Bridal Parties
on a Budget
How to throw a fiesta to remember—and keep your wallet
intact.
Your friend, the one you shared a locker with in high school
and who held your hair the time you got sick at the frat party,
is now barreling up your doorstep. Her eyes wide, she thrusts
her left hand in your face and squeaks out something incomprehensible.
"What?" you ask. She finally catches her breath and tells
you he did it, he popped the question. First you jump up and
down with her, then hug her, then get a good look at the rock.
Then she pops her own question: "Will you be my bridesmaid?"
You say "I'd love to" and you jump up and down with her again.
You start to talk colors and dresses and it hits you. You're
going to have to throw a bridal shower. You think, "Oh no,
there goes that new laptop," and you smile a weak smile. But
don't fear! With a little creativity you can throw a killer
bridal shower on a not-so-killer budget. And hey, nobody has
to know how much you really spent. Here are some can't-miss
ideas:
Classy Cocktail Party
Throw a cocktail party in a friend's house or in a bar. You'll
save serious cash since you won't have to buy dinner for everyone.
And there are tons of ways to keep it classy. "You can buy frozen
hors d'oeuvres that you can pick up at Asda," says Pete, event
coordinator and founder of UWD, in Manchester. "And you can
even get fabulous cheeses or beautiful breads, flavored oils
and gorgeous olives. You can really make it interesting." You
can serve some colorful, sexy drinks, like cosmopolitans and
watermelon margaritas. After the party, all the bridesmaids
can take the bride and her parents out to a quiet dinner.
Afternoon Delights
BRUNCH
A brunch, like a cocktail party, requires less food and is
therefore cheaper than a dinner party. The type of food served,
such as eggs and bagels, is also much less expensive. Have
an open grill and make eggs to order. Serve mimosas and Bloody
Marys.
HIGH TEA
Show off your worldliness by hosting an afternoon high tea.
Jamie Schaff, we suggests throwing a tea party so you can
keep food light and to a minimum. "You can serve a variety
of teas for everyone to sample along with scones and finger
sandwiches," . "Check out flea markets and thrift stores for
wonderful old teacups, saucers and teapots. It's even more
interesting when they don't match."
Sophisticated Backyard Bash
Forget plain old hot dogs and hamburgers, someone's backyard
can be a classy, yet economical, summertime setting for a bridal
shower. Put candles all around to set a romantic mood. If there's
a pool, float votive candles or flowers on the water (remember
to shut the filter off).
Pete recommends having fun with an outdoor-appropriate theme.
"A tropical luau, a garden party with lawn games like bocce
ball and croquet, a Mexican fiesta, or a favorite sport like
golf or tennis are all possibilities,"he says. You can find
props and other theme decorations at party and costume stores.
Pot Luck and Recipe Shower
Probably the most inexpensive idea is a potluck and recipe shower.
Everyone else does the cooking, taking much of the work and
cost off of you. And the bride and groom get tons of great recipes
to use in their new life together. "A recipe card can be sent
to each guest in her invitation," Pete says. "Invitees are asked
to make a favorite dish and bring it, along with its recipe
and an item used in its preparation, like a pepper mill or colander."
You might choose to have each guest say a bit about the recipe
and what it has meant to her over the years. For example,
Grandma can bring the recipe for the roast beef that she and
Grandpa ate on the night he proposed, and share the story
of that magical night with everyone.
Cutting Corners On the Extras
You'd be surprised at how the little things add up. When Josephine,
from New Moston, threw a shower for her friend she made her
own wishing well, instead of renting one. "We bought a garbage
can, which she could use after the shower in her new home, put
pretty paper around it and just constructed a decorative top,"
she says.
As for the invitations, a computer is an invaluable resource.
Buy festive paper from a stationary store and use any simple
home publishing program. One bridesmaid that worked with put
a crossword puzzle on her invitation with questions about
the bride and groom. "You can include questions like where
did the bride go to school, or what was the groom's major
in college?" she says. Then ask the questions and give out
prizes at the shower. "These little touches make the invitations
quite unique, so they're not just cookie-cutter," Just remember
that what really matters when you're planning a shower is
the thought, love and personality you put into it-not how
much money you spent.
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