How to throw a bridal shower on a budget

Summary:

• Bridal showers can cost up to $100 or more per guest. Creating a realistic budget is an important first step in the planning process.

• Having an early conversation with the bride helps focus spending on what matters most to her while keeping the overall budget on track.

• Simple strategies—like borrowing decorations, sending digital invitations and choosing an affordable venue—can significantly reduce expenses.

• Serving brunch, buffet-style meals or a limited menu helps keep food costs manageable while still offering guests a memorable experience.

Between impressive floral arches and customized sugar cookies, throwing a picture-perfect bridal shower that wows on social media can be pricey.

The cost of a bridal shower can vary widely depending on choices like the venue, guest count, food and extras such as decorations, party favors, games and invitations. If you’re hosting at a venue you can typically expect to spend about $50 to $100 per person, according to Brides. That can add up quickly as your guest list grows.

The good news is you can honor the bride and your budget at the same time. A bridal shower with simple refreshments at the host’s home, for example, can cost much less per person. You just need to use some creative tips for budget bridal showers to make the event more affordable.

Wondering how to throw a bridal shower on a budget? Follow these six tips and there’s a good chance you’ll have more fun and less financial stress:

The first step for how to throw a bridal shower on a budget is to know the goals up front so you can understand where to invest your time and money. Sit down with the bride (or, if it’s a surprise, talk to a friend or family member) and set expectations and a budget to match.

Personal finance coach Emma Leigh Geiser shares her starting tip for budget bridal showers: “Plan an event that honors who the bride truly is and what you can provide, without sacrificing your financial well-being.”

Geiser, who helps women in their 20s and 30s with personal financial challenges, recommends learning what the bride pictures for her celebration and which traditions are most important to her. Be honest about how much you can afford to spend on the bridal shower, Geiser says. And don’t be shy about saying the bridal shower is your wedding gift to the bride.

If the bride wants to have her bridal shower at a high-priced restaurant, find creative ways to lower other costs to still plan a bridal shower on a budget. Bring your own cake to the venue, for example, or keep the guest list small. If the bride is a foodie and wants high-quality dishes, you could spend most of the budget on a favorite caterer. Then consider hosting the event at someone’s home and doing just a few decorations so your budget isn’t needed elsewhere.

You don’t have to pay the entire cost of the party yourself. Consider cohosting with the rest of the bridal party or one of the bride’s family members. Have willing volunteers help with specific tasks.

When personal finance blogger Becky Beach had her bridal shower, her sister-in-law took on the catering. She served inexpensive bites purchased from a wholesale club, including sausage rolls, crab cakes, apple crisp tarts and cream puffs. With so many great appetizers, you may not even need a main meal.

If, for example, you assign tasks or items that cost $30 each to six people, you’ll save $180. Some popular responsibilities to have people help with include:

• Appetizers

• Desserts

• Drinks

• Invitations

• Favors

• Games and prizes

You don’t have to necessarily come up with a theme first. Among the tips for budget bridal showers is to see what props or decorations are available for free. Do you know someone who threw a bridal shower and has leftover decorations or party favors? Maybe a friend’s home decor items will work—things like globes and vintage items, which can be transformed into a travel theme.

Even store clearance items can help decide your theme’s direction. For example, a home decor or craft store might have highly discounted artwork. The trick is to look past the art and focus on the frame, Beach says. Can you replace the artwork with a picture of the happy couple? Maybe you can take out the glass, glue twine to the back and use it for hanging wedding wishes from the guests.

Learning how to throw a bridal shower on a budget becomes easier if you’re able to get off-season items from a party or outdoor store—such as tiki lamps or beach house decorations—which could make for a fun tropical theme.

When planning a bridal shower on a budget, don’t forget to ask friends and family members if you can borrow other party items, such as cake stands, vases and tablecloths. They might even have unopened gifts or stationery sets that you can use as prizes for games.

If you’re open to skipping paper invitations, online invitation services allow you to create your own designs and send to however many guests you’d like for free, Geiser says. You can easily save around $100 on invitations for a guest list of 30 with a free online invite. Some services provide templates to choose from, which makes the process easier.

If you’re wondering how to throw a bridal shower on a budget and still keep guests entertained, search online for bridal shower games that can be printed for free or at a low cost. You could also go the DIY route. For example, play guess what’s in the bride’s purse—it’s even more fun if the bride doesn’t know this game will be played.

For decorations, focus on one area that’ll make the biggest impression. If the bridal shower is hosted in someone’s home, go all out decorating only one room. If the bridal shower is at a venue like a restaurant, work on fancying up one wall. Whether at a home or elsewhere, create a focal point to give the bride and guests the perfect spot for photos.

When you’re planning a bridal shower on a budget, look for a low-cost venue that has unique characteristics. “Choose a space that is its own fantastic backdrop,” Geiser says. She recommends a house with natural light and great landscaping to cut down on decorating costs.

Hosting the party at the home of a friend or family member of the bride is ideal, since it would be free. “We all know at least one person who has a killer house. Ask them if they wouldn’t mind hosting,” Geiser says. (Be sure to preview the site before the bridal shower.) Another good choice: Apartment buildings and condos often have clubhouses or event rooms that can be used for free or rented for a low fee. See if any of your bride’s family or friends have access to one of these areas.

Other local resources can serve as low-cost venues when you’re working on how to throw a bridal shower on a budget. A park, for example, might have a nice garden or an indoor space that could be used. Research your town’s website for tips on how to book local venues. Some sites might require a small fee, early bookings or have other restrictions, so work on choosing a space as soon as you have the date of the bridal shower.

Whether you’re hosting the bridal shower at a restaurant or at someone’s home, schedule a morning brunch or appetizers and salads in the late afternoon when guests are in-between meals. Breakfast dishes, such as an egg casserole or French toast bake, can often cost less to make than a meat-centered entree, Beach adds.

If you’re in charge of preparing food, a tip for budget bridal showers is to stick with quick and easy options. “You don’t have to cook and create everything yourself,” Beach says. “There are so many beautifully crafted hors d’oeuvres you can get prepackaged.”

If you’re hosting the bridal shower at a restaurant, ask if they offer a buffet option instead of a sit-down plated meal. Buffets are typically more affordable because they require less from the service staff. According to WeddingWire, plated catering averages about $40 per person, while buffets are around $27 per person.

If the bride is set on sit-down dining, narrow down the menu options to a few entree choices. You don’t have to share full menus with guests. (Adding the bride’s name to the top of a personalized menu is also a nice touch.) In addition to being a tip for budget bridal showers, this strategy can also speed up the ordering and serving process. That means more time for games and opening gifts. Win-win!

Here’s a quick recap of our guide on how to throw a bridal shower on a budget:

• Set priorities early so your budget reflects what’s most important to the bride and helps prevent unnecessary spending.

• Look for creative ways to cut costs, such as borrowing decorations, sending digital invitations, choosing an affordable venue and sharing responsibilities with friends and family.

• Keep food expenses under control with budget-friendly options like buffets, pre-made appetizers or a limited menu. 

The most important thing to remember, according to Geiser: “What actually makes the event are the attendees, the conversation and the fun you create as a group celebrating the bride.”

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