Bridal Showers on a Budget? possible? need theme/details ideas

missmeow03

Okay I have to throw a bridal shower - Theme I am thinking about is PINK AND BLACK.

Need suggestions on Decor! affordable ideas please. I am so not creative when it comes to this ..so please share ideas on decor.

If I can go to wal-mart, $1 store to get supplies that would be just GREEAAAT! Sorry, but I cannot spend a lot. neither can the rest of the bmaids :-/

 

msjbear

Hi! Do you have glass cocktail glasses or martini glasses? What I did was used ones we already had and put tea lights in them..the ones with the metal bottoms, so the wax wouldn't get onto the glass. They were really cute decorations. I also used colored decor rocks I already had and filled some of the glasses with them, which added cute bursts of color My trick, as you'll tell is to use things I already have for decor. So I also took picture frames I had that matched the theme, silver and black ones, and got ahold of photos of the bride to be and her fiance, and put them in. I put the frames around the apt. I went to Walmart and bought that pack of glass jar candles for $10! You get two large glass jar candles and 4 little votive sized ones. I got the pink kind, which smelled amazing, and used cheap tea lights elsewhere...in candle holders I already owned and just out around the table/bar area. For the stuff we used for eating/drinking, I just went to Target, but you could probably go to Walmart, and got pink cups and plates and they actually had b/w polka dotted napkins..so it was perfect! I had some white christmas lights and strung those nicely on the window to add a little more ambient light. 

msjbear

And! I know you just asked for decor ideas, but in the kitchen there was a counter space that looks like a bar..you could also set up a card table or something with a black or pink tablecloth over that..and we set up that area to look like a cute bar. We put tea lights around there, and lined up all the beverages for the evening. We cut the cost down on alcohol by deciding on a few mixed drinks we were going to serve, and sticking with those. I was a senior in college then and at the time also paying for my own wedding..haha..so I understand needing to find cheaper ways!

kimnelson09

Try etsy.com.  A lot of their vendors sell things for cheap.  You can get pink and zebra paper pompoms to hang on the ceiling. 

SA7206

If you set up a buffet, I'd rent a black tablecloth (around here they rent for $7).

Then decorate with with pink pillar candles of varying heights.   I think Christmas tree shops has some and they are pretty cheap.  You can get really inexpensive glass holders for the candles too (I've bought some for 50 cents to a dollar at craft stores or even walmart).

Then get pretty ribbon and tie a bow around some of the candles.

If you want flowers, check out costco. They have flowers at a really good price.  You can even do a bouquet of just carnations.  I know carnations are kind of considered a cheapy flower, but in a big bunch they really make an impact.

These are cute and inexpensive favors too:

http://www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-candy/rock-sugar-swizzle-sticks/pink-crystal-cherry

Just tie them with a black ribbon.

Mrs.H.

If you are on a tight budget I'd save the$ on decorations and concentrate on the food. More people remember that than what the place looked like.

Just my opinion!

 

leahkate

My favorite simple centerpiece idea is mason jars with a cute ribbon around the neck and a couple of gerbera daises inside. You can add some kind of wispy greenery or filler to round it out.  Maybe even put a few votives around the jar, or fill it with marbles.

 

TarHeels&Rebels

Mrs.H.:

If you are on a tight budget I'd save the $ on decorations and concentrate on the food. More people remember that than what the place looked like.

Just my opinion!

This.  My shower didn't have decor - I think the MOH put out a thing of grocery store flowers maybe.   I had four BMs and two of them flaked and wouldn't help pay for the shower, so the other two had to do it themselves on the money they had.  They did Mexican food (frozen quesadillas, etc, from Sam's Club) and margaritas.  Everyone had a great time and it was a blast, all without themey crap that would be bound for the trash after the party.

dublintomadras

I agree with Mrs. H; focus your limited budget on the food because that's what people will really remember.  If you really want to include the pink-black theme, why don't you do a signature pink drink (cosmos, spiked and virgin pink lemonade) in pretty punch bowls or mason jars?  Or pink-frosted cupcakes in a cute cupcake tower (you can buy one with a 40 percent off coupon at Michaels/AC Moore or DIY one with cardboard -- google "DIY cupcake holder" and you'll get some hits).  Food and decor all at once.  Candles, like the pps have suggested, are also a cheap way to class up a spread.

wejustwant2:)

Hi!  If you can... I would host a pink, white and black brunch. (Less expensive food wise and wouldn't need as much alcohol).

Could serve fresh bagels with pink spreads: sundried tomato cream cheese, smoked salmon cream cheese & strawberry butter (make ahead in cuisinart/food processor).

Pink champagne, pink bellinis, pink punch/juices, pink wine.

Make ahead tomato quiches, salads, pre-cooked bacon and sausages. 

I also have a great make-ahead french toast with apples recipe that you put together the night before and then pop in the oven day of.  Let me know if you need it and I will dig it up and post.

Pink, white and black donuts would be great and of course pink cake, muffins etc.

Pink "blush" or Vodka Sauce Pasta with chicken.  Lobster or Tomato soup...

For Decor - love all the ideas posted - also get together your bridesmaids/friends/family and see who might have pink lights, pink platters, bowls, vases, plates, glasses etc. that you could borrow.

Also - could buy pink, black and white umbrellas to decorate with.  You can always use an umbrella for a "shower" - is very practical.

Cheers!

 Please let us know what you end up doing.

busybodyk

A good inexpensive menu:

 Salad Bar

Romaine lettuce

field greens

cherry tomatoes

cucumbers

shredded carrots

croutons

olives

chickpeas

smoked turkey or ham cubes

dried cranberries 

almond slivers

grated cheese

Potato salad

Egg Salad

Tuna Salad

Chips & dips

rolls

don't forget the dressing

 

 

missmeow03

THANKS!!! great suggestions.. yall rock!

almostjones

I recently hosted a bridal shower and was able to decorate simply & beautifully for not a lot of money at all.

Here's what I did:

Photos:  I gathered up all of my 4x6 picture frames and printed lots of pictures of the happy couple.  I saved them from Facebook and then sent them via the CVS website to CVS for printing.  Printing the pictures was $0.16 each and of course the frames were free.  I placed frames on the mantle with a hot pink gerbera daisy between each frame, then placed frames all around the party area.

Flowers:  I got pink and white gerbera daisies from the grocery store, but if you have a wholesale club membership that's even better.  Then I got plain glass vases for like $4 each from Wal-Mart and made my own arrangements.  My favorite one was a broad but short round bowl in which I placed three daisy blossoms so that they floated.  I had one large arrangement in the middle of the food table, one medium sized arrangement near the cake (which was on my bar), and the small floating arrangement in the center of the coffee table. 

 

The decor was simple but it worked.  Good luck!