How to throw a baby shower on a budget?

by Bonjour Baby Showers

Hosting a baby shower doesn’t have to break the bank. Our top tips will help you to stay within budget and create a beautiful and memorable baby shower for the mummy to be.

Co-Hosting

Co-hosting a baby shower with friends, is a great way to share the cost and makes the planning more manageable and fun.

OUR TOP TIP: Delegate tasks such as tracking RSVP’s, menu planning and flowers to help the shower run smoothly and keep the experience stress free.

Budget

Setting a budget is important to help you keep track and not overspend. Work out how much you want to spend on each element of the day and start planning as early as possible, to spread the cost across multiple pay days.

OUR TOP TIP: Google Docs is a free and useful tool to help you track of any all costs and can be edited by multiple people at the same time.

Location

Hosting a baby shower at someone’s house is a great way to keep the cost down and feels a lot more intimate than a venue. It also allows great control over the menu, layout and timings – just make sure that you have enough chairs for all of your guests. If you are feeling creative, you could even host the baby shower in a park or use a local village hall.

OUR TOP TIP: Set up a designated space for all presents and cards to maximise space, this can also double as part of the decor and create a great centrepiece.

Invitations

Whilst paper invitations help mark the momentous occasion, there are a number of ways to still have personal invitations without the cost. Paperless post have a range of beautiful designs that can be customized and sent to your guests via email for free or a minimal cost. Alternatively for a more personal touch, you can also make your own invitations with white or kraft paper and decorate them with confetti, balloons and wax seals.

OUR TOP TIP: A whatsapp group chat is a great way to communicate with all guests, delegate tasks and keep a track of RSVP’s – just make sure to not add the mummy to be to the group, so you don’t spoil any surprises.

Baby Shower invitation with wax seal budget

Decorations and Games

Our ‘Baby Shower in a Box’ comes with all the decorations and games you will need to throw a beautiful baby shower with ease, plus a FREE Baby Shower Planning Checklist. Our terrazzo print bunting and rose gold banner provide a great backdrop for photos with the mummy to be and our baby prediction cards also double as a great keepsake for the new parents to be.

OUR TOP TIP: Split the cost between friends and guests, to help make it more manageable and to stay within budget. Make sure to bring sticky tape or tac with you to ensure you can assemble all the items at the venue.

Baby shower in a box Bonjour Baby Showers

Food

Hosting a baby shower in the morning or afternoon, can be a great way to reduce the cost as everyone won't be expecting a big meal.

OUR TOP TIP: Ask your guests to bring a sweet or savoury dish of their choice, to help spread the cost and to have a large variety of dishes for everyone to enjoy. Finger sandwiches, crudities and dip, a large pasta salad, cupcakes and cookies are very easy to make in bulk and can be inexpensive options.

Baby Shower cupcakes

Flowers

Flowers are a great way to add a special touch to a baby shower. Fresh flowers don't have to be expensive, purchase them the day before from you local supermarket or local flower farm to find some bargains.

OUR TOP TIP: Break your bouquet into smaller displays styled in mason and jam jars, to make your flowers go further and to decorate a larger area. When in season, Sunflowers are a great inexpensive option and create a big impact and pop of colour.

Baby Shower flowers mason jar

Music

Creating a playlist of the mummy to be’s favourite tracks can be a great way to get everyone in the mood. Alternatively check out our baby shower playlist on Spotify for over 50 memorable hits with ‘baby’ in the title.

OUR TOP TIP: Ask your guests to guess the artist or title of the song for an additional fun game. Instead of expensive favours, buy multipack treats to use as prizes for games to keep the cost down.

Add a Personal Touch

Incorporate elements from grandparents and the parents to be to add a special touch to the baby shower. Decorate the venue with baby photos, keepsakes and items passed down from generation to generation, to make the mum to be feel special and cherished.

OUR TOP TIP: Instead of a card and gift, bring along your favourite childhood book with a personal note inside. This is a great gift that the new parents will treasure forever and is a great way to start building up the newborns library.

Baby shower photo polaroid

Gifts

A hamper of all the key essentials will be gratefully received by the mummy to be. It is a great way to stay within budget by sharing the cost amongst guests and to prevent duplicate presents. Looking for inspiration? Check out our gift ideas for all budgets.

OUR TOP TIP: We hear time and time again that the more alternative gifts are the ones that are the most welcomed. Give the new parents the gift of food, by batch cooking your award winning lasagna to go in the freezer ready for when the bundle of joy arrives. If cooking isn’t your forte, COOK sells a great new parents bundle as well as gift cards. Alternatively give the gift of baby sitting, cleaning or a voucher for some pampering.