A Babe in the Woods: Kate Berry's Woodlands-Themed Baby Shower

Once the theme was decided, Darcy took stock of what she could make by hand. "Those personal touches are what Kate will remember," she says.

On Darcy's DIY list: drawing sweet baby animals, which were then printed on the invitations. An envelope liner featuring the little critters continued the theme.

Custom invitations, chereeberrypaper.com

The motif was reflected in the food as well. Here, crackers in the shapes of forest animals elevated a standard cheese-and-crackers plate.

Cheese and bunny crackers, petercallahan.com

Darcy decorated the event with flora-and-fauna vignettes using birds' nests, candy eggs, cloches, and faux-bois pedestals.

Flowers, seaportflowers.com. Mini birds' nests, $12 for 12, beau-coup.com. Woodsie cake stands, from $175, bellochio.com.

Keep the food spread visually appealing. "I like to group like with like, displaying bites in an organized, pleasing way," says Darcy.

Candy, nuts.com, sugarfina.com, jellybelly.com. Cupcakes, $2.75 each, onegirlcookies.com. Winter deer cupcake toppers, $4 for 12, shopsweetlulu.com

. Chocolate deer (under cloche), andiespecialtysweets.etsy.com. Flowers, seaportflowers.com. Mini birds' nests, $12 for 12, beau-coup.com. Birch rounds, from $1 each, michaels.com.

A green-tea mille-crepes cake from New York City's famed Lady M Confections was decorated with a woodland scene.

Green-tea mille-crepes cake, 9", $80, ladym.com. DIY woodland cake-decorating set (includes sugar mushrooms and ladybug, shown), $109, andiespecialtysweets.etsy.com. Deer figures, from $3 each, safariltd.com

One of the many highlights of the dessert table: bunny-shaped sugar cookies.

Buttercream cupcakes were each topped with miniature plastic deer for a hit of wildlife whimsy.

Cupcakes, $2.75 each, onegirlcookies.com.

It's important to work with a caterer who is open to customizing the food to suit your theme. For example, Peter Callahan Catering cut croque monsieurs into bunny-shaped bites to go with the party's theme.

Birch rounds

, from $1 each, michaels.com. Sandwiches, petercallahan.com

Darcy found these sweet deer-shaped gingerbread cookies from Picket Fence Confections.

Gingerbread deer, $14 for 24, pfconfections.etsy.com

Be creative and continue the theme as much as you can. One of the favors given to guests was a custom-made soap bearing the fawn illustrated by Darcy.

Custom soap, justbubbly.com

Bunnies and squirrels and deer, oh my! Darcy turned to Spoonflower to make custom fabric bearing her designs for lavender sachet favors.

Custom fabric, spoonflower.com. Cotton mushrooms, $3 for 6, shopsweetlulu.com.

Darcy scoured the Internet for unique finds, like these adorable (and delicious!) marshmallow mushroom favors that reflected the shower's theme.

Mushroom marshmallows, $3.25 a lb., sockerbit.com