Baby Shower Invitation Wording: Examples for Every Shower

Good baby shower invitation wording does three jobs: it says who the shower honors, it gives guests the practical details (date, time, place, RSVP), and it sets the tone, whether that is sweet, playful or relaxed. Below you will find copy-ready wording for every kind of shower, from a classic afternoon tea to a sprinkle for baby number two, plus the small lines people always forget, like registry info, the "bring a book instead of a card" request and the diaper raffle.

What every baby shower invitation should include

Before you get creative, make sure the essentials are covered. Guests skim invitations on their phones, so the facts should be easy to find.

• Who it is for: the parent or parents-to-be, by name. If the baby already has a name and the parents are sharing it, you can include it.
• Who is hosting: usually a friend, sister, mom or coworker. A line like "Hosted by Jenna and Kate" tells guests who to contact.
• Date and time: include a start and end time. Showers are often a set block of a few hours, and an end time helps guests plan.
• Location: full address, plus parking or entry notes if the place is tricky to find.
• RSVP: a deadline and how to reply. More on that in our guide to how to ask guests to RSVP.
• Registry: where the parents are registered, if they are.
• Extras: theme, dress code, games, or a special request like books or diapers.

Everything else is tone. Pick the style below that fits the parents and adjust the details.

Classic baby shower invitation wording

Classic wording works for nearly any shower and feels right whether the crowd is grandmothers or college friends. It is warm, clear and does not lean on puns.

Please join us for a baby shower honoring Emily Carter

Saturday, March 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The home of Laura Bennett, 412 Maple Street, Columbus, OH

Kindly RSVP by March 1

Emily is registered at Target and Amazon

A little one is on the way!

Join us as we shower Sarah with love before her baby arrives.

Sunday, May 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Hosted by her sisters, Megan and Claire

Oh, baby! Please join us for a brunch shower in honor of mom-to-be Jessica Nguyen.

Saturday, April 17, 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lily's Cafe, 88 Harbor Road

Gender-neutral baby shower wording

Many parents wait to find out, keep it private, or simply prefer a shower that is not built around pink or blue. Gender-neutral wording focuses on the baby, the family or the season.

Boy or girl, we will love this little one either way!

Please join us for a baby shower honoring Alex and Jordan.

Something sweet is on the way.

Celebrate the soon-to-be parents, Maya and Chris, at a baby shower brunch.

Little feet, big love.

Join us to welcome Baby Ramirez, arriving this fall.

Here comes the sun! Please join us for a sunny afternoon celebrating Taylor and her little one on the way.

"It's a boy" and "it's a girl" wording

If the parents are happy to share, a boy or girl theme gives you more room to play. Keep the details just as clear as on a classic invitation.

It's a boy

Ahoy, it's a boy!

Please join us for a baby shower honoring Rachel Brooks.

Saturday, June 5 at 1:00 p.m.

A little man is on his way.

Join us to celebrate Kelsey and her baby boy.

It's a girl

Sugar and spice and everything nice, it's a girl!

Please join us for a baby shower honoring Amanda Lee.

Our little lady is almost here.

Come celebrate Brittany and baby girl with brunch, mimosas (and mocktails for mom).

Twins

Double the love, double the fun!

Please join us for a baby shower honoring Nicole, mom-to-be of twins.

Co-ed and couples shower wording

Co-ed showers (sometimes called couples showers or "baby-Qs" when there is a grill involved) invite partners, friends and family of every kind. The wording should make it obvious that everyone is welcome, so nobody wonders whether their spouse can come.

Babies, brews and BBQ!

Please join us for a co-ed baby shower honoring Danielle and Marcus.

Saturday, August 21 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Partners and plus-ones welcome.

A baby is brewing!

Join us for a couples shower celebrating Emma and Josh.

Diapers and drinks for the dads, games and good food for everyone.

Please join us for a co-ed baby shower for Ashley and Tyler.

If kids are or are not invited, say so here as well. "Adults only, please" or "Little ones welcome" saves you a stack of questions.

Sprinkle wording for a second (or third) baby

A sprinkle is a smaller, lighter shower for a second or later baby. The parents usually have most of the gear already, so the focus is on celebrating and stocking up on essentials like diapers and wipes. The wording can say so gently.

Baby number two is almost due!

Please join us for a baby sprinkle honoring Lauren.

Diapers and wipes are always appreciated.

Big sister Ava is getting a baby brother!

Come sprinkle Jess with love at a casual afternoon get-together.

A little sprinkle for a little someone.

Join us for snacks, sweets and a few laughs as we welcome the newest member of the Patel family.

Virtual and drive-by baby shower wording

Virtual showers are great when friends and family live in different states. Drive-by showers work when the parents want something short and low-key: guests pull up, wave, drop off a gift and maybe pick up a treat. In both cases, logistics matter more than usual.

Virtual shower

Join us online for a virtual baby shower honoring Olivia Grant.

Sunday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern / 11:00 a.m. Pacific

The video link will be on this invitation the week of the shower.

Gifts can be shipped straight from the registry.

Always list at least two time zones when guests are spread out, and say where the video link will appear.

Drive-by shower

Honk if you love Baby Johnson!

Please join us for a drive-by baby shower for Kayla.

Saturday, October 10, anytime between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Pull up at 27 Elm Court, wave hello and drop off your gift. Treats to go!

Wording when friends or family host

Traditionally, the host is named on the invitation. These days it is perfectly normal for a mom, mother-in-law or sister to host, and for several friends to co-host. Here are a few ways to phrase it.

Hosted by Linda Carter and Susan Miller, the proud grandmas-to-be

Her best friends, Jenna, Kate and Priya, invite you to a baby shower honoring Hannah.

The ladies of the marketing team invite you to an office baby shower for Megan, Thursday at 3:00 p.m. in the large conference room.

With several hosts, add one contact for questions. Otherwise guests will text all of them.

Registry wording that does not feel pushy

Registry info is welcome on a baby shower invitation. Guests usually want to know what the parents need. Keep it to one short line.

Sophie is registered at Babylist and Target.

For gift ideas, you can find the parents' registry on Amazon under "Carter Baby."

Your presence is the best present, but if you would like to bring a gift, the registry is linked below.

If the parents prefer to skip gifts entirely, or would rather receive contributions toward a bigger item, say that just as plainly. A digital invitation with a gift wishlist lets you put the actual list on the same page as the details, so guests do not need to hunt for a link.

"Bring a book instead of a card" wording

This is one of the most popular shower requests: instead of buying a greeting card, each guest brings a favorite children's book and writes a short note inside the cover. The parents end up with a library full of messages. Some versions rhyme, some do not.

Instead of a card, please bring a book, signed on the inside so baby can look.

Help us build Baby's first library! In place of a card, please bring a favorite children's book with a little message written inside.

Every story starts somewhere. Please bring a book instead of a card, and sign it for the newest reader in the family.

Diaper raffle wording

A diaper raffle is a simple game: every guest who brings a pack of diapers gets a raffle ticket, and the host draws a winner (or a few) at the end of the shower. The parents get a stash of diapers and guests get a shot at a prize. Mention the size range, since parents go through newborn sizes quickly.

Bring a pack of diapers (any size) and receive a ticket for our diaper raffle. You could win a prize!

Diapers for baby, prizes for you! Bring a pack of diapers, size 1 or larger, to enter our raffle.

Bring a bundle, win a bundle: one pack of diapers equals one raffle ticket.

Short RSVP lines and extras

A few lines that fit at the bottom of almost any invitation:

• "Please RSVP by April 1 so we can plan food and favors."
• "Kindly reply on this invitation by Friday, May 8."
• "Questions? Text Jenna at the number below."
• "Ladies' luncheon, adults only please."
• "Come as you are, this is a sweatpants-friendly shower."
• "Wear pink or blue to cast your vote!" (for a shower where the reveal is part of the fun)

Frequently asked questions

When should baby shower invitations go out?

A common rule of thumb is about four to six weeks before the shower, with the RSVP deadline one to two weeks before. For a virtual shower or a casual sprinkle, a bit less notice is usually fine.

Is it OK to put registry info on the invitation?

Yes. Unlike wedding invitations, baby shower invitations commonly include registry details, since the point of a shower is to help the parents prepare.

Can the mom-to-be's mother host the shower?

Older etiquette said family should not host, but that rule has largely faded. Today moms, sisters and in-laws host showers all the time.

Can I send baby shower invitations by text?

Absolutely, especially for a casual shower or a younger crowd. Send a link to an invitation page rather than a long block of text so guests have the details in one place. Our guide to sending party invitations by text has wording for the message itself.

Put your wording to work

Pick the style that fits the parents, add the essentials (who, when, where, RSVP), then finish with one or two extras like registry info or the book request. Do not cram every line from this list onto one invitation. One personal touch reads better than five.

If you want guests to have everything in one tap, you can create an online baby shower invitation with Invitedd for free: one link with the date, address, add-to-calendar button and wishlist, shared by group text, iMessage or email. If you also want RSVPs and automatic reminders, Premium is a one-time €3.99 per event. See pricing for the details.