A Pink-Themed Backyard Baby Sprinkle to Swoon Over

A lot has changed since fashion blogger Kate Brennan attended her baby shower in 2013. At the time, the mom-to-be was a buyer at Ralph Lauren, living in New York City with her husband, and expecting their first child, whose gender was a surprise. Now, two-and-a-half years later, the couple has since relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they are parents to daughter Isabella, and are expecting another daughter this July. While Brennan was eager to celebrate baby no. 2’s impending arrival, she wanted to do it in a unique, less formal way than her first shower. So with some party pointers from the guest of honor, Brennan’s blogging partner Kendra and a few other friends hosted a baby sprinkle cocktail party, a casual celebration filled with DIY designs, sweet treats and personalized touches. The Bump talked with Brennan to find out the inspiration behind the details, drinks and, of course, the dress code.

Had you ever been to a sprinkle before? What made you decide to have one?
I’ve read about them, but I’ve never been to one. I had my first child when we still lived in New York. A few of my new friends asked Kendra if I was going to have a baby shower and we thought, ‘Why not do something, just a celebration?’ We decided to have a cocktail party where people just get together and have a good time.

So were you part of the planning or did you let people plan it for you?
I was pretty hands off, which is very difficult for me. I suggested this ice cream truck to Kendra, and she asked me what other food I wanted, so I requested pizza. Besides that, they did everything!

The truck is so festive! How did you find it?
I came across the Hart’s Soda Shop van on Instagram. It’s basically an old fashioned ice cream shop on wheels run by a husband and wife team. They specialize in handmade sodas, floats and sundaes and do a lot of private events in the Charlotte area.

Was it your idea or your friends to hold it on a Thursday night?
It was a combination actually, because they were originally thinking about hosting a lunch or brunch and I said it shouldn’t be too formal, especially since it’s another girl. I wanted to keep it light and fun and a Thursday night cocktail party felt like the best way to do that. It started at 6:30 p.m. and guests came and went as they pleased.

Did they pick the theme as well?
Kendra asked about a theme and I suggested a “pink party.” The theme for my first baby shower was “Blue or pink? What do you think?” and people had to come dressed in blue or pink based on whether they thought I was having a boy or a girl.

So the first baby’s gender was a surprise? What made you decide to find out this time?
With Isabella we pictured this big revealing moment but she was born a bit early, so it was a little chaotic in the delivery room and the nurse let it slip when she was measuring her heart rate. And she told our family before we did! So this time around, we decided to keep the reveal in our control and find out the gender in advance—we did the reveal in our backyard with those confetti bombs where you pop the top off. When I found out we were having another girl I knew I wanted everything at the party to be pink, including outfits, cocktails, decor—even the ice cream floats!

Was there a signature cocktail? Or a mocktail for you?
Yes! They served the Sparkling Strawberry Summer Sip. It was champagne (Pellegrino for me and other moms-to-be!) and strawberry lemonade garnished with strawberries and pretty pink straws.

Tell us about the guest book.
Guests filled out these “wish list” cards for Baby Brennan and took Polaroid selfies and snapshots in front of the pinwheel backdrop (above). Their photos were pasted next to their cards in the scrapbook.

Your dress is so flattering. Has it been a challenge finding clothes to wear to special occasions?
In my first pregnancy I was so frustrated by the way my body was changing, but this time around I just didn’t let the negativity in; I found a way to wear what I felt really happy and comfortable in. This time around I actually wore a lot more non-maternity clothing, which helped me feel like I wasn’t compromising my sense of style. This dress is Rebecca Taylor, and I’ve been living in these Stuart Weitzman wedges—they’re much easier to wear than traditional heels.

Besides wearing less maternity clothes this time around, what are some other style tips have you adhered to?
Embracing the bump in the third trimester. In my first pregnancy I didn’t always emphasize it in a positive way. I have photos where I was wearing tent-like dresses, and they just made me look bigger. So I think finding a way to highlight your bump in a way that makes you feel comfortable is a good thing, and, even though you’re showing more of your body, it can actually make you look slimmer. Also, this summer’s off-the-shoulder trend is a great way to draw attention away from your bump (if you’re more comfortable with that) and highlight slimmer parts of your body, like the neck, collarbone and shoulders.