Baby showers range from quiet luncheons with female family members to large couples' parties. The twin cities area is home to many restaurants and party facilities that host baby showers. From a casual daytime shower with the girls to a chic dinner party for the parents-to-be and their friends, both Minneapolis and St. Paul have venues that serve as the perfect backdrop for celebrating a new baby in style.

5120 Restaurant and Onyx Bar is home to an all-glass conservatory that would make the perfect venue for a daytime baby shower. The upscale, indoor patio-style room is sunny and airy. 5120 serves "modern American cuisine with Mediterranean influences." The conservatory space holds 80 guests, and the restaurant can accommodate 120. A special menu is available for daytime functions. Party planners can choose between a country picnic lunch, a box picnic lunch or a Mediterranean lunch buffet. A salad bar and appetizers may be added as options.

5120 Restaurant and Onyx Bar 5120 American Blvd. West Bloomington, MN 55437 952-698-4864 5120mn.com

Forepaugh's Restaurant is set in a Victorian mansion in St. Paul and specializes in French cuisine. The restaurant houses four floors of dining rooms, each with its own design. This venue is appropriate for a brunch or dinner shower for couples. Couples' showers tend to serve alcohol, and Forepaugh's wine cellar is fully stocked. Seated dinners or brunch or dinner buffets are available, with many choices that can be worked out with the restaurant's catering manager.

Forepaugh's Restaurant 276 S. Exchange St. St. Paul, MN 55102 651-224-5606 forepaughs.com

Buca Di Beppo, located in Minneapolis, is a family-style Italian eatery that serves authentic food in a casual and fun atmosphere. The restaurant is ideal for a work or family baby shower. Seating is available with large round tables for groups to face each other, with the food being served family-style. Party planners may reserve private rooms in Buca Di Beppo for parties of 15 or more. Five separate banquet menus are available for lunch and three for dinner. Each includes combinations of appetizers, entrees and desserts.

Buca Di Beppo 1204 Harmon Place Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-288-0138 bucadibeppo.com

Back Bear Crossings is a banquet and party facility situated in the Lakeside Pavilion on St. Paul's Como Lake. This serene setting is a tranquil backdrop for any style of baby shower. Both a pillared banquet room with lake views or an outdoor promenade are available for parties. The banquet facility offers several choices of menu for functions; even a picnic served on the promenade is an option. The banquet room has a screen and projector, making a DVD photo slideshow of the mom- and dad-to-be an entertaining personal touch.

Black Bear Crossings on the Lake Como Lakeside Pavilion 1360 N. Lexington Parkway St. Paul, MN 55103 651-488-4920 blackbearcrossings.com