Celebrate the upcoming arrival of your baby with a fun-filled gender reveal party

Thinking of hosting a gender reveal for the baby to be? They’re now even more popular than ever before. But it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to planning one.

The good thing about gender reveals is that they tend to revolve around sweet treats rather than a whole meal. Not only does this make planning a little simpler, but it also provides the perfect opportunity to treat guests to sumptuous chocolate nibbles brimming with cacao. In our books, you can’t go wrong!

If you’re wondering where to start with your gender reveal party planning, read on for our top tips.

Start with an ultrasound

First up, you need to know the gender of your baby. If you’d rather keep it secret a little longer, ask your sonographer to hide the reveal in an envelope. You can then give this to a trusted friend until the day of the gender reveal party.

Many cake makers, caterers, and decor suppliers specialise in gender reveal celebrations and can put together some fantastic party treats – all while keeping it a surprise from you. Again, simply hand them the envelope, and you’ll be none the wiser until you tuck into that delicious party cupcake!

Gender reveal invitations and inspiration

Of course, a fundamental part of planning any party is to invite guests. And making invitations is a wonderful way to get creative and establish a fun gender reveal theme.

Create your theme

Most parents tend to stick with the generic blue and pink theme. But if you’d like to do something a little different, now’s the time to embrace your creativity. If you’re stuck for ideas, why not create a mood board or mind map and figure out how you would like your party to look?

As a gender reveal party is all about childhood, you might want to think about things you loved when you were young. Were you a keen dancer as a toddler? Perhaps you adored dinosaurs. Get nostalgic!

Digital or paper?

Whatever you decide on, incorporate this into your invite. Paper invitations are a lovely way to get crafty — and recipients will appreciate the effort going into them.

If you’re a little tight on time, however, you could always use a digital format. Why not film a spoken invitation and send it to friends and family? Alternatively, whip up a cute document on Canva and email it out.

Decoration ideas

A lot of gender reveal parties tend to revolve around a blue and pink colour scheme – pink for girls, blue for boys. However, there are plenty of ways you can get inventive, particularly if you’d rather step away from these traditional gender shades for your overall decor. You can always maintain the blue and pink for the actual reveal, if you like, though!

Bumble bee theme

This is a fun way to play on the “What Will It Bee?” concept. Yellow is bright and uplifting – as well as being a traditionally gender-neutral colour. You can decide on the shade you go for. Will it be a vibrant, sunshine yellow to pair with black stripes or a gentle pastel variety?

Keep your decorations cute and whimsical, complete with a bit of greenery or some flowers for your bumble bees to pollinate!

Jungle theme

Alternatively, why not get colourful with a jungle-themed gender reveal? Experiment with greens and bright shades, and incorporate cute animals into your decorations.

A popular jungle idea is a play on the Lion King, with the question of “will there be a little Simba or Nala?” This is also a great prompt for your guests who are bringing gifts for the little one to come.

Buck or doe theme

Sticking with the animal theme and allowing you to play with autumnal colours. This theme is great for outdoor enthusiasts and allows for a rustic-themed party with minimal effort.

Fiesta theme

For a real fiesta, go for bold and bright colours, and serve up simple tacos, nachos and fruit punches.

You can even add a little bit of gold to your decorations for a bit of added shimmer. The best part about this gender reveal theme is that you can announce the gender reveal using a pinata!

Food and drink ideas

Now for the fun part! Most gender reveal parties don’t last that long, so you won’t be expected to put together much more than a few snacks or appetisers.

Think finger food, nibbles and cupcakes. You can’t go wrong with a bit of chocolate for a sweet delight. Why not make some chocolate cupcakes with our quality 40% Milk Chocolate Slabs? Mix up the filling for your big gender reveal, and use pink or blue buttercream for that important moment. 

For the beverage side of things, it’s important to cater for the mum-to-be as well as everyone else. Why not try our Milky 50% Hot Chocolate made with our Velvetiser for a delicious melt-in-the-mouth smoothness?

You can even mix this classic hot chocolate up by adding ice, chilled milk and ice cream. With this decadent mocktail, nobody will feel like they’re missing out.

For a summer reveal, you could also try cacao iced tea. Add cacao nibs to cold water and English Breakfast tea bags for a twist of spice on this traditional classic.

The big reveal

When it comes to the big reveal, the options are endless. Especially when it comes to food.

If your cravings are on the sweeter side of things, you could reveal with anything from a cake, cookies, or even doughnuts. The choice is yours, just make sure that the filling is either pink or blue!

Other options include an egg roulette for an Easter surprise. Hard boil eggs and paint them in either pink or blue for your guests. Make sure that there is one raw egg with the corresponding gender colour. Get your guests to crack them to reveal the big surprise!

For an afternoon tea theme, you could also use a cuppa as your choice of gender reveal – with a pink or blue-dyed brew. When everyone pours, the gender is revealed! The perfect afternoon tidbit with a big surprise.

Goodie bags

At the end of a fun-filled party, send your guests home with a token of appreciation for sharing your special day.

What better way to show your gratitude than a goodie bag? Why not gift them a Simply Thanks Message Box, or one of our small chocolate packs? With so many flavour combinations to choose from, you’re sure to please. Our Chocolate Selectors are another delicious way to experience our high-cacao treats. From elegant Simple White Chocolate Truffles to patisserie-inspired Strawberry Cheesecakes, there’s a little something to tempt every guest.

Whatever the occasion, Hotel Chocolat is there to deliver decadence on your special day.