The idea of gender reveal party is still new. But in recent times, it has gained a lot of popularity among most expectant couples. With this popularity, couples are getting more and more innovative on how they celebrate such an event.
If you are planning to hold a gender reveal party, then one of the questions you are asking yourself is, “who should I invite to my gender reveal party?”
Suitable List of Guests You Should Invite to Your Gender Reveal Party
- Members of Your Immediate Family
Your immediate family should be invited to the gender reveal party. The family members include the couple’s parents, siblings, and grandparents. Your family members are most likely to be looking forward to the party, and if you fail to invite them, then a strain may be planted in your relationship.
However, when you are inviting the older generations like grandparents, it is prudent to explain clearly the meaning of gender reveal party. The older generations may confuse the occasion for baby shower. Besides, a close family member may offer you the much needed helping hand in planning and organization of the gender reveal party.
- Extended Family
You should also consider inviting the members of your extended family to the gender reveal party. For one, they are also likely to be excited about the news of the coming baby. They will also be looking forward to knowing the gender of the new arrival.
However, if your extended family comprises of many members, you need to come up with a method of identifying a few members of your extended family to invite. You can’t invite everyone to the party. If you pick a few and leave out the rest, you may run into issues of fairness. If you are inviting members of your extended family, do prioritize the list and make sure to communicate to the rest of the members the reason behind your prioritization.
- Closest Friends
Your closest friends should be invited to the gender reveal party. The friends who are always there for you are supposed to make to the list of the guests. Such friends include your maid of honor and closest bridesmaid.
The friends who have seen you through your worst time will be thrilled with the news of your pregnancy. They will also be eager to know the gender of your baby.
Besides, your closest friend will also play a vital role in the organization of the gender reveal party. You may need your friends to organize a reveal party that will surprise both the mom and dad alongside the other guests. Your closest buddy will also be responsible for ordering the pink and blue colored cake that reveals the gender of the baby.
You should remember that you can’t invite your closest friends alone. When you invite them, you must also invite their partners or spouses. If they have young children, they should come with them, too. If you have too many friends and you are low on budget, then you will need to prioritize your list.
- Deacon or Reverend
If you are a religious person, then you may want to invite your reverend or deacon to your gender reveal party. However, this will depend on the kind of relationship you have with the clergyman. If you feel they will play a spiritual role in the growth of the baby, then it will be wise to invite them to the gender reveal party.
The People Not to Invite
The guests on the ‘’Questionable Invite List’’ should skip the gender reveal party and appear for the baby shower. Not everyone wants to appear on a gender reveal party. Some guests prefer they come to a baby shower but skip the reveal party.
It doesn’t mean they don’t care for you. Some people are less concerned about the gender of the baby. They simply love babies, whether they are girls or boys. Such people are rarely excited upon hearing the news of the gender of your baby. But they will be happy to attend a baby shower. Some of the questionable invites include:
- Distant Friends
If you usually feel awkward calling a distant friend just to catch up, then it is inappropriate to invite them for a gender reveal party. Although they may be excited about the news of your pregnancy, they will not see any reason why they have to attend a gender reveal party. Such a friend will be more comfortable attending your baby shower than a gender reveal party.
- Co-Workers
Gender reveal parties are usually intimate affairs. The people who are more excited about the gender of your baby are your closest friends or family members. You share a professional relationship with your co-workers, and inviting them to a gender reveal party may seem out of place.
Gender reveal parties are the same as christening occasions. If you don’t feel comfortable inviting your co-workers to a christening event, then it will be inappropriate to invite them to a gender reveal party. Besides, your co-workers will prefer you to invite them to a baby shower instead.
It is recommended to have a low key occasion to create a perfect mood for your friends and family to relax and have fun. The smaller the guest list, the better the BBQ atmosphere.
Mistakes to Avoid When Inviting Guests to Gender Reveal Party
- Failure to Involve the Parents-to-Be
Before you come up with a list of the guests to invite to a gender reveal party, ensure you consult the parents-to-be on who should make a list. Gender reveal parties are supposed to be attended by close family and friends of the couple. You will not know the details of the guests to be invited if you fail to consult the parents-to-be. Remember, the objective of the party is to make the parents happy. You should involve them in all major decisions concerning the party.
- Not Making a Guest List
You should remember to make a guest list when planning your party. In the excitement and flurry of party planning, you may easily forget to invite an essential person in your life. This may end up causing a lot of trouble in the way you relate to them. To avoid this, sit down with the rest of your family and come up with a clear list of the people you want to grace your party.
Write down everyone you feel should be invited. If the list is too big, prioritize it to fit into your budget. Before you finalize the list, ensure you get someone to double-check it. You should also order extra invitation cards just in case you leave someone out, and you want to correct the anomaly.
- Inviting Too Many People
Sometimes, you may get carried away with the excitement that comes with the news of a new baby that you end up inviting too many people to gender reveal party. Gender reveal parties are supposed to be low key events. As such, you need to prioritize your list and invite a few close friends and family. These are the people who you can comfortably share intimately on any issue affecting your family.
Besides, inviting too many people to an event comes with its share of challenges. You may end up overshooting your budget, which may lead to debts. Too many guests will also come with logistical nightmares.
- Sending the Invitation out Too Late or Too Early
Invitation cards are central to the success of your party. Your guests must receive their invitation at the appropriate time. If your guests receive the invitation at the wrong time, then their chances of attending may be minimal. Also, when you send the invitation too early, your guests may easily forget all about it.
On the other hand, if you send the card too late, your guests may not be available due to other commitments. Invitations should be sent at least one month before the party goes down. If you are dealing with busy guests, then it will be best to confirm their attendance a week before the gender reveal party.
Gender reveal parties are becoming popular. However, you should not invite everyone to your party. Come up with a specific list of guests you should invite.
