Modern Unisex Baby Shower Ideas: Elegant Green, Gold And Botanical Themes

Most UK showers have moved away from pink and blue entirely. The schemes that replaced them - botanical, safari, woodland, sage and gold - are cheaper to build and look far better in photographs.

Here are six, with what to buy for each and how to tie them together.

Botanical and greenery

• Palette: sage, white, natural wood, gold accents.
• Eucalyptus garlands down the table and a hoop of greenery behind the chair.
• Kraft paper tags, white china, gold cutlery.
• Potted herbs as favours, which guests plant and keep.
• Gold-foiled chocolates scattered along the greenery, which is what pulls the metallic and the green together on the table.

Safari and jungle

• Palette: olive, sand, cream, black accents.
• Palm leaves, a few animal figures spray-painted gold, a balloon arch in olive and cream.
• 'Wild one' or 'oh baby' as the banner.
• Animal biscuit cutters for the bakes.
• Safari favour bags in kraft paper with a leaf tag.

Woodland

• Palette: forest green, brown, cream, copper.
• Wooden slices as coasters and cake boards.
• Pine cones, moss and lanterns down the centre of the table.
• Fox, deer and hedgehog cake toppers.
• A hot chocolate station instead of a sweet table for a winter date.

Sage and gold

• Palette: sage, white, matt gold. The most photographed scheme of the last few years.
• A sage and white balloon garland with a few gold chrome balloons.
• Gold napkins on plain white plates.
• Tealights in gold holders, thin scattering of gold table confetti.
• Chocolates in gold foil on every side plate, doubling as the favour.

Other unisex schemes worth stealing

• Rainbow - bold, joyful, and especially lovely for a rainbow baby.
• Space and stars, in navy and gold.
• Hot air balloons and clouds, in cream and pastel.
• Boho terracotta and cream, with pampas grass.
• Monochrome black and white, for a very grown-up afternoon.

Tying any scheme together

• Three colours, one of them metallic, repeated on napkins, ribbon, tags and sweets.
• Buy plain tableware and add the theme with napkins and greenery.
• Match the sweets to the palette. Colour-matched sweets are the cheapest styling there is.
• One backdrop only - behind the cake or behind the chair, not both.
• Say 'baby' rather than 'boy' or 'girl' on every banner and card, and the whole thing stays neutral.

Shop new baby cards

How to write it so it lands

• Three colours, one metallic, repeated everywhere.
• Real greenery beats plastic and often costs less from a supermarket.
• Match the sweets to the palette - it's the cheapest styling trick there is.

Where to shop next

• DIY baby shower favour ideas
• How to plan a gold baby shower
• Baby shower afternoon tea at home
• Baby shower game prizes
• Baby shower on a budget
• Unique baby shower gift ideas
• How to make a DIY baby hamper
• What to write in a new baby card
• Shop new baby cards
• Shop party supplies
• Christening decorations
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are good gender neutral baby shower themes?

Botanical greenery, safari, woodland, sage and gold, rainbow, space, hot air balloons, boho terracotta and monochrome. All avoid pink and blue and look more grown-up for it.

What colours are best for a unisex baby shower?

Sage green with white and gold is the most popular UK scheme. Olive and sand, forest green and copper, or cream and terracotta all work just as well.

How do you decorate a gender neutral baby shower cheaply?

A balloon garland in two neutral colours, real eucalyptus down the table, plain white plates with coloured napkins, tealights and colour-matched sweets. Around £40 for a room.

What should you write on a gender neutral baby shower banner?

'Oh baby', 'welcome little one', 'baby on the way' or the family surname. Anything that doesn't name a gender.

Do you sell baby shower decorations and sweets?

We make cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations like bunting, banners, balloons, table confetti and cake toppers, all posted from the UK. Chocolates, catering and anything else mentioned here are outside recommendations, not things we stock.