” you will be able to go.Don't be afraid to split the cost amongst the closest circle of friends or family. Different people can sponsor the event in different ways. Venmo is your friend.
• Select a date and time.
• Baby showers are traditionally 4-6 weeks before the baby is due. For easy math, take her due date then subtract 3-4 months - that's when you start planning.Subtract a month and a half before due date, that's around the time for the shower. Also, Understand that it’s unlikely everyone on the list will be able to attend. But obviously you want to choose the most convenient time for the guest of honor.

  Eight Weeks Before:

• Select a venue.
• Now that we have a time of year, number of attendees, and budget, you’ll want to think about where to throw the party. Holding a shower in your backyard or living room can be intimate and inexpensive, but you’ll be responsible for the setup and cleanup. For larger guest lists and budgets, a nearby hotel or restaurant is likely the best bet. Outdoor venues like parks can be a great option in warmer weather - just check to confirm if you need a permit and prepare accordingly in case it rains.

• Choose a theme for the baby shower.
• Picking a baby shower theme should reflect the personality and interests of the parents. Themes can be extravagant or simple, fun or elegant, broad or specific. Whatever you decide, celebrate the mother-to-be and her newest little one by adding personal touches that will create lasting memories.Ask yourself, does this make her feel special?

• Order your baby shower invitations and matching "Thank You" cards.
• For a casual shower, an email invitation is perfectly acceptable. If you're hosting a more formal shower, opt for a paper invite and send via snail mail. Also, make sure your invitations match your newly selected theme. Evite is a great choice for online invites, and if you're thinking about physical invites, Etsy has a ton of great options!

Six Weeks Before:

• Prepare and send the invitations.
• You’ll want to give the attendees at least one month’s notice before the baby shower so they can reserve the date. People's calendars can fill up quickly, especially during warmer months. Make sure you use appropriate titles and formats in your invites. 

• Start planning and ordering decorations.
• At this point, purchase decorations that aren't perishable (you’ll want to wait until the day before to get any flowers, for example). If you plan to craft your own decorations, it’s time to think through the supplies you’ll need and process to put them all together. Again, Etsy.com is a great source for decor. Not only will you get one of a kind decorations, but you'll be helping small business as well!

• Begin menu planning or select a caterer.
• Make sure to serve up the pregnant mom’s favorites and choose a menu that sticks with the shower’s theme and color scheme. If hosting at a restaurant, it's perfectly fine to let everyone pick what they want off the menu and pay on separate checks. This allows more of the budget to go toward the fun stuff!

• Make sure the gift registry is set.
• Ask the mom-to-be to prepare her gift registry before the invitations arrive so the guests can start shopping ASAP. Babylist.com is an excellent option to plan a registry - easy to use and can be filled with any product found online.

Four Weeks Before:

• Order the desserts.
• OK, focus. You can do this. Next to the baby, this is the most important thing about the baby shower. Cake is the classic choice here. But cupcakes, cookie tables and sundae bars are all fun alternatives.Don't forget your gluten free or vegan friends. A small side option for restricted diets is always a good choice.

• Plan out games, prizes and favors.
• The party should have an agenda beyond eating, drinking, and gift giving. Find some fun game options and make sure the guests have a favor to bring home to remember the day. Some fun games to play include:

1. Secret Advice - have everyone write down something that their parents would always say or a lesson they were taught, then place that slip of paper in a bowl. Pick at random and try to guess whose parents said the phrase.
2. Ice Ice Baby - Get an ice cube tray and freeze some small toy babies the night before. Use those ice cubes in drinks the day of the shower. The first person that can take a baby out of their glass without any ice around it yells "my water broke!" That person wins.
3. Fashionably Late - Announce the mom's due date. No baby knocks on the door exactly when they are supposed to. Have everyone throw in a dollar and make a guess on the arrival date. The person who comes closest wins. If two people select the same date, they need to include a time of day.

• Reserve party rental supplies if needed.
• If you’re hosting the shower at your house, you might need to rent party supplies. Now is the time to consider what you’ll need to make sure there are no hiccups. Cups, plates, silverware, ice, drinkware, napkins, tissue, sunscreen (if outside) are all essentials.

• Find a “photographer."
• It’s probably not necessary to hire a professional, but you’ll want to find a party attendee who is willing to take pictures throughout the day. Who has the best Instagram account? For extra credit, make a hashtag for everyone to post their photos.

Two Weeks Before:

• Follow up with any guests who haven’t RSVP’d.
• There will be some invitees you don’t hear from and it’s your job to track them down.

• Confirm your reservation.
• If you are hosting the event at a hotel or restaurant where you need a reservation, reassure the time and date is set two weeks beforehand so there are no surprises the day-of. Confirming with the host or hostess is fine, but we suggest confirming directly with the manager.

• Make sure the caterer and desserts are ordered.
• Again, leave no stone unturned here.

One Week Before:

• Have extra hands ready.
• You'll probably need some help to pull this off seamlessly. Some of the jobs include:
• Picking up the mom-to-be
• Keeping record of the gifts
• Set-up/Take-down crew
• Designated drivers (if it's that kind of party!)

One to Three Days Before:

• Finish your grocery shopping and stock up on bar items.
• Pick up the desserts. Don't drop them!
• Pick up food and serving supplies (utensils, napkins, cups, & plates).
• Communicate with your co-hosts or other party planners to make sure that all the details are taken care of.

• Prepare food and drink.
• Set up the party space.
• Designate a place for the gifts.
• Enjoy yourselves! All the pre-planning has resulted in a day where you can enjoy the party rather than stress the entire time. Whoop!