It’s a common experience for many: you’re sitting there, minding your own business, when all of a sudden, you get a call that your bff is getting married! What’s this mean for you?Well, besides having a ton of pre-wedding fun with all of your best friends, it could also mean that you’ll be tasked with planning a bridal shower for the bride-to-be! For many, this is their first time planning such an event, and with many more to potentially plan in the not-too-distant future, you certainly don’t want to spend your entire life’s savings on one party. Fortunately, you’re not alone; and because of that, there’s lots of great cost-cutting advice out there. So, if you find yourself in charge of planning a bridal shower, don’t fret. Here’s a few ideas to make it as fun as it is affordable!
Create a Bridal Shower Budget
It goes without saying that weddings are expensive, but not just for the bride and groom. According to WeddingWire, bridesmaids spend an average of $1,200 to be in a wedding. Why so much? Well, once you start factoring in the bridal shower, bridesmaid dresses, gifts, and hair and makeup costs, it’s easy to see how it can go so quickly. Some of these costs are non-negotiable (take flying into the wedding location, for example). That’s why it’s important to limit costs where you can by establishing a budget. To do this, talk to your fellow bridesmaids and see what they’re willing to contribute. You might have to dip into your savings to come up with your share. Once the budget has been set, you can plan accordingly.
Host at an Affordable Location
Don’t forget about the cost of transportation. If the bride still lives close to home, it makes sense that the shower could be held in her hometown. However, if she lives in a distant location, it might be a better idea if she traveled to the location the party is being held, as opposed to asking the entire guest list to get on a plane. The venue of the shower largely depends on the budget you’ve established previously. Calling around and getting estimates will let you know if there’s a venue or restaurant within your budget. However, if prices aren’t practical, then talk amongst your fellow planners and see if any are willing to volunteer their home as the shower location. Believe it or not, you can make any home look like the perfect party spot with some creative bridal shower themes.
Send out Free Invitations
It shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg just to tell your guestlist about the party. Well, good news: it doesn’t have to! A bridal shower invitation isn’t a wedding invitation, after all. This event will be less formal, so sending an email invitation or Facebook event invitation is completely permissible. There are, of course, some guests who might not be regular internet users. For these guests, you’ll most likely have to go the old-fashioned route and send something by post. Fortunately, cheap party invitations can be found at just about any store that sells cards.
Consider Your Food Options
Whether you’re hosting the shower at a venue or someone’s home, you might want to look into getting the party catered. While it’s not always the cheapest option, you’ll find a caterer’s rates to be much more affordable than footing the bill for the entire guestlist at a fancy restaurant. Alternatively, you can ask each guest to bring their own dish, or even make the party’s theme about cooking. Just be sure to have enough dishes and silverware to go around, or pick up disposable versions to avoid the mess later on.
Get Creative with Decorations
Nothing says “instagrammable bridal shower” like the right decorations. Fortunately, most decorations are affordable and can be found at most party supply stores. There you’ll find balloons, streamers, confetti, centerpieces, and everything else you could possibly need to make a home worthy of going viral. You might also have a few strings of Christmas lights or streamers laying around in the attic from a previous party or holiday. Believe it or not, many of these oft-neglected items make perfect bridal shower decor. Take, for example, an assortment of seashells you collected from a former vacation, or a ship wheel that’s been hanging on the wall for years. If the theme of the party is something nautical, you might just have the perfect use for them and you won’t have to spend any money on it.
After the celebration, the bride can begin preparing for the next big step, finding the perfect wedding dress at Mon Amie Bridal Salon.