HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
A chic bridal shower doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. With a little creativity, DIY handiwork and some stretched dollars, anyone can host a beautiful bridal shower on a budget.
Simply follow our tips for wallet-friendly decorations, food, drinks, dessert and favors.
Simply follow our tips for wallet-friendly decorations, food, drinks, dessert and favors.
Simply delicious! Make sure you have enough skewers on hand to create your kabobs.
Recipe via All Recipes
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 Cup honey
- 1/3 Cup soy sauce
- 1/4 Tsp ground black pepper
- 8 Whole skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 Whole cloves of garlic, chopped
- 5 Whole small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 Whole red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
Steps
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
- Preheat the grill for high heat.
- Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
- Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.
- Place in the pineapple half as instructed in the Food Tips section.
Party guests will appreciate this healthy yet hearty dish. Serve this on white dishes so that the colors of the vegetables really pop.
Ingredients
- 3 Whole bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 3 Whole red onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 3 Whole large zuchinnis, cut into 2 inch slices
- 3 Whole yellow squash, cut into 2 inch thick slices
- 2 Cup cherry tomatoes, washed and left whole
- 2 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tsp salt
- 1 Tsp finely ground black pepper
Steps
- In a large bowl, put all chopped veggies, soy sauce, olice oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
- Allow veggies to sit in marinade for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Add one piece of veggie at a time to a skewer, alternating types of vegetables.
- Grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes (rotating halfway through) until edges of bell peppers are blackened.
Celebrate With More Great Bridal Shower Tips:
Bridal Shower
Plan Your Party with the best-looking invitations on the web.
Create a simple, enjoyable spread of food for your bridal shower that is also budget-friendly.
Bridal Shower Menu:
1.Mini crustless sandwiches
- Create regular sized sandwiches on sliced whole wheat bread and sliced French bread.
- Use a sharp knife to trim the crust off, then cut the large sandwich into quarters to create four mini sandwiches. Use toothpicks in the middle of each mini sandwich to help hold them together.
- Serve stacked on a cake stand or tiered dessert platter to mimic an English tea service.
2. French fries
- Try the Ore Ida crispy brand; simply place frozen fries on a baking sheet for 12 minutes and voila, you have delicious fries.
- Create individual serving sizes by filling double tall shot glasses with a handful of fries.
- Arrange the shot glasses on a large platter so guests can pick up one shot glass worth of fries at a time.
- Put out a few small bowls (ramekin dishes work well for this, too) with different sauces, such as: ranch, sweet and sour sauce, and ketchup.
3. Heart-shaped pita with hummus dip
- Buy pita bread and hummus dip from the store, and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create small heart-shaped pita slices for guests to nibble on.
- Transfer the store-bought hummus into a pretty bowl and place in the middle of a platter.
- Stack the heart-shaped pita bread around the perimeter of the plate (so that they surround the bowl).
4. Chicken skewers
See Recipe section.
- Serve chicken skewers in style by cutting a pineapple in half lengthwise.
- With the prickly side facing up (and the yellow pineapple side facing downward on a plate), insert the chicken skewers into the pineapple in rows so that they stick straight up like porcupine quills.
- As people eat the skewers, replace the empty spots with new chicken skewers.
5. Grilled veggie skewers
Check out our Recipes section of this article to find detailed instructions on creating each item.
- Serve the same way as the chicken skewers (see above). Or, cut a honeydew melon in half, edible fruit side facing down (on a plate), and insert the skewers into the skin side.
If you think that cocktails are out of your budget, think again!
Create pretty punch bowls filled with delicious alcoholic punch that guests can serve themselves from. Crystal punch bowls look beautiful lined up on a table, plus serving a few limited drink options for the bridal shower cuts down on alcohol costs dramatically.
Whereas a bottle of champagne only pours 5 or so glasses, our Mimosa Punch recipe only requires one bottle for an entire bowl of punch!
Create pretty punch bowls filled with delicious alcoholic punch that guests can serve themselves from. Crystal punch bowls look beautiful lined up on a table, plus serving a few limited drink options for the bridal shower cuts down on alcohol costs dramatically.
Whereas a bottle of champagne only pours 5 or so glasses, our Mimosa Punch recipe only requires one bottle for an entire bowl of punch!
For delicious recipes to try, read our Bridal Shower Punch Recipes article.
Bridal Shower Partyware
Inexpensive, yet stylish
Decorate the bridal shower with a few simple, cost-effective items, including flowers, plants and lanterns.
Floral Arrangements
Sometimes floral arrangements are viewed as an unnecessary expense, but they can be quite affordable and really transform the look and feel of a room.
Tips to Save on Floral Costs:
- To keep the costs down on your flowers, visit a local florist and see if you can order 100 stems of one kind of flower. Ask if he or she is willing to give you only a small markup on the wholesale cost if you arrange the flowers yourself.
- Collect unique vases for the floral arrangements. Create ambiance with watering cans, unique glass bowls, tea kettles and pretty pitchers.
- When arranging the flowers, cut off the bottom half inch - 1 inch of the stems before placing them in the water to keep them fresher, longer. Order flowers and make the arrangements the day before the party to save time on the day of the shower.
Potted Flowers and Plants:
In lieu of buying flowers to place in vases, ask each of the bridesmaids to bring over a pretty potted plant or potted flowers. Use these as table centerpieces for an easy, affordable solution to bridal shower décor.
Send guests home with a miniature watering can filled with candy and a packet of flower seeds. The cost is just over $1 per favor, making them completely affordable. Though a little DIY action is required, no tricky steps are involved.
These favors can also be used as place settings for sit-down bridal shower luncheons.
Here's how to make them:
These favors can also be used as place settings for sit-down bridal shower luncheons.
Here's how to make them:
Preparation
- Supplies:
- Mini Watering Cans for 80 cents each
- 1 Spool of thin satin ribbon (choose a color that coordinates with the wedding or bridal shower)
- Seeds (buy in bulk to save on cost, divide up later) - $4 per bulk bag
- Mini Envelopes ($2.99 for 20 at Loop Creations)
- Pen
- Large Bag of Hershey's Kisses
Steps
- 1. Cut a 6-inch piece of ribbon and tie a bow on the watering can’s handle.
- 2. Write each guest’s name on one side of a mini envelope. On the other side, write “Love Blooms.”
- 3. Insert 20 - 30 seeds into each mini envelope and seal the envelope.
- 4. Place a few Hershey’s Kisses in each watering can.
- 5. Stick the mini envelope with seeds inside the watering can, between Hershey’s kisses so it stands upright.
Winter Bridal Shower
Bridal Shower:
Around the Clock
Theme
Around the Clock
Theme
Classy French
Macaron Party Favors
Macaron Party Favors
