How to Plan a Wedding Shower With a Budget
A bridal shower should be one of the best days of the bride's life, but you don't have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to plan a successful party. Planning and paying for the shower is generally the job of the maid of honor, but bridesmaids may also contribute if the maid of honor is unable or unwilling to pay for the entire thing. A shower may be held anywhere from one week to six months before the wedding, so start planning as soon as the bride asks you to be part of the bridal party.
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Things You'll Need
- Note cards
- Glitter pens
- Sequins, beads and feathers
- Glue
- Appetizers
- Desserts
- Water
- Iced tea
- Flowers
- Small flower pots
- Gift table
Instructions
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Host the shower at your home or the home of the one of the other bridesmaids. You won't have to pay to rent out a space and you'll be able to use décor that's already in the home. Plan to spend the shower outdoors if the host has an attractive backyard, as you'll have to do very little decorating if you have plants and trees as a backdrop.
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Schedule the shower during the mid-afternoon on a weekend. Holding the shower between the hours of 2:00 and 5:00 means you can serve appetizers rather than having to serve a full sit-down meal.
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3
Make your own invitations. Buy colorful note cards and write the shower information in glitter pen. Glue sequins, feathers or small beads to the borders of the cards to decorate them.
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4
Serve store-bought appetizers that you can prepare yourself rather than hiring a caterer. Make antipasto trays by arranging chopped vegetables, grapes, olives, sliced baguettes and a variety of cheeses on platters. Spread pesto and sliced tomatoes on store-bought pizza dough. Bake the pizzas and cut them into bite-sized squares.
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Ask one of the bride's relatives to prepare dessert. An aunt or cousin will have access to the bride's favorite family dessert recipes and will likely appreciate being asked to contribute. If no one can cook, buy cookies or cupcakes from a local bakery. These options are generally more affordable than a cake.
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Serve iced tea and cold water only. Skipping liquor can save you at least a hundred dollars. If you want to serve some alcohol, give each guest one glass of wine to use when toasting the bride.
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Make decorations that double as favors. Arrange flowers in small pots and cluster them in the center of the tables. Give one to each guest at the end of the party.
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Set up the gift table in the center of the room. When the table is full of beautifully wrapped packages, it will make the entire space look festive without costing you a dime.
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References
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
