The Invite
The Cake
You have many options with an asian themed shower...An adorable fortune cookie shaped cake with the names of the parents to be, and their due date on the fortune would be perfect. Or another way to go would be cupcakes like these done by Flickr user honeyrider
Or thse adorable chef themed cupcakes by Flickr user Clevercupcakes.
Decorations
Cherry Blossoms...A graceful and delicate tree that is very symbolic in most Asian countries. while the real blossoms are very hard to come by, an alternative is to use silk flowers and save them later to decorate a room. Another option, is to use it as a wish tree (make sure it's securely anchored) for guests to leave messages and tips for the new mom and dad.
Other Decor Ideas...
Other easy decor ideas can include paper lanterns, Oriental Trading Company has them; and I've even seen them at the local Dollar Tree. They are very pretty clustered together, as a monochromatic hanging centerpiece; or even in a variety of pastels. You can put them over the cake or gift table as an alternative to balloons. Another take on the chinese lantern are string lights with little lanterns on them. You Can get them pretty much everywhere; including: Target, Cost Plus, even Pier One. I know that normally you'd find a paper lantern decorating the rim of some fruity drink...but, how about taking one of those hanging lanterns and covering them with the umbrella's...I think this could even be done with a foam ball. A cute, and unique sample is seen below. Last, but not least; what would a baby shower without a diaper cake? While you won't find many for this theme online, using your imagination...the options are endless. A girl's cake would be cute in pink with Hello Kitty accessories, or even a more elegant choice would be to use a cherry blossom branch to drape across it. The one below is by Stork Baby Gift Baskets
Paper Lanterns
The Menu
Since there is a plethora of different Asian dishes to choose from...this could be one of the easiest decisions to make. One way to go would be with sushi, as long as the mommy-to-be doesn't partake. But since it's no fun to have your favorite foods at your party and not eat be able to eat it, make sure she's okay with it and definitely have a yummy alternative made specially for her. Spring rolls or egg rolls, crab puffs, and lettuce wraps are just a few of the tasty appetizers I could think of.
Everything is more festive when you add a paper umbrella...Here's a fun non-alcoholic drink to serve the mommy-to-be and her guest:
- Mix of 1/2 gallon Blue Hawaiian Punch or any punch concentrate with 1 liter carbonated lemon-lime beverage (or for a more tropical taste Fanta Pineapple soda).
- Add berries (I like to add frozen berries in my beverage dispenser which dresses it up.)
The Favors
Personalized Takeout Containers
These baby shower favors are available at Belissimo Favors and they come in pink and blue, and come with 2 hand-dipped, wrapped fortune cookies Or, if you choose to DIY, you can get the empty containers EVERYWHERE, and it's easy to personalize with a sticker, or you can print out a label at home. Simply fill them with goodies like mini fortune cookies or candy...or you can use them as I did as my centerpieces; I put balloon bouquets in each container, and filled them with pastel blue and green kisses to keep the balloons anchored. You could even use them as invitations and hand deliver them to all of your guests.
Paper Hand Fans
These make a very practical shower favor living in Phoenix. You can purchase these in bulk at Oriental Trading Company and dress them up as shown with a simple tag created on the computer and a ribbon in your coordinating color; you can even include your guests name in english and chinese and use them in lieu of a place card.
Flowering Teas
A simple but beautiful favor is this flowering tea blossom, not only would they make a great favor, but, a great addition to your asian themed menu. Simply steep them in hot water and watch them bloom. The Primula Flowering Tea shown below is White Tea With Peach, but it comes in Green Tea, and Earl Grey as well; and you can find them all at Target,