One of the best things about having a baby shower is that family and friends get a chance to show soon-to-be parents how much they are loved and cared about. Listed below are 10 tips for planning a unique low cost baby shower.
1. First, you must choose a theme. The theme will act as a guide for the baby Shower. The theme will be reflected in your invitations, decorations, and food choices.
2. Use Evite or Tiny Prints to send out your invitations or make your own (some of tiny print’s unique and beautiful designs are reflected above and below). Evite is a great resource for keeping your RSVP list in check and emailing reminders to your guest for free. However, if your guest are not into technology consider making your own or using Tiny prints to offer a more traditional invitation. Michaels also offers several paper choices and stamps that can really make your invitations look professional and memorable. If you decide to use Evite guest can also upload the pictures they took and share them with everyone.
Tiny prints offers a large variety of beautiful invitations that you can personalize.
3. Don’t forget to use coupons when you can. Michaels, always has coupons for their merchandise. Usually the coupon is 40% off of one item, but if you plan early you can buy things weekly at a low cost. After you purchase and item they automatically give you a coupon for the next week with a percentage off. If you sign up for their advertisements online you will be provided with additional coupons often. Lastly, your local/Sunday newspaper may contain Michaels coupons as well. If you are going to buy off of the internet, remember to Ebates so that you will get some cash back. Follow Tiny Prints on twitter because they often tweet their special promotions.
4. Come up with a menu. If you are trying to be mindful about the cost. Consider an Ice cream party. Purchase a variety of flavors and add the options of cones or bowls. Don’t forget to look for creative toppings that everyone will enjoy. If you decide on ice cream you can take it a step further by having a decorating ice cream contest. Whoever makes the most creative/coolest looking baby using the ice cream wins a prize.
5. Entertain with fun games. Let your guest play practical games that will get them interacting with each other. One of the games that I have enjoyed the most at showers is the Piggy Bank Game. The planner will need to buy or make a bank for the new baby. When the guest are ready for the next game ask them to find the person who brought the most change with them. After they empty all of their change out of their pockets or purses, give the person who brought the most change with them a prize. Then collect all of the change for the baby’s first bank. In addition, keeping with the ice cream theme, one of the games could be “Guest That Flavor.” Choose several guest to guess which flavor of ice cream is being offered. The taste test should be done before people are eating the ice cream. Otherwise, this game would be too easy.
6. Theme your Gifts. If the bride did not register invite your guest to bring specific gifts like books, toys, feeding items, or just sleeping related items for the new baby.
7. Low cost clean up. Ask family and friends to help clean up after the shower. If your baby shower is at a public venue or outside location their fees often include clean, just confirm beforehand whether or not it does.
8. Leave the parents with original unique one-of-a-kind gifts. Gifts from people’s heart often touch us the most, so provide a sentimental activity for the guests to make like bib or onesie decorating. Buy paint markers that are permanent on fabric or fabric bottled paint. Tell the guests to write encouraging messages to the parents for the baby to wear as he or she grows. Discount stores like Big lots and Ross usually have onsies on sale for cheap prices. Ikea also has packs of bibs on sale for inexpensive prices. as well.
9. Choose a location. Location often depends on the time of season, but here are some low cost options.
Summer, spring or fall – Have the shower outside in someones back yard or at a pavilion at the park (for shade buy a canopy, or use trees).
Winter – Have it in someone’s home or your local country club, recreational center, or church.
10. Provide personalized favors. Consider making your own favors like lollipops, cupcakes, etc. Michaels list several ideas on their website. Tiny Prints also has beautiful favors that may fit your theme.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a Tiny Prints gift code worth $50, plus 25 FREE Tiny Prints greeting cards. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
About Tiny Prints:
Tiny Prints helps you get together, keep in touch and share your love—one little card at a time. Tiny Prints was started in 2003 by three friends and a dream. With a shared a love of babies and an affinity for beautiful paper, they set out to create a stationery company that would offer the experience of a local boutique
with the ease of an online retailer. Specializing in the celebration of all of life’s special occasions, we’re thrilled to offer a fresh selection of exclusive designs, from birth announcements and baby shower invitations to personal stationery and more, delivered with the best customer service you can find online or in stores.
Stop by the Tiny Prints Blog and follow us on Twitter @TinyPrints to discover news, trends and creative inspiration for social stationery, family celebrations and so much more!
More info: http://www.tinyprints.com
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*Image credit pixabay.com