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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Fortunately there is a movement underfoot to breathe some new life into the borderline dead tradition of the bridal shower that has so many women roll their eyes at the thought of actually attending.  The times of embarrassing games and activities are coming to an end and instead new and improved activities ensure that the bride still receives her shower, guests still bring lots of presents to help the new couple start out their life together in style, and games are still being played -  but with new twists!  Follow these easy tips and you too will be able to throw a bridal shower for a young or more seasoned bride with easy boredom-free ideas!

Decide on a theme and run with it.  Just because presents are involved, this should not make everything else about the occasion melt into the background.  Instead, you may wish to contact your local jewelry sales lady, candle gal, or make up aficionado and see if their companies offer some kind of party package.  Most of them do, and this will go a long way to allow the girls to sample some make up, try on some jewelry, and sniff the soothing smells of sweet candle wax.  You may want to serve some finger foods so that nobody will be stuck in the kitchen, and everyone will be able to participate. Maybe a student masseuse could be hired for a couple of hours to give foot massages or a student cosmetologist for manicures and pedicures.

Food should be kept simple if at all possible.  Nobody should be in the kitchen cooking, heating up, or assembling, while at the same time a mess for the hostess should be avoided altogether.  A good idea is the potluck, or if you have the funds, have some finger foods catered. Gourmet cheeses and crackers, some wine, canapés, petit fours, crab cakes and grilled vegetable foccacias make for a wonderful spread that is easily put together and does not require much in terms of reheating.

Advice is a big part of the party.  Especially if the bride is walking down the isle for the first time, many well-meaning ladies have oodles of ideas and tips on how to keep the marriage blissful.  Usually a book is sent around to capture those pearls of wisdom, but how about trying a new twist?  Instead of putting together a book, why not all each guest to write out their advice on a piece of parchment paper and then affix it to a bottle of wine.  Both the wine and the advice can then be enjoyed together by the married couple and make for great conversation starters.  If the bride or groom happens to be teetotalers, the paper can easily be affixed to chocolate bars or any other food or drink item the couple will be able to enjoy together.

So go ahead and allow yourself to enjoy the celebration of the bridal shower again.  Revel in the changes, and allow your ideas to roam free, and no longer feel the obligation to follow in the footsteps of boring old games that are long past their prime.  Have fun with the shower and during the shower!  The bride will thank you for years to come for the thoughtful afternoon or evening you put together for her.

 

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Get Started with Invitations

To get the mood started off right, look for bridal shower invitations with a spa theme.  Even if the card isn’t specifically for a bridal shower, do your best to find one that refers to the spa theme in some way.  More and more bridal showers are going spa-rific, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find an invitation depicting this theme.  If you do have trouble, however, he might want to consider making your own spa bridal shower invitations.

Be sure to also include a special note that clearly expresses what will be included at the spa bridal shower and whether or not guests should include gifts.  At the same time, try to make the note fun, such as:

    It’s a day to be spoiled

    And be pampered all the way

    With a day at the spa

    Before Tricia’s big day!

We have reserved a room at XYZ solon for 2 pm, Sunday May 1.  Please be sure  to bring $30 for your pedicure and manicure treatment, as well as a spa or beauty  themed present for Tricia.  We will each enjoy a day of pampering as we toast  Tricia’s upcoming nuptials:  RSVP to Cindy or Tanya at 555-1234.

Activity Planning

A great way to start off a spa bridal shower is to first attend a yoga class together.  The class will help get everyone’s mind and body focused and prepared for a day of fun and pampering.  A spa with a steam room or Jacuzzi is another good place to host a spa bridal shower.  That way, everyone can enjoy a break in either the steam room or Jacuzzi (or perhaps a bit of both!) between treatments.  

The middle of the spa adventure is a good time to grab a light lunch, share a cake, and open presents.  If cost is a factor, however, you can wait until after all of the treatments are complete and eat lunch or early dinner together afterward at a restaurant.  Gifts can then be exchanged at the restaurant instead.

Gift Ideas

One idea for the spa bridal shower gift is to simply have all the guests pitch in to pay for the bride-to-be’s spa treatments.  Check with the spa you will be visiting, though, because some will actually include the bride-to-be’s spa package for free with a certain number of paying guests.  Otherwise, a spa bridal shower lends itself naturally to gifts such as lotions and creams.  Hair products and other beauty accessories, such as cosmetics, colognes, hair dryers, and robes are also excellent gifts for a spa bridal shower.

Spa Bridal Shower Favors

The perfect spa bridal shower favors are small samples of a variety of pampering products, such as do-at-home face masks, manicure accessories, nail files, or toe separators.  Often, free samples of cosmetics can also be obtained from department stores.  Gather up as many of these samples as you can and toss them into goodie bags for your guests.

The Home Spa

Another option for the spa bridal shower is to create the spa experience at home.  With a home-based spa bridal shower, the hostess can still use many of the same ideas already discussed, but she can indulge and pamper the guests from the comfort of her home.  This type of spa bridal shower can save a great deal of money in the long run for those who are on a tight budget.  It can also make for a more intimate experience.

Many different facemasks can be purchased, or even made at home, for the at home spa bridal shower.  Each guest can wash her face then enjoy a soothing and relaxing facial.  Afterward, each guest can apply toner and moisturizer while enjoying each other’s company.  Of course, don’t forget to include a snack or lunch, cake, and presents for the bride-to-be!

 

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One exciting theme idea that is both elegant and sophisticated is a tea party theme. This theme starts with the invitations. You want to go with something that makes you think of a tea party. Try a heavy weight paper and an embossed seal for the best touch. Have your guests bring gifts for the bride that reflect a tea party. Tea, packaged foods like scones, tea cups, and tea pots are just a few ideas. Be sure to do tea related favors as well. You can go as simple as some designer tea bags or you can have some tea strainers engraved for about four dollars each from various wedding favor websites. When you get ready to serve the food, try doing things like finger sandwiches, petite fours, and scones. You will also want to have several tea selections for your guests.

Another great theme idea is a calendar shower. The idea behind this theme is that each guest will be assigned a month. They will purchase a gift that fits with that month. For example, if a guest were assigned December, she might bring an “Our First Christmas” ornament with some other Christmas decorations. Your invitations could be tiny desktop calendars with pictures. You could send the right month to the right guest. You could also use calendars to decorate the room. Moreover, try creating tablecloths from calendar pages. Use seasonal decorations, cornucopias and such, as your centerpieces.

You could also have a gift basket theme. Each guest would bring some sort of gift basket for the bride. You could even assign a specific genre for their gift basket to fit. For example, you could have one guest bring a bathroom gift basket filled with towels, soaps, and other bathroom essentials. For your invitations, create an invitation in the shape of a basket or cut out pictures of baskets to work with the invitations. Use baskets to decorate everywhere. Place a large basket next to the bride to hold her gifts. Serve snacks in lined baskets. Buy small baskets and fill them with scented candles or candies to give a wedding shower favors.

Another classic theme is a lingerie shower. You need to carefully consider who will be attending the party before you plan this one, though. For example, this probably isn’t the shower for you if the bride’s great-grandmother will be attending. For your invitations, find a picture of lacy underwear or an attractive nightgown. Use this picture as a pattern to create some lacy invitations on heavy cotton based paper. Your decorations scheme should be flower based. Try to purchase flowers that fit with the bride’s wedding colors. Tie bunches of them with lace. Send scented drawer sachets with your guests as wedding shower favors.

A memories shower is also a fun idea. You will want your guests, in addition to a related gift; bring pictures and other items that can be assembled into an album for the bride. In fact, a good invitation idea for this shower is to find a picture of the bride as a child, and use it as the invitation’s background. Have it scanned into your computer, or place the invitation information on the back of the photo. Decorate your shower location with pictures of the bride and groom as well as memorabilia from their childhoods like school achievements awards and such.

The clock shower is becoming an increasingly popular idea. Each guest will be assigned a time of day. They will bring a gift that works with that time of day. For example, if a guest were assigned morning, perhaps they would bring towels or a coffee maker. You can use a picture of a clock as you invitation. Have it set to the time the guest is supposed to use for gift bringing. You could also decorate your shower location with clocks. Tiny clocks would make great wedding shower favors for this theme idea.

A sixth shower theme idea is a by the pound shower. The idea behind this theme is that each guest will bring a pound of something for a gift. For example, they might bring a pound of coffee for the kitchen. This great idea has many decoration possibilities. Scales of all types should be placed around the shower location. Your invitation could be a picture of scales, as well. As a take home gift, give the guests a pound of candy.

One final shower theme idea is a gift certificate shower. Each guest will either bring a real or a homemade gift certificate to give to the bride. For example, someone could bring a gift certificate for a local restaurant or a gift certificate to mow the bride and groom’s lawn after the wedding. You can make your invitation out in gift certificate style, and you can decorate your shower location with silly homemade gift certificates.

Having a themed shower makes for a fun event the bride can look back on with pride.

 

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A Private Home or Apartment

When choosing to have the shower at a private home, the options really are wide open.  If you are a traditionalist, then the bridal shower should be held at the maid of honor’s home.  It is, however, perfectly fine to have the bridal shower at the home of the bride or at the bride or groom’s parent’s house, or at anybody else’s home you desire.  There really are no restrictions as to whose house you can have the bridal shower at.  Just be sure to choose a home that is spacious enough to accommodate all of your guests.  Don’t forget that the presents will take up space, too!  And, somehow, they seem to take up even more space after they are open, so be sure there is plenty of room for the gifts both before and after they are opened.  You don’t want to be crowded or cramped in any way.

If you or someone you know lives in an apartment complex, you might also want to look into having the bridal shower on the roof of the apartment.  This area is quite spacious and can be a great deal of fun.  Empty lofts are another option of living space turned to bridal shower location.

You also need to be sure the home is located somewhere the bride and all of her guests can easily locate and get to.  Your home may seem “perfect” in every way, but it won’t matter if no one can find it or if it is so far out of the way that it becomes a hassle.

A Park

A park can offer a pleasant outdoor atmosphere to be enjoyed by all guests.  Often, parks have picnic areas that you can use to barbeque some enjoyable treats for guests.  A park also lends itself naturally to fun outdoor activities for a “sports” or “outdoors” bridal shower theme.

A Bowling Alley

Many women are choosing to just go out for a night of bowling and pizza for their bridal shower.  Typically, this would be a smaller group of women, such as just the bridal party.  A bowling alley bridal shower does, however, lend itself well to a co-ed bridal shower because the atmosphere is relaxed and enjoyable for the men, as well.

A Room in the Community Center or a Hall

A room in community center or a rented hall can be great for a bridal shower.  Typically, these spaces were designed with special activities such as bridal showers in mind.  Therefore, there should be plenty of space available for the

A Bar or Club

Sometimes, there is just nothing better than just going to a bar or club, particularly if those invited to your bridal shower enjoy dancing and having a “girls night out.”  Just be sure to only invite those you know would be comfortable in this type of environment.  A bar or club is also a good place to have a coed bridal shower.

A Room at Country Club or the Spa

Spending a day at the spa has become an increasingly popular bridal shower trend.  This is generally a smaller party, as going to the spa can become quite costly.  Often, just the women who are members of the bridal party enjoy this bridal shower.  To spend a day at the spa, everyone usually signs up for two or three spa services.  The job of the hostess is to ensure the space is available at the spa and to reserve a spot for lunch.  At this time, gifts can be exchanged.  Or, the guests might combine their money to pay for the spa treatment for the bride-to-be.

A Boat or Yacht

Renting a boat or Yacht for the day can be a great place for a bridal shower.  You and your guests can enjoy the scenery and have a great time sailing away.  A boat or a yacht can be perfect for a themed bridal shower, particularly if the bride-to-be enjoys sailing or likes gifts with a nautical theme, such as dolphins.

A Restaurant

Restaurant showers are gaining in popularity.  This is largely because there is no clean up required afterward and it requires very little preparation.  It is customary to pay for the food for guests invited to a bridal shower.  You can, however, expect the guests to pay for their own meals and drinks while you provide dessert or a cake.  Or, you can put a cap on the spending or only pay for pre-selected foods and drinks.  If you won’t be paying for all of the food and drinks, be sure your guests are well aware ahead of time.  In fact, this information should be included on the invitation.   

 

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The first thing you should think about is the type of gift you are giving at the bridal shower. The main gifts would probably be kitchen items, decorating items, bath sets, and gift certificates. Once you know what part of the house the gift is geared towards start thinking of things that you find in that room that would be suitable to wrap or package the bridal shower gift in. If the gift you are giving is a bedroom item maybe some pretty pillow cases would work really well for an alternative wrapping idea. Wrapping creatively is simple and just takes a little imagination. Wrapping with alternative items also reduces waste and clean up for the hostess of the bridal shower.

Bath sets and other bathroom items like perfume or candles could be wrapped up in a nice bath robe or a nice plush bath towel. To wrap a bottle of perfume you could fold the robe up nicely and tuck the perfume bottle in the top and affix it all with a huge ribbon. Alternatively you could roll up the perfume in a large fluffy bath towel and again tie it with a ribbon. This idea will work for candles, bubble bath and any other small bathroom or even bedroom themed gifts like picture frames.

Maybe you are going with a gift of cleaning supplies to start the new couple off right. Wrapping this could be dine by placing all of the cleaning supplies in a wicker laundry basket and wrapping it all up with some cellophane and of course a nice big ribbon. Some people give a gift of gourmet food, wine, or coffees. These items can be creatively packaged in a nice soup pot. Wine could be given in a wine chiller or insulated wine sleeve made for transporting. Pots and pans can be a useful tool for a unique and creative way to give any bridal shower gift.

A nice flannel or pretty bed sheet set can also be used for a creative gift wrap. Sheet sets could be folded and stacked from largest, the sheets, to the smaller, pillow cases and a picture frame could be tucked inside. Tie it up with a ribbon and you have a creative gift. Sheet sets would work great for candles, lingerie and even kitchen utensil gifts.

If you are giving a quilt or blanket as a bridal shower gift there really is no need to wrap it. Just fold it up nicely and affix it with a bow. There are so many gifts that really do not need to be wrapped, if the item itself is beautiful then by all means take advantage of that. Just dress it up with some bows or ribbons and don’t forget the card.

Craft paper is very useful for many things. You can use this simple paper to transform a boring wrapping job into something creative and personalized by writing a personal message to the bride to be on it. Write the message in different styles and colors and use it to wrap the gift. Crinkle the paper to give it an antique or used look, it works! Newspaper articles geared towards weddings and engagements is another creative thing to use as wrapping paper for a bridal shower gift. To make it extra special try and find the bride and groom’s wedding announcement in the local newspaper.

Wrapping a bridal shower gift creatively just takes a little imagination. Follow the guidelines above or use the suggestions and you will have a beautiful and useful wrap for the gift you give. These ideas can be made as simple or as elaborate and you would like. It all depends on the time you want to spend on the gift itself. When deciding on a wrap always keep the couple or bride to be in mind and think of things they would find useful.

 

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A craft bridal shower is best suited for brides that do not mind not having a traditional shower. Ask the bride-to-be before planning a party and find out what kind of crafts interests her. Tailor the party around her preferences and this will ensure that everyone will have a good time. Another good idea when hosting a craft bridal shower is to put on the invitation that crafts are going to be made. Guest can be prepared and know what kind of clothing to wear and what kind of supplies they need to bring, too.

Craft bridal showers can be easily held at a home or at another location. If you choose to have the shower in a home, make certain that there is plenty of room. Cover work surfaces and make sure that floors will not get ruined if paint or glue is spilled. Consider hiring someone that specializes in a certain technique to come to your home to teach. If you decide that it would be more practical to hold the shower in another location, look into rooms that can be rented for a minimal price. Recreation centers are often a perfect choice because they offer large rooms with lots of tables and chairs. Also, look into sewing stores or craft supply stores. Many of these locations have rooms available for rent or offer classes.

There are many fun and interesting ideas for anyone wanting to host a craft bridal shower. Here are some ideas that will make any guests and the bride have a great time.

Pottery painting: Pottery painting is a terrific way to hold a craft bridal shower. There are many places that specialize in pottery painting and hold classes. Guests can choose almost anything they would like to paint ranging from frames, vases, bowls and plates. If the bride has specific colors for her new kitchen, consider having everyone paint a dinner plate to add to her collection. If guests prefer taking their new treasure home, think about painting one large serving platter for the bride and let everyone help decorate. This will be useful and she will always remember those who attended her shower.

Sewing classes: Almost anyone can benefit from learning basic sewing techniques. If most of your guests are interested in sewing, consider taking a sewing class as the shower. Most fabric stores and sewing centers offer classes for the beginner and for the more advanced. You do not have to just learn to sew a skirt, either. Take a class to learn how to make fashionable tote bags and purses, scarves and hats and even quilts. You can even host a quilting party at home. Have each guest decorate one or two squares and then have someone quilt them together. The new bride will always treasure a handmade quilt.

Floral arrangement: With the right supplies, learning to make pretty floral arrangements can be easy and fun. Gather up supplies and spend an evening making table centerpieces for the wedding reception. If the bride wants handmade items for her wedding, you can also have guests help make pew bows and floral arrangements and even the boutonnieres for the men in the wedding party. Not only will it be a memorable experience for the bride and the shower guests, but it saves her money and is practical as well.

Scrapbooking and card making: Many people enjoy scrapbooking and card making. Host a bridal shower at a scrapbook store and have a teacher available to teach those who may be beginners. Another idea is to gather pictures of the new bride and groom and everyone make a page for her to keep. This is a great memento and she can continue the scrapbook after the wedding.

The ideas for hosting a craft bridal shower are endless. These types of showers can be a great way for the bride and the shower guests to learn a new crafting technique while having a memorable time together.

 

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