Being a bridesmaid is stressful! From planning the bridal shower to assisting with all the minor details of the wedding can be troublesome and expensive. But do not fear, we’ve put together a list of 5 tips that will help you save money organising the bridal shower and still impress both the bridal shower guests and the bride-to-be 🙂
Location, location, location
- The easiest place to host the bridal shower would be at your home, or the home of a close friend or relative. This means no expense on the venue and will be perfect for that “surprise” element. If it’s a house of a relative you can simply buy them a bottle of wine as a thank you gift and be sure to give them credit at the party.
- Another affordable option can be to host the event at a park or great picnic spot. These deliver a lot of space, serves as a stunning nature setting and don’t cost you a penny. Be sure to scout your area for potential spots and also contact them asking for permission.
- There are beautiful wine estates and hidden venues in the Stellenbosch area that are not so expensive to hire for a bridal shower. Le Pommier Wine Estate prides itself in not only catering for bridal showers but also for working according to your budget. They are one of many venues that can assist you.
Transport
When there’s alcohol involved, we would encourage you to get a method of transport. Depending on your venue’s location why not organize a party bus! This saves everybody on fuel and also serves as a safe way to get everybody home. You can also call Uber to take the guests home, the last thing you need on your conscience is a wedding guest that was involved in an accident because of drunk driving.
Bridal Shower Invitations
- There are many ways of getting an invite to your bride’s friends. One of the easiest – and it’s FREE – is probably a Facebook Event.
- Another alternative can be an online invitation, you create a mini website for a short period of time and your guests will receive their invites via email. They can visit the site for more details on what to bring to the party, what gifts would be ideal for the bride, show a Google Map towards the venue and even RSVP for the party. You will receive all the details and can manage it from the comfort of your mailbox. This is a cheaper alternative to printed invitations and MV Communications, a digital marketing leader, can assist you with the setup at a minimal fee.
- So perhaps not everyone has internet or Facebook – yes, granny possibly won’t know what this Face-thingy is everybody’s going on about 🙂 – in that case, you can still get away with printing your own invites. Or perhaps you can buy pre-printed invitations at a store. These will work just as well and you can really go all out in creating your own cards.
Food
Why spend a lot of money on caterers? Simply ask all the guests to bring a dish, this can serve as an entrance fee and also helps you to keep the budget small. Each guest can also bring their “own poison” in the form of alcohol and you can provide a nice punch that everybody can enjoy.
See this easy punch recipe:
Super-Simple Summer Punch (thebar.com)
Ingredients:
- 50ml Smirnoff Vodka
- 4 slice(s) Orange Slice
- 4 piece(s) Raspberries
- 100ml Cranberry Juice
- 100ml Mango Juice
- 50ml Soda Water
How to make:
ICE IT
Add Vodka, oranges & raspberries to glass or jug full of ice before stirring with a wooden spoon to infuse the flavours.
MIX IT
Add mango & cranberry juice and top with soda.
SERVE IT
Stir it all up & serve in the sunshine.
Bridal Shower Decorations & Games
You can get bargains at party stores and even a few balloons can create a fun theme. When looking at a theme start at home. Strings of Christmas lights, household plants, photos/postcards or even seashells can bring a theme to live.
Silly bridal games will always be at the heart of any bridal shower. See the link for some fun inexpensive ideas: Bridal Shower Games
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a bridal shower to make it memorable. It’s a special event for the bride to enjoy with her friends and family – to be the centre of attention and open lots of presents. Make the event enjoyable instead of extravagant. Be sure to follow our Pinterest Board for more ideas.