Save Money On The Wedding & Baby Shower
March 31, 2008
Planning on having a wedding or baby shower soon? Getting favors is a nice way of saying thank you to your guests for coming. Here are some tips for saving money when purchasing baby shower or wedding favors.1) Buy extras off other people - Oftentimes, people get too many favors for their occasion. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Once the celebration is over, however, these people may be willing to sell you their leftover favors at a sharp discount. If you don’t know anyone personally, then look in the classifieds in both local and national papers as well as online auction sites like ebay.
2) Buy in bulk and sell the leftovers - Sometimes you will be able to save money by buying in bulk. You can sell the extras to other people. If you know other people that are having weddings or baby showers, then you can combine your orders and benefit from lower costs and possibly bulk purchase incentives like free shipping.
3) Make your own favors - If you are crafty, then you can make your own favors. Purchase all the materials at your local craft shop or online. Since you are making them from scratch, you can customize and personalize as well. People will appreciate the effort that went into making your own favors.
4) Find a craftsman - If you find a local craftsman or artist, then there is a chance that you can get a great price from them for your favors. Another possibility is an art student that is still in school. They will usually work for less money than a full time professional.
5) Flea markets and thrift shops - Flea markets and thrift shops are great places to locate bargain items. Also check out closeouts, store sales, garage sales, and live auctions. Oftentimes, you can also negotiate prices with these vendors.
As you can see, there are many ways to save money when shopping for gifts for your guests. Follow these tips and you are sure to save money or favors and supplies for your wedding, baby shower, or any other special occasion.
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Themes For Bridal Showers
March 31, 2008
It is the maid of honor’s duty to organize the bridal shower and to ensure that the party is everything the bride expected. The best way to ensure that everyone will have fun is to create a theme around the bridal shower in which everyone can participate in. The following is a list of fun and exciting themes for bridal showers. Choose the one that suits the bride the best:1. Lingerie Bridal Shower - The lingerie theme has become more and more popular in recent years. This type of shower is typically for a younger bride who will be comfortable with the risqué nature of a lingerie bridal shower. Each guest, in lieu of bringing a traditional wedding shower gift, will bring a piece of lingerie for the bride. The groom will reap the benefits of a lingerie shower as well. Chances are the gifts will be put to great use on the honeymoon.
2. Gourmet Bridal Shower - A gourmet bridal shower is perfect for brides who love to cook and sample different kinds of food. Instead of serving traditional snacks like cheese and crackers, ask each guest to bring a gourmet-related dish. Sending out invitations in the shape of foods or hand deliver invitations in an apron to add a little extra pizzazz to your shower.
3. Around-the-Clock Bridal Shower - This is a relatively new bridal shower theme. It requires each guest to bring a gift that the bride and groom can use at a specific point throughout the day. For example, on one person’s invitation it might read 3pm; while on another’s it may read 1am. The gifts are distributed clockwise according to the hours each guest is assigned.
4. Room-of-the-House Bridal Shower - Similar to the “around-the-clock” theme listed above; this theme requires each guest to bring a gift in relation to a specific room in the house. One guest might be assigned the kitchen; while another might receive the bedroom. Each guest would have to choose their gift pertaining to the room on the invitation.
5. Stock the Bar - This theme requires each guest to bring wine, beer, spirits or liquor; which the couple can use to stock their bar at home. You may want to assign each guest a different kind of liquor to ensure that the couple doesn’t end up with 10 bottles of tequila!
The bridal shower theme you choose will have a great impact on the success of your bridal shower. Make sure the theme is suitable for the personality of the bride; otherwise she may be disappointed with the outcome. Also take into consideration the types of gifts the couple could most use. If they already have a stocked bar, a “stock-the-bar” shower won’t be a helpful theme. The outcome of this shower may determine whether or not you’re ever asked to throw another one. But remember, above all, have fun!
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Creating Attractive Bridal Shower Invitations
March 31, 2008
A bridal shower invitations should lay out all of the necessary information, yet still be attractive. One way to do this is to have a picture engraved on the invitation. Ask your engraver to add a small design on the inside of your invitation or wherever you have information about the reception. If, for example, an ice cream social is your theme see if there is an ice cream cone or Sundae dish they can emboss onto the paper without taking away from the main body of the invitation. Remember that subtlety is stylish; you don’t want to come across as overpowering with your theme. It may be difficult sometimes to know who to invite to the bridal shower. As a general rule, the bridal shower hostess or hostesses should invite female family members of both the bride and the groom. She should also invite close female friends of the bride and the bride’s family. She may also want to invite some of the bride-to-be’s co-workers. She should be sure to consult with the bride when compiling the guest list. Try to organize the people invited so some will set up the bridal shower game, someone else will set up the bridal shower favor, and so on. Not everyone invited to the wedding needs to be invited to the shower. However, those invited to the bridal shower are normally invited to the wedding.Information needed on a Bridal Shower Invitation
The bridal shower invitation should include the name of the bride to be, the date and time of the shower, and the address and phone number of the hostess/hostesses. If you are concerned about the attendance at your bridal shower, consider including on the invitation a deadline date for the RSVP; usually about two weeks prior to the shower date.
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