However, if you find yourself planning an upcoming bridal shower on a budget, have no fear: It’s entirely possible to plan a tasteful, fun and sentimental gathering without breaking the bank. Here are five time-saving and cost-cutting ways to throw a beautiful bridal shower:

Invitations
It can be tempting to blow your entire budget for the party on the invitations, but consider saving money (and time) by sending them electronically. Web sites like Pingg.com make sending invitations and tracking responses electronically a breeze. And with an enormous online image database, it’s almost guaranteed that even the pickiest planner will find the perfect invitation design.

Food
Skip hours of baking and frosting and provide your guests with a creative and low-fat ice cream cake. Ice cream sandwiches from The Skinny Cow look sweet when stacked in a pyramid and topped with creative garnishes. Your guests will be thankful for a low-fat snack option, and you will have time to actually enjoy the party. Sandwiches come in strawberry shortcake, chocolate, vanilla, vanilla/chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, mint and cookies n’ cream flavors. Use one flavor for a consistent look or mix and match flavors for extra guest options.

Drink
Sangria is an unexpected and delicious drink to serve at your shower. Added bonus: the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find. You can even substitute grape juice and seltzer water for wine for a tasty non-alcoholic version. The only other ingredients required are slices of fresh fruits such as oranges, pears and peaches, and about 1/4 cup of sugar. For variations on the classic recipe, check out Cooks.com or AllRecipes.com

Games
Rework an old classic by playing a game of Bridal Shower Bingo. First, create copies of a blank grid resembling a bingo card. As the guests arrive, have them fill out the grid with gifts that they think the bride will receive. (The free space is in the middle and players can write their own gift in this space.) As the bride opens a gift, players cross it off their bingo card. Award a prize to the first person to fill five spaces in a row, across or diagonally.

Favors
Pamper your guests with homemade body scrubs in simple, elegant glass mason jars. You can even customize the recipe below to include your favorite scents and colors.

Homemade Body Scrub

You will need:
3 cups Epsom salt (or coarse sea salt)
1 cup oil (almond, canola or olive oil usually works best)
Essential oils for fragrance
Mason jars

Instructions:
First, measure out your salt and pour into a large container. Measure out the oil and slowly pour into the salt while stirring. Finally, add the essential oil to the desired strength. Attach any desired ribbons, hang tags or other decorations to the outside of the jar.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Cookie Cutters

One of the best types of bridal shower party favors you can provide is a cookie cutter or two.  There are a wide variety of cookie cutters available online and in stores.  Therefore, it should be no problem choosing one that fits easily within your theme.  Or, simply purchase cookie cutters in the shape of a heart and add your own message saying, “Cut out for Love.”  Your cookie cutters will be sure to be a hit – and every time your guests bake cookies, they will think of you!

Photo Albums

Mini photo albums also make great bridal shower favors.  You can purchase plain ones and add your own design, or find ones with a cover design that suits your bridal shower theme or the general theme of love and togetherness.  Your guests can later use their mini photo albums to keep pictures from your wedding safe and easy to flip through over and over again!

Disposable Camera

To help encourage your guests to take pictures of your shower and of your future wedding, provide them with disposable cameras at your bridal shower favor.  You can even include your own special message, such as “Picture Perfect Couple” on each camera.

Potpourri Sachets

Potpourri sachets can provide your guests with a lovely scent and can be decorated in any way you desire.  Many different types of potpourri sachets are commercially available, or you can even make your own – including your own homemade potpourri to place inside.  Your guests can place these sachets inside dresser drawers to keep their clothes smelling fresh and lovely!

Sewing Kit

Giving your guests miniature sewing kits is another thoughtful and fun idea for your bridal shower favors.  Include a message stating, “Sew in Love” on the outside of your kits and your guests will certainly think of you each time they repair a button!

Photo Frame

A small photo frame with a special printed message or poem inside makes a lovely bridal shower gift.  Then, your shower guests can place a photo from your wedding over the poem insert after your big day is over.

Recipe Card Holder

A recipe cardholder can help you send the perfect message during your bridal shower, while lending itself to practicality.  There are many different types of recipe cardholders available both online and off.  There are even some shaped like kitchen items, such as a rolling pin.  Recipe holders are excellent for a kitchen themed bridal shower.  In addition, you can add your own “recipe for love” to the recipe holder or include a special poem or phrase on the card.  Every time one of your guests cooks her favorite recipe, she will think of you!

Cheese Grater

A cheese grater can be an adorable bridal shower favor.  Add some ribbon to the handle or some other decorative flair to create a unique and attractive decoration.  Include a note saying, “Love is Grate.”  Each time your bridal shower guest grates some cheese, vegetables, or fruit, she will remember the great times she had at your shower, as well as your special sentiment.

Manicure Set and Compact Mirror

Give your guests something to remember by giving them a heart shaped manicure set.  Many are available at both online and offline bridal specialty stores.  You can also purchase a heart shaped compact mirror and include a message saying, “Love into the eyes of love.”  Depending on your bridal shower theme, you might look for a different shape for your manicure set and compact mirror.  No matter the theme, however, hearts will always work.

Key Chain

A key chain can make a fabulous bridal shower favor.  Many different key chains can found in a variety of designs, colors, and styles.  Therefore, it should be easy to find one matching your shower theme.  If not, you can purchase clear plastic ones and insert something such as a photo, poem, or special saying inside, such as “The key to love is ____. (You fill in the blank!)”

 

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Tasty Treats

Sweets are always a hit with a group of ladies!  Try making your own chocolate or candy as a homemade bridal shower favor.  You can even choose a mold for shaping your chocolate or candy in a way that fits your theme.  Then, add a note such as, “Love is the sweet nectar of life.”  If you have a famous family recipe, such as homemade fudge, put it in a box with the recipe printed on the outside.

If you are really into baking and cooking, you can make cupcakes resembling your wedding cake.  Or, make your own jars of jam and include a note along the lines of “Spread the love…”

Candles

Candles make for a great homemade bridal shower favor.  You can create candles in all sorts of colors, sizes, and even shapes if you have the skill.  In addition, you can transform your candles into aromatherapy candles by simply adding essential oils to the wax as you prepare your candles.  Make a variety of colors and scents to really liven it up.  Your guests will have a great time smelling and looking at your many different homemade candles.  Everyone loves candles!  And, your candles will likely get your guests mingling and enjoying each others company as they move about the room to see what other exciting colors and smells you have to offer.  Many online stores carry candle-making supplies and some retail outlets also sell supplies, including special candle making cookers.  Be sure to include a special note, such as “Our love will burn for an eternity.”

Flowers, Flowers, Every Where

There are a couple great homemade bridal shower favors you can create with the use of flowers.  One option is to purchase small, white bags – similar to the “brown bags” some people use for their lunch.  Next, choose some fresh flowers.  If you are a gardener yourself, you can add to the unique quality and personal touch by gathering flowers from your own garden.  Next, place some petals and leaves decoratively over the bags and place newspaper over the flowers.  Set this combination in an area where it can be left undisturbed.  Then, place something heavy on top.  Let it sit this way for a week.  When you uncover your bags, you will have colorful imprints of the flowers left on your bag! 

If you are pressed for time, you can place the flower petals and leaves on the white bag and place a piece of cardboard on top.  Then, hit the cardboard with a hammer.  Be sure to keep the cardboard in place.  This method often does not produce as uniform of a flower pressing, but it will do in a pinch!  Whichever way you decide to create your bag, be sure to fill it with something fun, such as seeds.  You can also wrap a flower bulb in decorative cellophane and place it inside the bag with a special note saying, “Planting the seeds of love.”

Don’t throw away your flowers now, either.  Now, you can use packing tape to make stickers from your flowers!  Gently lay the pressed flower on the top of the non-sticky side of a clear piece of packing tape.  Next, seal the flower in by laying another piece of tape, sticky side down, over the flower.  This will leave you with one side still sticky and ready to be used as a sticker!

Paper Fun

Other simple homemade bridal favors packed full of meaning are homemade books marks.  Take the time to stencil your favorite love poem onto these bookmarks.  You can even laminate them by using clear packing tape.  Simply lay the bookmark on the sticky side of the tape and lay another piece of tape, sticky side down, over the top.  Then, cut off the excess tape.  Or, create small paper fans with your poem written inside.  These can also be used to display the menu or the program for your shower.

Personalized CD

With the ease of burning CD’s on the computer, it can be both fun and simple to burn your own personalized CD for your bridal shower guests.  Include songs that are special to you and that reflect a bit of your personality.  Decorate the CD’s with your own personalized labels.  You might even want to add a little message about why each song is special or important to you.

 

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