Brides-to-be and their bridesmaids are spending large sums of money throwing bridal showers. Roughly, 500dollars is spent on the bridal shower alone. This is inclusive of gifts, event and the transport costs.
The question is, is it necessary to spend that much money in the kind of economy we are currently living in?
Most people assume that the more extravagant, the better the bridals shower. This is, however, not true. It is pretty easy to plan a bridal shower on a budget.
Below are some of the tips of planning an awesome bridal shower, during these tough times.
- PLANNING
Planning a bridal shower is a huge undertaking. First and foremost, set a date. Setting a date is crucial. Having a bridal shower far away from the wedding date will not yield much enthusiasm and a date too close to the wedding will be hectic because of the ongoing wedding preparations.
Next is creating a budget and deciding what gift you will give the bride. Bridal gifts range from getting the bride a bridal box to spa treatments. We would not want to spend most of the money on other things and giving the bride a present of no sentimental value.
- LOCATION
When searching for an appropriate location, consider locations that do not require rental fees. This could be your home. If having it at your place is not an option, consider places like parks or meeting rooms at townships or nonprofit organizations. These places offer space at very friendly prices. If you find rooms that also have chairs, tables, a kitchen and other party accessories, the better.
- INVITATIONS
Invitations do not need to cost a dime. You could open a WhatsApp group and invite your guests.
The downside to this is, not everyone has Internet access and not everyone has a WhatsApp account. If that is the case, you can opt to buy party invitations from the supermarket. These are inexpensive.
You could also bring out the creative designer side of you and make the invitation cards yourself.
- TRANSPORTATION
Depending on where you live, where your fellow co-hosts live and the location of the bridal shower, it is best to look for the most suitable mode of transport in order to reduce travel expenses.
If there is the option of taking a flight and driving to the bridal shower location, it is better to drive there. You could mobilize yourselves as a group and drive together in a car or two depending on the numbers. You could cost share on gas and other things.
You could also see it as a road trip and take that rare chance to bond with your friends.
If you have to fly to the venue, scout around for the best deals that will give you the cheapest rates.
- FOOD
The most cost-effective way to go about this is making the food yourself. Caterers can be very expensive.
For beverages, you could have someone prepare a good smoothie for you. Then buy one alcoholic drink that does not cost an arm and a leg.
In conclusion, having an awesome bridal shower is not relative to the amount of money you spend. The most important thing is the bride-to-be feeling loved and appreciated. That’s it!
