Gender reveal parties are a fun and interactive way to share the exciting news as expecting parents learn the gender of their baby-to-be! This recent trend has become a popular way to involve friends and family in the surprise. Whether it’s a large gathering or intimate family affair, a celebration such as this is a special and memorable event that will be remembered for years to come.

There are so many creative ideas for the big reveal so we’ve put together a simple guide with tips to planning the ultimate surprise by showcasing our very own gender reveal for parents-to-be, Katherine and Russell! We have planned several gender reveal events for our clients through the years and were so thrilled be able to create the perfect theme and design for this celebration!

1. Color Palette & Theme

Inspired by a monochromatic color scheme, the theme design incorporated black and white with cararra marble and gold geometric details. We chose beautiful white orchids to soften the look and provide contrast to the hard lines and stark palette. The combination of delicate floral mixed with sharp details was a subtle way of marrying feminine and masculine elements to the underlying gender neutral theme.
Pro Tip: Create a design or mood board to organize your ideas and inspiration! Pinterest is an excellent resource with unlimited creative ideas. Overwhelmed or stuck on where to start? Think about a favorite color, special interest or pastime that you and your partner share or even the season to come up with something unique. Otherwise, keep it simple and go pink and blue!

2. Decor & Details

Once a color scheme and theme are established, integrate these into each aspect of the event. It’s all in the details! Since the cake was the element of surprise for our reveal, we created a small dessert table display and backdrop that served as the focal point of the party. This was an intimate affair of only eight guests, so we didn’t go overboard with an elaborate dessert display. Custom sugar cookies and rock candy swizzle sticks were just the right amount of treats to complement the cake and highlight the theme. Intentionally placed orchids among the desserts added a beautiful touch. We tied an inflated gold ‘baby’ balloon to the fence and two 36 inch round white balloons to flank the table. Simple and inexpensive options that provided a dramatic effect!
Pro Tip: Use your design board as a reference for all details, large and small. This will create a complete and cohesive look, sure to impress your guests!

3. Element of Surprise

For this event, we chose to have a custom cake (filled with either pink or blue) that the parents-to-be would cut to reveal the gender of the baby. To remain consistent with the marble-inspired monochromatic theme, our friends at Sugarush Bakery made a custom vanilla cake decorated in marbled grey and white fondant adorned with edible gold flake accents. An ‘Oh Baby’ gold cake topper and single white orchid were the perfect finishing touches. We couldn’t wait to find out the gender so we ended up cutting into the cake as soon as all of our guests arrived!
Pro Tip: Recruit a trusted friend or family member to handle or create the surprise and make sure they’re able to keep it a secret! If you plan to have a cake or balloon pop, bring your test results to the baker or whomever you’re trusting to create. Request that they give back the envelope with your results so you can keep for your records!

4. Document the Reveal

Ask one or two of your guests to capture the big reveal by taking photos and a video of the surprise! These photos will be so fun to look at and relive the excitement you were feeling at that special moment. Share with your friends and extended family or post on social media for a bigger announcement as well.
Pro Tip: If budget allows, hire a professional photographer to document the reveal to ensure no moment is missed and all of your guests can give their undivided attention to celebrate in the surprise!

Vendor Credits:
Event Planning & Design: Baby Showers Inc.
Photography: Mad Hearts Photography
Custom Cake & Cookies: Sugarush
Cake Topper: Carpenter Farmhouse