I thought I was hosting the perfect backyard baby shower for my sister. You know the one. Light breeze, sunny, everyone outside sitting at beautifully set tables where everyone has a seat. The forecast literally said 70s all week… until it didn’t. A few days before the event, it flipped to rain and 40s. Classic New York spring.
The entire event had to be re-planned and it made me realize that hosting at home does not have to be a whole production. You don’t need formal seating, perfect weather, or even a theme. (I say that as someone who does love a good theme and an aesthetic table moment.) But the more low key you keep it, the more relaxed it feels for everyone. So here are my thoughts on everything you don’t need when hosting at home, plus a few simple things that made a big difference.
You don’t need a theme
We didn’t do a theme, just colors. After going through a list of spring baby shower themes, nothing really felt like the perfect fit for my sister’s personality and it started to be stressful finding something that wasn’t totally cheesy or overdone. So we decided on “Blue with a little green” and used those colors in the invitation. Close friends and family showed up in the colors and that became part of the decor without me doing anything extra.
You don’t need to decorate the whole house
I kept it really simple and used what we already had. I hung up a few blue and green onesies on a clothesline over the fireplace that my kids used to wear. They were already in a bin I was giving to my sister so I used them as decor.
Then I picked a couple spots to actually focus on, and that made all the difference. The flower arrangements were done by Nancy at The Flower Bar in Larchmont. I’ve used her for years now and she’s unbelievably talented and always brings my vision to life in the most beautiful way. A few arrangements in that blue and green palette made a huge impact.
We paired that with a backdrop from Daydream Party Rentals. Laura is a local mom and has a full event business; she does everything from balloon arches to soft play setups and bounce houses. For this event, I asked her to design a board that was festive while keeping things minimalist and classy. We decided to skip the balloons for this one and keep it simple with a white backdrop and blue writing.
Nancy created a coordinating arrangement for the backdrop, and it really pulled everything together. Between the flowers and a fun spot to take photos, our “no theme, just colors” idea actually came to life without having to decorate every corner of the house. A few thoughtful touches ended up being more than enough.
You don’t need a packed schedule of games
We skipped the long lineup of games. We did one simple game and an advice card, and that was more than enough. People mostly just wanted to relax, catch up, and actually talk. It felt more like a really special gathering than a forced event.
You don’t need formal seating
This was the thing I stressed about the most, and it ended up being the least important. I had tables set up for everyone because I thought I had to, but most people didn’t even use them. We set up the food on the kitchen island, buffet style. People stood around the kitchen, sat on the couch, grabbed spots on the floor by the coffee table. It felt easy and natural, not assigned and formal and our guests were able to mingle more than they would have with assigned seating.
You don’t need an elaborate menu
We mixed homemade and ordered food to keep it simple. My mom, my sisters, and I each made a couple easy salads and sides, then we ordered wraps and sandwiches from Stanz and Root2Rise.
Root2Rise was especially great for this because we had a few vegan and gluten free guests. We also added their Chickpea Chaat as a side, which was amazing. So good, and something we’ll definitely order again. It made it easy to be thoughtful about different dietary needs without overcomplicating anything, and everyone was genuinely happy with the options.
You don’t need a full dessert table
We kept dessert really simple. My mom made the cake, and we ordered donuts from Grey’s Donuts, which were such a hit.
They even did them in our blue and green colors, which tied everything together in a subtle way. They have a ton of different flavors and options, and I’ll definitely be using them again for another event. It felt fun and special without needing a whole styled dessert table.
You don’t need favors
We went back and forth on this one and ultimately decided to skip them. Most favors end up getting left behind or thrown out anyway. No one missed them, and it was one less thing to think about.
You don’t need a bartender
We kept drinks simple with a mimosa bar, wine, and sangria. For the mimosas we used Lifevine Blanc de Blancs, which is organic, has zero sugar and is pesticide free. It felt easy but still special, and people could help themselves without needing anyone to manage it.
I think the biggest takeaway for me is that you don’t need to overthink it to make it feel meaningful. People aren’t coming for perfect tables or a full schedule. They’re coming to celebrate someone that they love and to spend time together.
Even with the weather completely not cooperating, it all worked. Maybe even better because it forced me to let go of the “perfect” version I had in my head and just enjoy it.
