how to give a cute, simple, fun baby shower on a budget?

Question

my friends baby shower is a couple months away and i volunteered to throw it any good tips for games, decor, and snax oh and the party favors let me know i want it to be really classy and modern! : )

Answer 1

I have a few money saving ideas that will take you some time to gather but will definitely save you money.

For decorations, instead of going with the whole "baby" thing - go with a pastel theme. Then you are not limited to any one color, as long as you have the opportunity to pick up pastel colored items pick them up. It also does not limit you to party stores which are often more expensive than walmart or even better the dollar store. Everytime you go into a discount store pick up a pack of lavendar plates and cups if they have them. When you go into the dollar store if they have baby blue plastic forks pick them up. As long as you stay in this pastel color palate you will be fine. Also get some baby's breath flowers instead of bouquets of pastel flowers. They look quite stunning in different shaped and sized vases all around your space. Gather vases from everyone you know. They are quite inexpensive. Also get pastel candles and put them in candle holders all over the place. Hit the dollar store for the candle holders. If you get really fancy you can wrap pastel colored ribbons on them with the date and time written on it and give them as favors.

There are a ton of party games out there, but I think that most party games at showers basically stink. Instead of having people fill up their time playing games have each of your guests take a picture with the future mother and leave her a little note on card stock paper. Then at the end you can make her a nice scrapbook with the notes from her guests and a picture. Make doubles of the pictures and send the picture in the thank you card. This is another opportunity for favors. Get inexpensive 4x6 picture frames.

As for snacks it would depend on the time of the day. If you are trying to keep it modern it is all going to depend on the way that you present your food. For example, don't have all of the food gathered in one place. This does two things: 1.) It initiates conversation - "that looks good, where'd you get if from 2.) It takes a lot of the emphasis off the food saving you money. You can make some cheese straws with puff pastry for less than 5 bucks. Serve them in champagne flutes or any tall glass. Put 10 in each glass and have them dispersed around the house. Another yummy thing that looks pretty is finger sandwiches. You can make about 40 finger sandwiches for about $10 if you make a cucumber with herbed cheese, tomato and mayo, and tuna salad. Serve them on different sized trays that you have wrapped in tin foil and decorated with just the heads of roses. Another good inexpensive appetizer is frozen quiche. Everyone loves them and they are good hot or room temperature. My final suggestion would be some warm brie with crusty bread.

Answer 2

You will need the cake, of course, punch, coffee, tea...maybe some nuts and mints. You don't need party favors but you do need two or three gifts for the winners of the games. If you know whether the child is a girl or boy you can decorate in white and blue for a girl, white and pink for a boy. Use streamers and balloons to decorate; they are not too expensive. Some games are: take both parents' first names and put them on slips of paper. Have guests find as many boy's names and/or girl's names as they can using only the letters in the two first names (only as many times as they appear in the names). The person who, after three or four minutes, has the most names is the winner. Then there is the string you put around the pregnant mom's waist. Wrap it firmly, but not tightly and cut it. Show it to the guests and have them estimate (on paper) how many inches she is around. The one who is closest to the real size wins. Another fun game is make a list of baby related things, diapers, blankets, crib, stroller, teddy bear, nursery, crib sheets, pacifier, etc. Mix all the letters up in each word until it is unrecognizable. Keep the real list for yourself! Make copies of the mixed up list and have guests figure out the original baby-related word. The person who gets the most correct wins. Prizes for the winners can be anything from dish towels and pot holders to candles. Have fun!

Answer 3

Decor- have each guest email you a baby pix of them self- blow it up at Kinko's and use as decor PLUS "Name that Baby Face" game... voting boxes under each snapshot on who they think pix is- person who is able to fool the most people wins

This will also work for cards filled out with Embarrassing Parental Moments- they put down time when they forgot car seat on top of car, or put diaper on backwards or so sleepy they brushed their teeth with diaper rash creme. (willlet the new parent know No ONE is Perfect!)... have new parent pull and read cards aloud and guilty party can elaborate on story. You'll probably be surprised how many others have done same!

Food-
1) Mini everything- finger sandwiches, baby cheescakes or quiches ( alot of the time you can buy them prepared and frozen) wienies wrapped in a dough diaper (pigs in a blanket:)
2) platters or trays they can serve themselves
3) Fondues-- hot cheese or gravy sauces for items on a skewer to dip

Party Favors- choco bar wrapped in gift wrap paper with some kind of Youth is wasted on the young quotes you can find of internet and make with a labeler or marker

Answer 4

Have a chocolate fountain with Fruit, Cheese fondue pot with french bread cubes, Veggie and Dip Tray, Crockpot with Pre-cooked meatballs with a sauce made of equal parts Ketchup and Grape Jelly, Punch made with 2L Gingerale & 1 Frozen White Grape Juice, Have a local bakery (Target is great!) make cupcakes that look like little babies with pacifiers.

make little pacifiers where you take a 2 white life savers and make a handle with a round on top by using icing to hold it together and then use icing to put a DOT candy on top, cute pacifier!

For decorations, Find a balloon shop that sells latex balloons that look like donuts. You will blow that one up there and also blow up a regular balloon and a long skinny kind. You tie the round to the handle through the donut one and it makes a pacifier balloon - way cute! http://www.balloonhaven.com/deliveries/del12.html

Make your own Diaper Cake centerpiece... There are 2 baby bottles in the center to hold it together! Diapers rolled up with rubberbands around each layer. Decorate how you wish!
http://www.thediapercake.com/

Answer 5

You already have lots of good ideas here but, here's one more. Buy a bunch of onezies and/or bibs at a Costco or B.J.'s and some fabric markers or paint. Have the guests decorate them for the expectant Mom. Every time Mama changes he baby she will think of each guest. Hope you like the idea.

Answer 6

Party City has a hole section of stuff. make a diaper cake. have lots of pink or blue ballons. if the baby has a name already tie that in. play the pin game. chit chat it is supposed to be pretty casual. ask er if there is anything special she would like to do. google it.

Answer 7

for my sisters baby shower we took bottles you can get at the dollar store filled them with juice and the first person who finnished thier bottle won a small gift. we also guessed how big my sister's tummy is. We took ribbon and guessed how long it would have to be to go around her tummy.

snacks we served were

Ranch-Style Party Dip

INGREDIENTS
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1/2 (16 ounce) jar mayonnaise
1/2 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 (8 ounce) container cottage cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together dry ranch-style dressing mix, mayonnaise, sour cream, cottage cheese, lemon juice, garlic salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Chill in the refrigerator until serving. can be served with potato chips, veggies, or bread makes 20 servings

Easy Snack Wraps serves 20 Calories: 67

INGREDIENTS
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1/3 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 head lettuce
1/3 (6 ounce) package sliced deli-style turkey
2/3 cup shredded carrots
2/3 cup minced tomato

DIRECTIONS
Spread cream cheese evenly over the tortillas. Top the cream cheese with lettuce leaves. Arrange the turkey slices in even layers on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle the carrots and tomato over the turkey slices. Roll the tortillas into wraps. Cut the wraps diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Secure with toothpicks.

punch

INGREDIENTS
2 (750 milliliter) bottles sparkling apple cider
1 liter carbonated water
3 large oranges
2 lemons
1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 trays ice cubes

DIRECTIONS
Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Gently stir in the seltzer water and the sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste. Add large block of ice.

Blue Cheese Turkey Rolls

serves 20

INGREDIENTS
1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1-1/4 cups cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon sour cream
2-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
10 dashes garlic powder
20 slices thinly sliced deli turkey
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spread over each slice of turkey; roll up each from a long side. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chilled. Cut into 1-in. slices. Dip one cut end into parsley. Serve immediately.

Answer 8

well,,go to the dollar store...they have lots of baby iteams that can give you ideas and tips and its cheap....good luck