How To Host A Gender Reveal Party

How to Plan a Gender Reveal Party

You’re having a baby!!!  This is such an exciting and momentous time in your life!  If you have decided to learn the gender of your baby before you deliver, you may want to plan a fun party for your family and friends to reveal the news.  Couples can learn through their ultrasound screening and make their own announcement at the party, or a gender reveal party can also be a great way for a friend or family member (one who can really keep a good secret!) to reveal the news to the couple as well as the other guests at the party.

If hosting a gender reveal party is something that you’re interested in doing, here are a few tips for organizing the event.

Choose a Gender Reveal Party Date

The very first thing you’ll need to do is choose a date for your gender reveal party.  Since your doctor will probably have you schedule your ultrasound around the 20-week mark for your pregnancy, you’ll probably want to select a date that is somewhere around 21 or 22 weeks. 

Give yourself a little wiggle room after the anticipated ultrasound to make sure the news will be available without causing any stress or unnecessary tension.  You won’t want to schedule the gender reveal party too soon, just in case the baby is bashful and requires you to schedule a follow-up ultrasound. 

Select a Gender Reveal Theme and Send Invitations

You can plan a simple blue and pink mixer, or get creative with a theme that fits you and your partner.  Some great ideas for gender reveal themes include:

• Ties or Tutus
• Lures or Lace
• Stash or Sash
• Trucks or Tiaras
•  Baseball or Ballet
• Sports or Sparkles

You should aim to send your invitations at least two weeks in advance, but preferably as soon as possible.  This will give your guests plenty of time to mark their calendars.  You can find tons of gender reveal party invitation ideas on Pinterest.com.  If you prefer to send electronic invitations, you might try creating a custom e-invite through Punchbowl.com.

To Know or Not to Know?  That is the Question.

Before you go to your scheduled ultrasound, you’ll have to decide whom you want to be the first to know your news.  Many couples just can’t wait to find out, so they carefully watch the monitor during their ultrasound and ask the sonographer to point out the evidence to them.

If you prefer a greater element of surprise and have the self-discipline to wait a little while longer, your other option is to have your sonographer write “boy” or “girl” on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope instead of telling you. 

You can then give the envelope to a carefully selected friend or family member who will actually help plan your gender reveal party and secretly make the pink or blue purchases for you.

Plan The Big Reveal

There are many creative ways to make the announcement at your gender reveal party.  Some ideas include:

• Sweet Surprise – Order a gender reveal cake or cupcakes that will be either blue or pink on the inside, but with neutral frosting on the outside.
• Box of Balloons – Place a dozen helium-filled balloons inside a large decorated cardboard box or trunk so that they will fly out when opened.
•  Piñata – Fill a baby-themed piñata with pink or blue goodies and make a game out of the gender reveal.
•  Confetti Poppers – These can be ordered in advance from sites like Etsy.com.  To be on the safe side, give the order at least 2 weeks of lead-time.  There are also ways to make your own confetti poppers if you have time and enjoy DIY projects. 
•  Silly String – Purchase cans of blue or pink silly string, then cover the cans with decorative paper or spray paint the outside so that guests cannot tell what color is inside until they spray it.
•  Gender Reveal Scratch Off Cards– These fun and unique cards can be used at your party and you can also mail them to friends or family who live far away and cannot attend the event.

Document the Memories

Be sure to make the most of your gender reveal party by having someone assigned to take lots of pictures.  You can also encourage your guests to write special messages for the new baby in a book or have a video camera available for recording video messages.

Door Prizes – Thank You for Coming!

As your guests arrive, have them write their names on a slip of paper and place their gender guess in jars or containers labeled “boy” or “girl.”  At the end of the gender reveal party, pull a name out of the winning jar and give that guest a thoughtful gift. 

Your gender reveal party can be a fun and exciting celebration for the new life that will soon be blessing your world.  Happy planning!

Wishing you all good things :) , from My Scratch Offs.