How to Host a Bridal Shower on a Budget (2024)

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Bridal showers are meant to celebrate the bride-to-be and shower her with gifts but the expenses can add up quickly and drain the hostess’ purse. Bridal showers can still be fun without draining the hostess’ budget.

If you are hosting a bridal shower, here’s how to host a bridal shower on a budget.

Bridal Shower on a Budget – Ideas and Tips

1. Location

Fancy restaurants and venues can be expensive why not avoid this cost and host the party in your home.

If you have a spacious backyard you can also decide to have the party in your backyard.

If your home isn’t big enough to accommodate the guest, ask the bride’s mother or sister or bridesmaids if you can host the event at their place.

No matter the location you use make sure you have fun.

How to Host a Bridal Shower on a Budget (1)

2. Send Evites

Invites are used to communicate the date, time and theme of the bridal shower with guests and these are very important.

Save some money by opting to send guests Evites instead of formal Invites. You can buy or design PDF/JPEG invites and mail to each guest.

This way you can cut down cost and still personalize each invite.

3. Timing is Important

Timing is very important when it comes to hosting a bridal shower on budget. You can opt to host the bridal shower in the morning (10-12am) or in the afternoon after lunch (2-4pm).

If the bridal shower is held at these times you can skip ameal and have light appetizers finger foods, fruits and juice/tea/mimosa instead.

If you decide to host the party in the evening, guests wouldexpect a full menu be served.

Fix the bridal shower around a time where a meal won’t beserved especially if you are making the food yourself.

4. Co-host the Shower

Co-hosting a bridalshower is a great way to cut down on costs as the budget is split evenlybetween the co-hosts. You can decide to co-host the party with otherbridesmaids or the bride’s sisters.

Co-hosting not onlyhelps you throw a budget bridal shower it also helps make the planning processeasier as planning a party can be stressful especially when you are planning italone.

Do remember todesignate tasks and not the budget alone to each co-host.

5. Simple Menu Choices

Keep the menu simple if you want to throw a bridal shower on budget. Avoid a full meal, instead opt for light appetizers, finger foods, desserts, fruits and juice if you want to cut down on costs.

The essence of a bridal shower is to celebrate the bride andhave fun while doing that. Serving light appetizers and finger foods lets theguests get to mingle, have fun and know each other, rather than sitting for aformal meal.

Avoid the full sit down meal as this helps cut costs.

6. Cut Down on Guest List

Cutting down guest list is an easy way to cut costs for a bridal shower party. The bridal shower isn’t the wedding so you are not required to invite everyone.

Host a shower with the brides closest friends and relatives and not everyone the bride has ever met.

The bigger the guest list the more your budget.

Keep in mind not to invite those not invited to the weddingas whoever you invite to the bridal shower must be invited to the wedding.

7. Keep the Decoration Simple

Decorations light up a venue, therefore we tend to spend so much on decoration.

If you are trying to host a wedding shower on a budget skip spending a huge amount of money on tablecloths, centerpieces, lighting etc.

Opt instead for a simple decor using bunting banner, balloons, bridal shower signs, photo props and the bride-to-be pictures.

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8. Keep Favors Simple

Bridal shower favor is a way of showing your appreciation to guests for attending the party. Favors don’t have to be expensive.

Instead of splurging on favors you can make some cupcakes and cookies and give these as favors.

If cooking isn’t your thing, you can decide to give out bracelets, hair ties with a personalized thank you note as these are cost-effective.

You can also decideto give out the flowers used for decoration as favors since you won’t be needthe flowers after the shower is over.

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9. Go easy with the Entertainment

Bridal shower equals fun. The fact that we want to have fun doesn’t mean we can’t have a cost-effective bridal shower.

For music of hiringa DJ or a musician you can create a playlist on your phone or device andconnect it to a speaker.

You can also incorporate games into the activities of the day. Bridal shower games are fun and can help break up the ice as you would have a group of people who have never met before so throwing in some games into the shower will help break up the day and let people have fun and interact.

There are many fun and affordable games such as Bridal Shower Pictionary, He Said She Said and many more.

Showers are a way of celebrating the bride and not meant to be a financial burden to the hostess.

Help the bride-to-be and guests have a fun shower by hosting a bridal shower you can afford with the tips we’ve shared.

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How to Host a Bridal Shower on a Budget (2024)

FAQs

How do you host a bridal shower cheaply? ›

Assigning smaller purchases to other bridesmaids and close family members is a good tip for budget bridal showers because it can make the overall cost of the event much more manageable for the host. For example, if you delegate tasks or items that cost $30 each to six people, you'll save $180.

What is a reasonable budget for a bridal shower? ›

That works out at $300 to $800 for a 20-person party but can go as high as $150 per person or $3,000 for a 20-person shower. Based on these estimates and an average bridal shower guest list of 35-50 people, a reasonable budget for a bridal shower is between $350 and $7,500.

Who is financially responsible for a bridal shower? ›

Nowadays, the person (or people) hosting the bridal shower are responsible for covering the costs associated with the shower.

What food to serve at a bridal shower? ›

Fabulous Bridal Shower Finger Foods
  • Crescent Vegetable Appetizers. Quick & Easy Crab Dip. Veggie Dippers. Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches.
  • Veggie Crescent Cups. Flower Fruit Kabobs with Luscious Fruit Dip. Watermelon & Blackberry Bites. ...
  • Mini Rainbow Fruit Kabobs. Fruit Jersey Cake. Balsamic Fruit & Cheese Kabobs.
May 19, 2023

What can you do instead of bridal shower? ›

Go ahead and explore even more bridal shower alternatives like this—one will surely resonate with your unique personality.
  • 01 of 14. Makeovers. ...
  • 02 of 14. Take a Gardening Class. ...
  • 03 of 14. Pool Party. ...
  • 04 of 14. Calligraphy Class. ...
  • 05 of 14. Wine Tasting. ...
  • 06 of 14. Paint Class. ...
  • 07 of 14. Cooking Class. ...
  • 08 of 14. Beach Picnic.
Jul 23, 2019

Who should not host a bridal shower? ›

Traditional etiquette dictates that the maid of honor—not the mother of the bride—should host the shower. Nancy is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Some etiquette rules were meant to fade away into oblivion, like the one about family members of the bride not hosting her bridal shower.

How many people to expect at bridal shower? ›

A bridal shower should be an event for those closest to the bride, both in relationship and location. I'm often asked how many guests should be invited to a shower, and I usually recommend keeping it to around 25 guests if possible. Everyone wants to see their gift opened and the reaction on the bride's face.

How many should be invited to a bridal shower? ›

How Many People Do You Invite to a Bridal Shower? Inviting between 30 and 40 people to the bridal shower is the sweet spot, with the understanding that some people probably won't be able to attend.

Does the mother of the bride pay for the bridal shower? ›

In short, the host is the one who pays for the bridal shower—or at least some of it. Most commonly, this is the maid of honor, but the couple's relatives, friends or even the to-be-weds themselves can all pitch in to cover the cost of the wedding shower.

Should the mother of the groom host a bridal shower? ›

If there are no plans for a shower two months in advance of the wedding, it is safe for the bride to go ahead and ask her maid of honor to host a shower for her. If the bridal party is not able to host the shower for financial reasons, the bride may ask her mother or the mother of the groom to host the shower.

Does the mother of the bride plan the bridal shower? ›

Traditionally, the mother of the bride doesn't host the bridal shower (the maid of honor typically assumes the chief shower-planning role), however, your daughter will likely want you to be a part of the celebration.

What games to play at a bridal shower? ›

Wedding Shower Games Guests Will Love

Printable games like bride and groom trivia or gift bingo are always a hit and easy to set up — just print them out, provide some pens and let the fun begin. For something a little more interactive, consider doubles Jenga, pictured here.

What is a pantry bridal shower? ›

What's a Pantry Shower? It's a bridal shower (or baby shower or housewarming party) that helps fill your pantry with non-perishable food items, cooking and baking staples, spices, cleaning supplies, and paper products.

What is protocol for bridal showers? ›

Since showers are intended for the bride's nearest and dearest, every shower guest must already be on the wedding guest list. Because it's understood that guests should bring a present to a shower, it's not appropriate to invite people whom you don't plan to include in the wedding.

Is $50 enough for a bridal shower? ›

According to Opperman, bridal shower gifts tend to be less expensive than wedding gifts. "Many people spend around $50 to $75, whereas closer friends and family may spend upwards of $100," she says.

Should a bride throw her own bridal shower? ›

"Hosting one for yourself may give the impression that you're asking for presents." To avoid this implication, Chertoff recommends having bridesmaids, the mother of the bride, or another close loved one or friend host the shower for you.

Do I throw my own bridal shower? ›

Today, while it's still a faux pas for an engaged couple to throw their own shower, pretty much anyone else can host one.

What does the maid of honor plan? ›

Maid of honor duties include planning the bachelorette party, making sure the bridesmaids dresses are ordered in a timely fashion, serving as the point person on the wedding day, giving a speech at the reception, being a model wedding guest (RSVP-ing on time, reserving travel and hotel with the room block early) and so ...

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