7 Tips for Planning a Bridal Shower on a Budget

Speaking from experience, I can say that being a bridesmaid is not cheap by any means. Between the dress, shoes and gifts you have to buy, the bachelorette and the bridal shower, you could find yourself out over $1,000 easily.

As in many cases, you’ll find that in order to save money on something like planning a bridal shower, you need to be creative and be willing to go against what “the norm” says you have to do. Here are some great ideas to get you started from Money Crashers:

Location

If you have the ability to throw the shower in your own home, this is by far the cheapest and most reliable option. You won’t have to pay rental fees and you’ll know that the space will be available, no matter the circumstances or the weather. However, if this isn’t possible, you can still think outside of the box to save on location costs. Consider the following:

  • A community center/room in an apartment complex that a friend or relative lives in
  • A local park (as long as there’s a back up plan in case of bad weather)
  • Meeting rooms of townships, villages, and other local government
  • Meeting spaces at fraternal organizations, like the Rotary and the VFW
  • Historic homes or schoolhouses that might be run by nonprofits

Food

The best way to save here is to do it yourself. You don’t have to be singularly responsible for feeding everyone however. Just everyone who’s involved in helping out with the shower bring a dish of some sort. Think easy appetizers and finger foods that fit with the theme of the shower. Also,

You’ll need dishes, but you or a co-host probably own dishes suitable for serving. If not, borrow them from someone who does. If you want to serve your guests using disposable plates and silverware, you can find them at a low price at a discount grocery store.

Games

Fun and silly games are a wedding shower staple. Here are some cool low cost ideas from Money Crashers:

  • Make up a list of questions regarding the groom, i.e. what’s his shoe size? Quiz the bride and see how many she gets right.
  • Use Google Translate to create a list of how “love” is said in different languages. Make worksheets for your guests to try to match the translation to the language.
  • Stock up on cheap toilet paper and divide guests into teams. Each team competes to see who can make the best toilet paper “wedding dress.”

Check out the rest of the great ideas over at Money Crashers’ How to Plan a Bridal Shower on a Budget.