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Invitation Inspiration! 15 Supersweet Baby Shower Invites

Kate Stahl — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:24:46 PDT

When it comes to baby shower invites, there is no shortage of adorableness. Simply take a peek at Minted and Tiny Prints, and you'll already be overwhelmed by the many sweet options. But if your run-of-the-mill, available-to-anyone baby shower invitation just won't do, the following 15 invitations are sure to provide some original inspiration. From invites introducing some superspecial shower themes to those printed on balloons, wooden baby blocks, and even cloth diapers, these shower invitations are designed to wow.

Let's Play! 10 Baby Shower Games From Etsy

LilSugar — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:14 PDT

It's raining, it's pouring, it's time to plan a baby shower! In a moment of baby-induced euphoria, you volunteered to throw your best friend/sister/coworker a baby shower - now what? Once the menu is decided and the invitations sent, there's the matter of games to consider. Baby showers traditionally bring together women from various parts of the expectant mama's life - from childhood friends to office acquaintances - so it's important to have a few entertainment ideas on hand to suit different tastes.

Keep reading for a selection of very reasonably priced baby shower game options from Etsy: from a unique spin on the classic bun-in-the-oven game to an US Weekly-inspired movie star mamas quiz. These personalized printables will help ensure a successful celebration for mama-to-be and all of her guests.

On Party Invitations: Who to Invite From the Office

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:52:45 PDT

When planning a party, be it a wedding, baby shower, or milestone birthday, the question "who should I invite from work?" is one that should be answered diplomatically. While it would be easy to say, "invite everyone you work closely with," this is simply not realistic. There are, inevitably, people from your office who you are actually friends with, and others who you are merely friendly with. How do you invite some to your big day without offending the others? Read on for my office invitation etiquette tips.

Emily Post vs. TrèsSugar: Wedding Invitation Etiquette

TresSugar — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:20:10 PDT

Even if you're bucking most of the traditions, wedding etiquette can't be ignored - especially when it comes to the invitations. With the potential for hurt feelings, unintended insults, and misunderstandings, what should be a joyous celebration can turn into a high-heel-trafficked minefield.

But that doesn't mean you have to be all Emily Post about it. I've rounded up some of the essential invite-related advice from Emily Post's wedding etiquette and offered my take. Feel free to chime in with your two cents too.

Inviting Sig-Os

Emily Post says: "Partners of invited guests must be included in a wedding invitation. This includes couples who are married, engaged, or living together."
TrésSugar says: I also have friends who are in long-term relationships but aren't living with their sig-os. In that case, I think the partners are also a must-invite. It might also help to define what "long-term" means (six months?) for you - especially if you're trying to keep the guest list small. Whether the partners get their own invitation or simply get included on your friend's invitation all depends . . .

How to Invite Couples

Emily Post says: "A single invitation addressed to both members of a married couple, or a couple who live together, is sent to their shared address, while invitations to an engaged or long-standing couple who don’t live together are sent separately, to each address."
TrésSugar says: I think if one member of the couple is a very good friend, and her partner is someone you wouldn't invite to the wedding otherwise, you should just address the invitation to your friend and list her partner's name as well. On the off chance they break up before the wedding, you don't want the ex-boyfriend showing up thinking he got his own invite.

For more modern etiquette,

Plus Ones

Emily Post says: "Allowing single guests who aren’t attached to a significant other to bring a date is a thoughtful gesture, but one that is not required."
TrésSugar says: Even if you don't allow every single guest to bring a date, I think it's a requirement to let your very close friends bring a plus one - even if they opt not to.

Invitation Assembly

Emily Post says: "Formal, third-person invitations are traditionally inserted into two envelopes, an inner envelope and an outer envelope. The outer envelope carries the return address (printed) and the recipient’s name and address (calligraphed or handwritten). The inner envelope, left unsealed, bears only the names of the people invited. An inner envelope is unnecessary for an informal wedding."
TrèsSugar says: Have an inner envelope only if you want it - informal wedding or not. I think an inner envelope is pretty unnecessary for any wedding. It's just extra paper and bulk, and I can't imagine anyone opening an invitation and exclaiming in horror, "What? No inner envelope?!" But if you like this tradition, by all means, do it!

Wedding Websites

Emily Post says: "If desired, create a wedding website."
TrésSugar says: Maybe it's just my chosen profession speaking, but I think a wedding website is pretty much a must. It saves you from having to include tons of extra info in your invitation and saves paper too.

Source: Flickr User zenobia_joy

Geeky Fantastic Wedding Invite Is a Record Player in Disguise

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:14:05 PDT

If your unique save the dates make a splash with your guests, then you need to one-up yourself with an amazing wedding invitation. Take this creative example: it's actually a record player wedding invite! Talk about a transformer! Crafted with some paper (obviously), yarn, a needle, a flexidisc record, and some serious ingenuity, this record player invite would be the perfect fit for any musically inclined couple. Check it out in the video below!

Paper Record Player from kellianderson on Vimeo.

Starter Guide to Planning a Baby Shower

LilSugar — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 01:43:24 PDT

Planning a baby shower can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. All you have to do is organize a gathering that makes the mommy-to-be happy and feel celebrated. Location scouting, invitations and worry aside, it's always more fun than it sounds. We've dedicated the entire month of April to planning showers of all kinds, but if you've been nominated (or volunteered) to plan a baby shower for a friend or relative you should start with the basics. For some of the most important things to consider when you start planning,

Guest list: For decades baby showers have been "ladies only" events, but times are changing. Many expectant parents opt for co-ed affairs. I suggest talking to the mommy of the day about what she's comfortable with and who she wants to be invited. It's pretty traditional to include the future grandma, extended family, closest friends and close co-workers.
Location and venue: First, make sure the growing mommy-to-be will be comfortable. My favorite baby showers are those in a home, whether it's grandma's house, your house or the mommy-to-be's home. If you prefer to do it elsewhere, consider a cute park, spa, teahouse, restaurant, dessert spot or even a bar or lounge (mommy can't drink, but bar baby showers have become popular with the increase of co-ed showers).
Theme and decor: After you've planned the location start thinking about the party's colors, flowers, decorations and theme. You should think about the new mommy's personal style and whether or not she's announced the sex of the baby. Is mama's taste classic or modern? When in doubt, go simple and whimsical.
Invites and games: If you're looking for something simple, but adorable, check out our LilSugar baby shower downloads. You can easily personalize the invites and games to include all your party details and print them on your home printer for free.

Source: Flickr User madaise

Get the Halloween Party Started With Online Invitations

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:00:11 PDT

Some Halloween fright may be waiting in your inbox! Whether mama has decided to go green, or she just didn't get it together in time to mail out traditional invites, online invitations are one way to get your invitation out quickly. The Evite idea has received a 2010 makeover and now could easily be mistaken for its paper counterparts. Here are a few electronic options that will have your invitees RSVPing in no time.

Amy Atlas for Cocodot: Like everything Amy Atlas puts her hands on, this collection of online Halloween party invitations, photo cards, and thank you notes is high on style. With both traditional and modern patterns backing them up, the lavender and blue collections are a welcome change from the traditional orange and black (pictured above).
LilSugar for Pingg: Our sweet and spooky original designs for Pingg allow party-throwing moms to send out invites and reminders via email, SMS, and Facebook.
Punchbowl: These free kid-friendly invitations come with party-planning advice and links for vendors in the party-giver's area.
Paperless Post: These lifelike online invitations have the look and feel of letterpress invitations without the cost (and impact on the environment) of the real thing. Their Halloween collection includes plenty of candy-filled greetings that the kids will want to gobble up!

How to Make a Bridal Shower Invitation

partysugar — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:50:20 PDT

One of my best friends is getting married, and I am a bridesmaid in her wedding. Thus, I have the wonderful pleasure of planning her bridal shower! It's going to be a simple, but elegant affair that reflects the bride's crafty, down-to-earth sensibility. Before I can even think about the menu and the decor, I must get the invites sent. I've created these purple and cream invites using a printer, a stamp, and an embosser.

Follow my step-by-step photos to learn how I made them.

Download Our Bridal Party Invites!

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:00:06 PDT

At some point in their lives, most women will host a bachelorette party or bridal shower for their sister or best friend. To help those ladies who are planning one this year (I am! I'm throwing my first bridal shower and I plan to share all the details here), we've created a bunch of downloadable invites. They are free and all you have to do is download the invite, print it on cardstock, fill in the details, and send! We've got two designs for a bachelorette and three choices for the bridal shower. To check them out and download them now,

Yummy Links: From Medium Raw to Blue Curaçao

partysugar — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:50:13 PDT

A first look at Anthony Bourdain's soon-to-be-released book, Medium Raw. - Grub Street NY
Announcing the winner of the Food52 and Cook's Illustrated recipe-off. - Slate
How to date a chef without getting fat. - iVillage
An all-encompassing guide to paprika. - Serious Eats
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is launching a Summer booze cruise in New York City. - Eater NY
Rick Bayless's menu for the recent state dinner at the White House sounds amazing. - Huffington Post Food
Learn how to make pad Thai at home. - Chow
Entertaining pros provide their advice for the perfect party invitations. - The Epi-Log
Find out why the