It’s a moment you’ve probably been waiting for: finding out whether that little blueberry in your belly is going to be a boy or a girl. Sharing that experience surrounded by friends and family can make it all the more memorable. Hosting a sex reveal party is a fun way to add a momentous celebration to a meaningful milestone in your pregnancy journey, whether you already know the sex, and are simply revealing it to your loved ones, or if you’re all getting the news together (you just need the help of a trustworthy baker or a good secret-keeping friend). Here’s how to do it along with some adorable ideas for the big reveal.   

Do You Want to Know?

First things first, decide if you want to be in on the secret by knowing the sex of your baby. If you want to be surprised by the big reveal too, be sure to make it clear that you don’t want to know the sex to your doctor, the ultrasound technician, and anyone else at your doctor’s office who might slip and tell you.

When to Throw One

Sometimes genetic blood tests done early in the pregnancy mean you might be able to know the baby’s sex as early as nine weeks. But even if that’s the case, you’ll probably want to wait to plan your party until an ultrasound can give you a sex-definitive sonogram to share, around 18 to 20 weeks. Plan to hold your party several weeks after that while you’re still in the second trimester sweet spot, sending out an invite at least two weeks prior to give your guests enough time to plan.

Who to Invite

Sex reveal parties are a rather recent phenomenon, so there aren’t decades of tradition or etiquette to be considered. Which is another way of saying: invite whoever you want! Maybe it’s just your closest friends and family. Or maybe you want to combine your sex reveal party with a shower and invite everyone who will be in your baby’s life. Just be aware of all the other baby-centric events you’ll be inviting others to and plan accordingly—you don’t want to overwhelm your guests or yourself.

The Big Reveal

This is the fun part! You can get super creative with the proverbial “ta-daaa!” and customize your reveal to your personal tastes and interests. Here are some adorable ideas to get you going. 

Cake A candy-filled surprise cake is a cute and delicious way to impart the news. Get a big, round layer cake, beautifully frosted with white icing that will spill pink or blue candy or sprinkles from its center when you cut the first slice. You can also get cupcakes, cake pops, or a sheet cake with colored cake or frosting in the center. If you want to be surprised, simply hand your preferred baker the envelope from your doctor with the paper that includes the baby’s sex, they’re getting used to these kinds of requests!

Confetti poppers Nothing says celebration like confetti, so incorporating it into your reveal is bound to make it feel festive. Make your own confetti poppers with sparkly pink or blue confetti (or have a trusted friend do it if you want to be surprised) and pass one out to each of your guests. Designate a moment for everyone to pop their popper and let the confetti (and your answer!) rain down on your partygoers.

Piñata What’s a party without a piñata? Have yours filled with pink or blue candies and confetti, then thwack it till you find out what’s inside. Or skip the bat and get or make a special sex reveal piñata, which has a pull string for ease of surprise.

Balloons Balloons are another party must-have, so incorporating them into your theme is nothing short of delightful. Hide a bunch of pink or blue helium-filled balloons in a cardboard box, and when you’re ready to share the news (or find it out if you put a relative on balloon duty), let them loose.

Baby booties This method’s a little less dramatic than the others, but can be a sweetly significant way to find out your baby’s sex. Wrap up a tiny pair of pink or blue handmade booties (or have them made and wrapped by your best secret-keeping friend), and unwrap the package during your party. Be sure to document the moment you hold those tiny booties up, because you’ll be able to imagine the tiny feet that will fill them and that’s an emotion to remember.