Pandemic aside, there are so many reasons why a virtual and/or "drive-by" baby shower might be the best option for you as an expecting Mama. The reason I had one is that here in Germany COVID restrictions were still super tight at the time, meaning no more than five friends were able to gather. But it was also great because my family and friends living back in the US were also able to participate! This is a great option to consider, even post-pandemic if you live far from family and friends. Not only that, it was much more cost-friendly.
So here is a brief rundown of how my shower went...
We started by making a virtual baby shower page on Facebook. This was a great way for me to make sure everyone was aware of the event and how it would work! A month out from the shower we invited friends and family both in the US and Germany. We posted our online registry on the page, which allowed anyone from afar to send gifts that would arrive in time for the virtual shower. We set a time for a live stream so that they knew they could still watch me open the gifts they sent. We let friends located in Germany know that the shower would be "drive-by" and then they too could watch me open the gifts they dropped off via the live stream.
On the day of the shower, we set an hour-long "drive-by" time. I and three close friends (two helping hands and a photographer) stationed ourselves outside to await the quick fleet of guests. Friends were able to drive up, drop their gifts, snap a picture with me for memories, and leave with a sweet favor in hand. After the hour, we restationed ourselves inside and 30-minutes later began the live stream of opening gifts. Friends and family were able to tune in live and leave comments while watching my excitement in real-time. Even better, those that were not able to watch at the time were able to go back later and watch my live reaction to the gift they sent!
So, what do you need for your Virtual/Drive-By Baby Shower?
1. A virtual landing page & online registry - this is the best way to keep everyone in the know + where you will host the live stream for the virtual portion.
2. A good location - a home with good street space or somewhere with a clear parking lot.
3. A gift table - One of three main components to the drive-by part is having somewhere for your guests to drop their gifts.
4. A photo backdrop & photographer - component 2/3. This was super important for me because even though I was not able to have a "traditional" baby shower, I still wanted the memories of one.
5. A favor - The final component for the drive-by portion, something simple to send your guests away with to thank them for dropping by!
6. A tripod - The easiest way to ensure a smooth video live stream for your faraway guests.
7. Helpful "hosts" - although much less work than an all-out baby shower, I would not have been able to do it without the three incredible friends that helped me!
This innovative baby shower allowed Baby and I to still be showered in love from friends and family all over! It was such a great way to celebrate this big life change, despite obstacles like the pandemic and distance. I am so so thankful for everyone who drove by and sent gifts from afar. We truly felt so so loved!!
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