Looking for a way to avoid waste pile up after a party? Carlene Smith of Naturally Yours Events worked her environmental magic to create this Eco-Friendly Whale Themed Baby Shower! The kicker was that she used eco-friendly vendors and hired Collective Resource to compost everything afterwards — genius! Not only is this shower green, it’s super cute! Plus, I love how the event (which was hosted at a non-toxic spa in Chicago) is focused around relaxation for the mommy-to-be and her guests. :)

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

• Blue ombre waves cake topped with stars, swirls & an adorable baby whale + blue whale cookies
• Blue honeycomb lantern dessert table decor + green & blue streamers & a “Baby Boy” banner
• Whale’s spout framed ombre sign with ‘Whale Wishes’ from guests on little folded hearts
• (Non-toxic) Manis & Pedis for all of the guests + fun trivia & word search games

PARTY DETAILS as told by Carlene…

Maya and her sister Sonya wanted to host a shower for friends and family that would be eco-friendly, festive, and relaxing. They chose to bring their closest ladies to Noktivo, a non-toxic spa in Chicago, for a “baby” mani and pedi. Noktivo was a great space to host an intimate party and fit the “baby boy whale theme” perfectly. The colors Maya wanted to incorporate included a mix of blues and a pop of chartreuse green. We used three varieties of streamers to add color and interest around the room. The ruffled crepe streamers, bright blue fringed streamers, and sewn circle garland were grouped together as the perfect backdrop for the sweets table. We took the backdrop a step further with a lovely off-center draping of honeycomb tissue globes in a collection of different blues. Best yet, Maya plans to reuse these items in the baby’s nursery!

The sweets, from Luscious Layers Bakery, were perfectly set atop a repurposed chartreuse dresser with vintage platters from Nimble Well. The cake, my favorite detail of the shower, featured ombre waves with an adorable whale and star cake topper that matched the invitations and paper details flawlessly. We used the whale detailing again in the cute sandwich toppers, flags, and baby boy banner behind the favor table. Favors where packaged in grey polka dot bags and filled with other eco-friendly spa items that guests could enjoy at home. One last detail to love is the guestbook featuring a baby whale with folded hearts for guests to write in their “whale” wishes. We hand-painted the canvas to create the ombre look and framed it in a shadowbox frame.

Not only was this shower adorable, relaxing, and fun — it was also green! We had Collective Resource compost all of the food waste, decor, and disposables. Since the vendors we used for Maya’s shower are part of the Green Wedding Alliance, we all knew how to throw one heck of a low waste party! Hope you enjoyed these photos from our wonderful photographer, Tuan H. Bui.