Theme:
We wanted to welcome our new baby by hosting a celebration our male and female friends would never forget.
With that in mind, we decided to have a Baby Q and we made it a weekend event at a very nice ranch right outside of the city.
We found the location on AirBnb and it was perfect. It was grand, modern with lots of land, horses, natural greenery and privacy.
Because we held the event over the weekend, we had a fun fish fry among the family members the night before.
Menu:
For the menu we had familiar BBQ foods with a Baby Q flair plus assorted food stations that were strategically placed throughout the venue. We also had a dessert selection of pies, s’mores and cookies instead of cake and cupcakes.
We went with 3 meats or BBQ 3 ways to include: Carolina Gold Pulled Chicken, Kansas City Pulled Pork and Beef Brisket with a Texas Mop Sauce.
The sides included Macaroni and Cheese Muffins, Baked Bean Shooters with Candied Bacon Topping, Cole Slaw, Wedge Salad Skewers and Corn on the Cob.
The food was served in paper gingham baskets which complemented the decor and made for an easy clean up.
We also had a hot dog station with chips in a bag, crudité platters and a Watermelon Baby fruit tray. It was a very well-rounded spread that easily pleased all palates
Beverages:
We went with a lemonade bar that was a big hit. It offered fresh lemonade with peach and strawberry options served in mason jars with fresh garnishes.
Of course, our bartender made signature cocktails that I couldn’t enjoy, and served beer and assorted wines throughout the event.
Activities:
Our party included a DJ who played old school 90’s music to set the baby Q vibe.
He also facilitated the karaoke game which was a genre nursery rhyme game where two buckets were used. One was filled with genres and the other filled with nursery rhymes. Teaming up all guests into groups of 3-4 people, the results were creative and fun.
Playing this type of karaoke game, you may end up singing Mary had a little lamb to a gospel beat or twinkle twinkle little star Country edition lol!! It’s a blast and certainly Co Ed friendly.
In addition to karaoke, we had card games going, dominoes on deck and you name it! The entire event was Co Ed friendly and so much fun!
Special Touches:
The tablescape we created really represented the mood of the event well. We used clean white linens, burlap accents and gingham trims with sunflowers as the flower of choice.
To make sure our guests had great take away items, we hired a photographer who used a Polaroid camera to create keepsakes. He also provided a cool 90’s theme backdrop which made the pictures even more fun.
Our chef made favors using custom blended spices and homemade BBQ sauce.
We also offered tea light candles encouraging guests to light them the night Karli is born.
I along with the family and friends who helped host the event were dressed in custom clothing from a local designer.
Everyone was comfortable and looked great. I strongly believe the crew being in uniform, helped guests know who to speak with if they had any questions or concerns.
