| One aspect of your baby shower planning
you may have overlooked is taking photos. This will definitely be
one of the mom-to-be’s best memories and you’ll want
to do everything you can to help her remember the experience, especially
because, as the guest of honor, she’ll likely forget or be
unable to use her camera as much as she’d like.
If you are the primary planner, consider designating someone as
the “official” photographer, since you will probably
be busy with many other tasks. You can also put disposable cameras
on each table and ask people to take any picture they’d like
– or, give everyone your email address so they can send you
their best shots from their digital photos. Whether your official
photographer is using a digital or film camera, be sure to have
extra batteries and film or memory cards on hand, just in case.
Prior to the party, take pictures of everything – the welcoming
banner or balloons, decorations, the cake, table settings, etc.
This way the mom-to-be will have a clear memory of how much kind
effort her friends and family put into organizing her special day.
From there, while you obviously want to take lots of pictures of
the guests smiling and having fun, you’ll want to make the
mom-to-be your main focus. Some ideas for shots include: at the
door upon entering the party, during games, with family members,
with friends, eating, opening gifts, in profile holding her tummy,
with her husband or partner (if present), and, for a laugh –
at the end of the party, amongst the disorder, a shot of her with
her shoes off, feet up, and fanning herself. If there are any pets
or older siblings present, be sure to get several shots with them,
as well. A fun idea is to have big sister or big brother “listening”
to her tummy or placing their hands on it. All of these shots will
be treasured later in her photo album or scrapbook and upon the
walls of their home.
And don’t forget to include YOURSELF and/or the PHOTOGRAPHER
in many of the shots!
When the party is over, you have several options for getting the
photos to the mom-to-be. If you used a digital camera, you can simply
email her all the shots; for a film camera, one developed set and
any negatives you’re willing to part with. A nice thought
is, if you choose not to print the digital photos yourself, is to
give the mom-to-be a gift card to Costco or Wal-Mart or other store
so she can choose her own prints. An extra special touch, of course,
and especially if you are very close to the mom-to-be and know her
tastes well, is to put together a baby shower album yourself –
this could also be your gift. Put captions on each photo naming
who is in it, and perhaps making a humorous or sweet comment. If
you have the time and capability, visit your guests and have them
write messages near photos of themselves. Leave one page blank in
the back to put a one-hour or one-day-old picture of the new baby.
Whatever you decide, make sure you do in fact take the baby shower
pictures into consideration during your planning. It is one of the
kindest ways to show the mom-to-be that you care.
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