Somtimes planning a baby shower can get expensive. Most people want to spend more of their money on food and decorations. If your wallet can't get a huge "weight loss," I have some ideas for saving you money!
Tim and I saved money following these ideas, some of which are my own.
CAKE
Buying a cake is a good idea if you want to spend at least $16-30 dollars. But if you want to save money, you can ask a friend or neighbor or do it yourself and bake a sheet cake and purchase a few cake decorations! Most baby shower cakes have white frosting and are trimmed with either blue or pink frosting!
Here is a link for ideas for recipes:
Baby Shower cakes
http://entertaining.about.com/blbabycakes.htm
DRINKS
Your guest can get thristy. Why not serve lemonade or punch to your guests. One of my favorities is called Pregnancy punch!
Pregnancy Punch
4 liters of Sprite®
1 gallon of rainbow sherbert
Buy the ice cream in half gallon containers. Take the first half gallon out and place it in the punch bowl.
Add a two liter container of Sprite® to the bowl and as it melts use an ice cream scoop to break off bits of the ice cream.
Freshen up as necessary with additional ice cream and Sprite®.
For a flavorful flare consider adding fruit.
or try this version of Pregnancy Punch
Hawaiian Punch
Sprite
Mix together with about 2/3 of it being Hawaiian Punch or to taste. It's very simple but tastes very good! Compliments every time.
FOODS
While it may sound appealing to just order food trays of prepared finger foods, you might want to save money by making your own food to serve to guests.
Fruit Salad
This can either be fruit you prepare, or some you buy already cut up from your grocery. You can even use frozen fruit mixtures if you choose. You can serve this either in a nice bowl, or if you are preparing the fruit, hollow out a melon (such as watermelon, honeydew or cantalope) and use that to hold the diced fruit. Another serving idea would be to place the fruit onto wooden skewers. This method is especially handy if you are also serving a dip for your fruit. You could also slice apples and serve them with a yummy dip just for apples.
Apple Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream together and serve with slices of Granny Smith apples.
Veggie Tray
Again, you can prepare this yourself. You can use ranch dressing for dip, or you can make a dip or two on your own.
Easy Veggie Dip
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz Catalina dressing
Mix together until well creamed. Serve in bowl with vegetable crudites.
APPETIZERS
Everyone often makes finger sandwiches because it is inexpensive and easier for the guest to have a hand free for their punch! You can make a ton of chicken salad sandwiches with a couple of fryers. Just each one in a crock pot the day before the shower and a few friends and family to help make them.
But if you want something different here are a few ideas:
Southern style
Vegetarian
A lighter
Flair
Barbeques and grilling: Letting Dad in on the fun
DECORATIONS AND FAVORS
What would a baby shower be without decorations and shower party favors! You don't have to go "all out" for your shower but you do want it to have some sense that it is a social gathering!
Votive candles
I had a friend save me some empty baby food jars and we used them to place votive candles to place along the buffet table.
They add a great accent to your shower.
Balloons
You don't have to rent a helium pump, just buy a small package of balloons, get your hot aired filled friends and blow some balloons and tack them to the wall, serving table or the gift area.
Favors
This is a very inexpensive but cute gift idea for the guests to take home. You will need:
standard plastic spoons (blue or pink) or both
lace large cotton balls
small plastic babies (plastic babies can be bought at almost any cake supply store or party favor store.
Glue the lace around the outer edges of the spoon.
Then glue a cotton ball to each bowl of the spoon.
Get your small plastic babies and glue them atop each cotton ball.
for a special touch you can type a little label with the mom's name and date of the baby shower on your computer and then cut out each label to fit the inside part of the handle on the spoon. And for a final touch made a little bow and glued it just above the cotton ball.
Baby Sock Corsage
give the guests or to use to single out special guests like the mother-to-be, grandmothers, etc.
Baby Sock Corsage
Well, I hope these ideas help you on your way to having a wonderful baby shower that won't break the bank!
If anyone wants to add any ideas, please add to this thread!
Roxanna!!
Tim and I saved money following these ideas, some of which are my own.
CAKE
Buying a cake is a good idea if you want to spend at least $16-30 dollars. But if you want to save money, you can ask a friend or neighbor or do it yourself and bake a sheet cake and purchase a few cake decorations! Most baby shower cakes have white frosting and are trimmed with either blue or pink frosting!
Here is a link for ideas for recipes:
Baby Shower cakes
http://entertaining.about.com/blbabycakes.htm
DRINKS
Your guest can get thristy. Why not serve lemonade or punch to your guests. One of my favorities is called Pregnancy punch!
Pregnancy Punch
4 liters of Sprite®
1 gallon of rainbow sherbert
Buy the ice cream in half gallon containers. Take the first half gallon out and place it in the punch bowl.
Add a two liter container of Sprite® to the bowl and as it melts use an ice cream scoop to break off bits of the ice cream.
Freshen up as necessary with additional ice cream and Sprite®.
For a flavorful flare consider adding fruit.
or try this version of Pregnancy Punch
Hawaiian Punch
Sprite
Mix together with about 2/3 of it being Hawaiian Punch or to taste. It's very simple but tastes very good! Compliments every time.
FOODS
While it may sound appealing to just order food trays of prepared finger foods, you might want to save money by making your own food to serve to guests.
Fruit Salad
This can either be fruit you prepare, or some you buy already cut up from your grocery. You can even use frozen fruit mixtures if you choose. You can serve this either in a nice bowl, or if you are preparing the fruit, hollow out a melon (such as watermelon, honeydew or cantalope) and use that to hold the diced fruit. Another serving idea would be to place the fruit onto wooden skewers. This method is especially handy if you are also serving a dip for your fruit. You could also slice apples and serve them with a yummy dip just for apples.
Apple Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream together and serve with slices of Granny Smith apples.
Veggie Tray
Again, you can prepare this yourself. You can use ranch dressing for dip, or you can make a dip or two on your own.
Easy Veggie Dip
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz Catalina dressing
Mix together until well creamed. Serve in bowl with vegetable crudites.
APPETIZERS
Everyone often makes finger sandwiches because it is inexpensive and easier for the guest to have a hand free for their punch! You can make a ton of chicken salad sandwiches with a couple of fryers. Just each one in a crock pot the day before the shower and a few friends and family to help make them.
But if you want something different here are a few ideas:
Southern style
Vegetarian
A lighter
Flair
Barbeques and grilling: Letting Dad in on the fun
DECORATIONS AND FAVORS
What would a baby shower be without decorations and shower party favors! You don't have to go "all out" for your shower but you do want it to have some sense that it is a social gathering!
Votive candles
I had a friend save me some empty baby food jars and we used them to place votive candles to place along the buffet table.
They add a great accent to your shower.
Balloons
You don't have to rent a helium pump, just buy a small package of balloons, get your hot aired filled friends and blow some balloons and tack them to the wall, serving table or the gift area.
Favors
This is a very inexpensive but cute gift idea for the guests to take home. You will need:
standard plastic spoons (blue or pink) or both
lace large cotton balls
small plastic babies (plastic babies can be bought at almost any cake supply store or party favor store.
Glue the lace around the outer edges of the spoon.
Then glue a cotton ball to each bowl of the spoon.
Get your small plastic babies and glue them atop each cotton ball.
for a special touch you can type a little label with the mom's name and date of the baby shower on your computer and then cut out each label to fit the inside part of the handle on the spoon. And for a final touch made a little bow and glued it just above the cotton ball.
Baby Sock Corsage
give the guests or to use to single out special guests like the mother-to-be, grandmothers, etc.
Baby Sock Corsage
Well, I hope these ideas help you on your way to having a wonderful baby shower that won't break the bank!
If anyone wants to add any ideas, please add to this thread!
Roxanna!!
