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Sip and see party
Have you ever been to a “sip-and-see party?” Since we opted out of having a baby shower, we decided to host a sip-and-see party for our out-of-town family. Here’s a look into our simple get-together to introduce our newborn baby!
What is a sip-and-see party?
A sip-and-see party is an open house where guests are welcome to come to meet the new baby. It is kind of like a baby shower, except that the focus is on guests visiting and meeting the baby rather than opening gifts and playing games with guests.
Our goal for the party was definitely for our loved ones to get some quality time with her and so a sip-and-see was the right fit for us. She already has everything she needs, and we’re also not really into party games like the ones usually played at a traditional baby shower (we’re no fun, lol).
Why we chose a sip-and-see over a traditional baby shower
There are a few other nice things about sip and see parties. They’re more inclusive than baby showers because inviting dads and kids is more than okay. Often, traditional baby showers are for mothers, friends, and family (though sometimes Dads attend, too).
We also really liked that we could hold the event ourselves (I’m kind of a control freak lol).
It also cut down on my housework. Instead of tidying for each guest separately, I only had to make sure the house was in really good shape for one day (doing housework with a newborn is like a giant game of chess…a game I usually seem to lose).
Floral themed sip-and-see
In the spirit of keeping things simple as we welcomed our family and friends over to meet our new baby, we decided on a floral-themed sip and see. We got some beautiful organic flowers, matching flower crowns, and made some giant DIY tissue paper flowers. Easy peasy! I also couldn’t help slipping in a few bees here and there. Bees love flowers right!?
A flower theme is also nice because of how versatile it is! A floral party theme lends itself to all seasons, because all you have to do is match the flowers you display with whatever is currently in bloom!
DIY Sip-and-see food
For the party food, we made some simple appetizers that could be prepped quickly (I’m all about easy right now!). The party was in the middle of the afternoon, so the food was all snacks and finger food. We also picked up some yummy cupcakes, cake pops, and meringues from a local cake shop that fit our party theme.
You could also have a tea party, serve finger sandwiches, or offer light refreshments at your own sip-and-see! It’s nice to have something to snack on as guests arrive.
BTW: Watermelon+feta+mint is pretty darn tasty! Pop them on a toothpick with balsamic glaze, serve, and enjoy ๐
I also got these super-cute bee cupcake toppers on Etsy … I couldn’t resist ๐
Sip & see outfit for the new baby
She wore an adorable grey linen romper from a local clothing co., Nest and Nurture. Fortunately, there was a sale on Freshly Picked moccasins so I was able to snap up a pair of those too! They’d been on my wish list for her for way too long (ever since I heard the founder interviewed on a podcast), so I’ve been watching for deals.
She also wore one of her organic Gerber onesies under the romper. She wore them every day this summer. The Gerber onesies are super well made and stand up very well. She’s growing so fast though; now I’m going to have to size up!
She kicked off her shoes pretty early in the party…
Sip-and-see party photo wall
We kept the DIY sip-and-see decor very simple. My aunts helped put together a photo wall with some of the best photos we have of Bea so far. Then, we strung jute twine across the wall and used regular clothespins to attach photos. It was easy, and I’m so happy with how it turned out that I left it up!
The photo wall was also a nice place to chat with our guests.
Who to invite to a sip & see?
As new parents wanting to welcome and celebrate their new baby’s arrival, you may be wondering who to include in the guest list! Honestly, this is totally up to you! Invite any friends and family over that you want to meet baby, and keep it as big or as small as you can manage (especially if you’re going the DIY route!).
You’ll want to invite your close friends, as well as any family members that you’re close with. Consider your extended family, too! This is a great time to catch up with a friend or family member you may not have seen in a while.
Sip & see party supplies
Here are all of the supplies we used for our sip-and-see party!
- Invitations: Merriment Press on Etsy
- Grey Linen Newborn Romper: Nest and Nurture
- Newborn Moccasins: Freshly Picked
- Letterboard: Letterboard Co. on Easy
- Gold Glitter Bee Cupcake Toppers: Social Bashon Etsy
- Oh Happy Day Banner: Social Bash on Etsy
- Balloons: Amazon
- Baked Goods: Frosted Tier Cakes
- Flower Crowns: Armstrong Flower Shoppe
- Organic Flower Arrangements: Hartwood North Farm
- Black Walnut Bunting: Grain Handmade
Other ideas
Wondering what else you should include to make sure your new baby is welcomed in style?
Gift table
Many of your guests will want to bring gifts for the baby (or new mom!). Setting up a gift table helps organize them until it’s time to open them.
Baby registry
If you have a decent number of guests coming to your party, including a baby registry is a great idea. Doing so will help make sure that your guests don’t need to worry about exactly what gifts to get for the baby or the new parent!
Keep it simple
When it comes to decorating, simple themes are best. This way it’s less stressful for setup, and ensures that the sip-and-see baby is the main attraction! There are tons of ideas on the web for simple party themes.
Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out our little one’s sip-and-see party! Hopefully, it’s the first of many fun parties for her.
Also, if you decide to host your own sip-and-see party after your new baby arrives (or a baby shower), we would love to hear how it went!
Alternatives to a Sip and See Party
Like was mentioned above, you could always go for a more traditional baby shower. Or, you might choose to do a virtual baby shower.
Another option is having a Diaper Party (this one is more for the guys!). If you already know what that is but need some inspo, you can read our post Diaper Party Ideas here.
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