Best vendors to hire for a baby shower in Chicago

We planned a lovely spring baby shower to celebrate with friends and family in anticipation of our little one, who is due in June. In the lead up planning, what surprised me the most during was the lack of blogs and inspiration posts for a planning baby shower in Chicago. I found plenty of giant lists automatically generated through search, but there were no authentically REAL recommendations or ideas that could be helpful for expecting moms and their friends and relatives. So here is a glimpse of how we organized our little event, from the DIYs to the very best vendors we would highly recommend.`

Since the city is very big, it might be helpful to note that we hosted our shower in Chicago, Irving Park and most of the vendors are local to this area.

Best of baby shower venues in Chicago – RLM Studio

As soon as I started planning, I knew we did not have enough space for hosting 30+ people in my condo and so the perfect venue search began. I looked at sooo many venues, specifically that looked nice and had plenty of natural light. To my disbelief I was surprised to find one in right in my neighborhood of Irving Park with everything I could possibly want. RLM Studio is conveniently located off Irving Park Road and Pulaski, it is a very also a very short walking distance from the Blue Line CTA station and Metra station.

It has a gorgeous full kitchen, a comfortable couch sitting area, a giant selfie mirror, and best of all: 13-foot tall ceilings and plenty of natural light. We found it perfect for hosting about 35 guests seated, however it was nice to know that the venue allowed for up to 50 guests standing with cocktail tables.

Baby Shower Cake – Lana’s Dazzling Desserts

Lana is a wonderful cake and dessert baker we have worked with and known for many years (she even made our wedding cake)! So, despite the long drive from Chicago (fear not, she does take phone orders and deliver to Chicago) we just had to order a custom cake from her in person because she is so good at what she does.

As always, she did amazing, the cake not only looked beautiful but was delicious! We had asked for a special request to add pink to the inside of the cake to do a mini gender reveal for our little girl. Lana did this flawlessly and without any artificial food coloring by opting for a tasty raspberry filling.

Chicago baby shower catering – Magic Jug

Coming from an Eastern European background, we had to turn to an old, trusted favorite caterer, who again is local to the Irving Park area – the Magic Jug. And boy, did they deliver. Not only is the food devine, but full of artistry, not to mention incredibly easy to set up. We ordered a large variety of bite-sized appetizers, canapés, sandwiches, and a few main hot dishes. Every dish was packaged and decorated in a way where all we had to do was remove the lids, and the table was ready to serve. Many guests would not leave without asking for contact information.

Balloons, Flowers, & Decor – DIY

I considered working with a decorator, but I already had a lot of props and supplies from my family photo sessions, and truthfully, I love being creative with decor. I made the balloon arch using balloons from Amazon. My mom, who has experience working with flowers, added floral accents and made the centerpieces. Other party decor pieces, including the plates, pens, napkins, table cloths, and runners, were also from Amazon. One fun activity that doubled as decor that I would highly recommend is placing prediction cards on each of the guestsplaces. It’s a fun, heartfelt, activity for friends and relatives as they are coming, taking pictures, and socializing with others.

Photography – Mariya S Photography

Of course, being a Chicago family and newborn photographer, we wanted to take our photos! In retrospect, it would have been so much easier to hire another person so we could focus on the event without forgetting any crucial images. I will always encourage bringing your own camera along, but if you want to make sure your baby shower in Chicago is stress free and fully covered from details to guest photos, reach out to us!

Baby shower in Chicago

So there you have it, our top vendors who made our baby shower in Chicago simply wonderful.