What NOT to do at your baby shower: Experts reveal the unsophisticated mistakes that make celebrations look ‘awkward’ or ‘too corporate’…and even celebs aren’t immune!

Welcoming a baby into the family involves shopping for prams and stocking up on nappies, and many parents-to-be are also expected to throw a baby shower for loved ones.

But while some families opt for lowkey affairs with ‘guess the due date’ games and mocktails, others can spend nearly as much as they would’ve on a wedding or hen, splurging thousands for balloon arches, ornate table settings and designer goodie bags.

Some celebrities’ balloon budget alone is sure to be in the hundreds, with stars like WAG Megan Pickford putting on lavish events to commemorate the good news.

Meanwhile, you may be treated to a live performance from one of the expecting parents. At Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei’s shower for example, her husband serenaded attendees with a rendition of Your Song.

But speaking to the Daily Mail, planning experts have warned against going too hard on what, at its core, is meant to be an intimate gathering for your nearest and dearest.

Gemma Logan, of Hen Party Deals and The Stag Company and events expert John Austen, Founder, Booths By Lux, shared how baby showers can easily start to feel more like ‘a PR rollout’ than an occasion for friends and family.

Read on to see their verdicts… 

A SHOWER THAT FEELS TOO CURATED

While it’s easy to veer into OTT territory, equally as dangerous is seeming too sleek and polished.

‘Olivia Buckingham’s ultra polished celebrations last month are a perfect example of how modern baby showers can end up looking more like luxury content shoots than real life events,’ Gemma said.

‘Every angle, table setting and posed group photo can create an atmosphere where guests become overly aware of being photographed and presented online.

‘Once people feel they’re part of somebody else’s curated feed rather than a relaxed celebration, the event can start to lose its charm very quickly.’

‘Highly curated, social media first planning can make guests feel like they’re part of content rather than an actual celebration,’ John added.

‘When every moment feels staged for photos, it reduces spontaneity and natural interaction.

‘The best baby showers balance aesthetics with ease, so people can actually be present rather than performing for the camera.’

HAVING A PHOTOBOARD

Among the myriad of celebrities who have had photo boards – at times equipped with fun personalised slogans for guests to pose with – are Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood and The Only Way Is Essex star Jess Wright.

But the experts warned that while fun, this can at times make the events feel ‘corporate’. 

‘While they certainly create polished pictures, they can also make the event feel oddly corporate, almost like a press launch or influencer event rather than a gathering of close friends and family,’ Gemma explained.

‘Guests often end up queuing for photos instead of actually mingling.

‘The problem is that once every corner is designed to be photographed, the day can start feeling more performative than personal.

‘There’s a difference between capturing memories and building an entire event around content creation.’

HEN-STYLE ACTIVITIES

In 2022, while waiting to welcome her baby with Jake Ankers, Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby revealed the details of her shower – which included hen-party style endeavours, featuring a game of ‘Stick the Sperm’. 

Her friends, which included Sophie Kasaei, Holly Hagan, Marnie Simpson and Nathan Henry also all partied until 4am – although Charlotte quietly snuck away to bed at around midnight.

Speaking to OK!, the reality star – who hosted the drinking games despite not being able to join – admitted she had ‘FOMO as she watched her pals get mortal’.

‘The next day, everyone was ill! Most people slept at mine. I think they’re still dying now,’ she recounted.

However, John felt that baby showers are ‘not really supposed to get rowdy’.

‘It just feels a bit out of place,’ he added. ‘When the tone shifts too far into nightlife style entertainment, it can exclude people who are there for a calmer, more family centred occasion.’

‘Charlotte Crosby’s baby shower proved how easily these events can veer into hen party territory, with cheeky games, wild drinking and guests partying into the early hours,’ Gemma explained.

‘Fun is obviously part of the appeal, but when the atmosphere becomes more boozy nightclub than relaxed afternoon celebration, it risks losing the sentimental side entirely.

‘Baby showers work best when everyone feels included, not when half the guests are hanging on by 3am.’

HAVING TOO MUCH DESIGNER DETAIL 

Molly Mae Hague’s recent baby brunch featured luxury Dior goodie bags for her guests – but Gemma and John said while this is a nice gesture, it can ‘overshadow’ the whole event.

‘The issue here is that high end branded gifting can shift the focus away from the baby shower itself and turn it into a status display,’ John shared.

‘It can feel like a bit of a “flex” and people are going to be talking about the gifts rather than what they’re actually at the event for. It can also make guests feel like the event is more about image than shared experience.’

‘Molly Mae’s lavish baby brunch, complete with Dior gift bags for guests, perfectly captured how baby showers have started drifting into luxury influencer territory,’ Gemma added.

‘While it undoubtedly looked glamorous, there’s a risk these designer touches can make guests feel they’re attending a brand launch rather than celebrating a new baby. 

‘The pressure to create a high end experience can quickly overshadow the warmth and intimacy that people actually remember from baby showers.’

OTT DECORATIONS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY COULD BE A WEDDING

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s wife Megan welcomed the couple’s first child in 2019. And to celebrate, friends and family enjoyed a winter wonderland themed baby shower in December 2018.

Photos and video from the event included a balloon wall, ornately laid out tables with flowers and candles, and white and silver furnishings reminiscent of a wedding.

‘Megan’s baby shower styling had all the hallmarks of a modern wedding reception, from the dramatic florals to the ultra polished tablescapes,’ Gemma said.

‘It looked stunning, but there’s a growing feeling that some baby showers are becoming almost indistinguishable from bridal events, with every detail elevated to Pinterest perfection. The danger is that things start to feel overly staged rather than genuinely joyful.’

John agreed that going in with the same energy as you would with something bridal ‘can blur the identity of the event’.

‘If your baby shower is decorated to the level of a wedding it loses its sense of intimacy and starts to feel performative,’ he shared.

‘With a wedding you can go big, but baby showers traditionally aren’t exactly huge celebrations and should feel more like intimate get-togethers with your closest people.’

LIVE PERFORMANCES FROM EXPECTING PARENTS 

Last month, Sophie Kasaei hosted friends and family for a baby shower – as she and her partner Jordan Brook are expecting their first child.

And while live entertainment included a professional singer, Jordan – who has also been on The Voice – also offered a heartfelt rendition of Your Song by Elton John for the mother-to-be. 

‘While some people love a grand romantic gesture, public performances at baby showers can easily tip into awkward territory,’ Gemma said.

‘Particularly when guests are trapped politely watching an intensely personal moment unfold.

‘Sometimes the quieter, more natural moments end up feeling far more meaningful than a planned spectacle.’

John added that while he is sure Sophie loved the performance and  ‘it was special to them’ – it’s ‘just a bit cringe and another example of turning the focus onto spectacle’.

HAVING A SEPARATE GENDER REVEAL EVENT 

Many famous faces have leaned into the American ‘gender reveal’ tradition – and now often host a separate event for this, along with a shower later.

These can get very involved with pricey cakes, balloon releases, confetti throws and smoke displays – in either blue or pink – all used to share the news. 

In 2025, Taylor Ward and her husband, Algerian footballer Riyad Mahrez, invited friends for a glitzy gender reveal on a Dubai beach.

But Gemma thinks that while it’s a great milestone to celebrate, it can veer into too much stuff to have in the calendar.

‘Taylor Ward’s decision to host both a gender reveal and a separate baby shower reflects a growing celebrity trend of stretching one pregnancy into multiple large scale events,’ she shared.

‘While friends and family are usually delighted to celebrate, there’s definitely a point where guests begin to experience milestone fatigue. Combining moments can often feel more authentic and less like an extended PR rollout.’

And John said it can ‘dilute the emotional impact of the celebration’.

‘It risks turning what could be one meaningful gathering into a series of content driven moments,’ he added.

DECOR THAT’S TOO TREND-LED (AND NOT TO DO WITH THE BABY) 

Whether we like it or not, we all succumb to the trends of our era, and it’s no different with décor.

But the pros shared that it’s important to keep baby showers personalised so that they don’t feel too ‘disconnected’.

‘Georgia Bell’s baby shower in 2022 featured unusual gold feather and leaf décor that sparked plenty of conversation online because it felt more fashion forward than baby focused,’ Gemma said.

‘There’s nothing wrong with stylish styling, but when décor starts looking disconnected from the actual occasion, it can feel slightly confusing for guests. People still want softness, warmth and touches that actually relate to welcoming a baby.

‘When décor choices are driven by trends rather than the occasion, the theme can feel disconnected from the purpose of the event. Baby showers work best when there’s a clear sense of warmth and relevance to the baby or parents,’ John advised.

‘If styling feels like it could belong anywhere, the event can lose its emotional grounding.’