Bumble Bee Baby Shower

A dear friend of mine needed a theme for gender neutral baby, and the shower open house had to be done on a budget! We brain stormed until we found one the Mommy liked-- Bumblebees! The meal was being catered with all products provided, and the shower was being thrown in a brand new facility. The hosts decided to take advantage of the new neutral tables, and not use table coverings. I think it looks great and makes it a lighter feel for the baby shower!



Cake Table (The cakes were polka dot, opposite of the napkins)



Cake made my a family member--- Is it not ADORABLE!?!?

Fresh daisies in already-owned canning jars

Canning jar with rocks, ribbon and wood accent found at a craft store

The whole room- the potted plants were prizes (dual purpose = money saver)

Treat box- 12 boxes for $1 from Dollar Tree with stickers from Teacher's Aide
Boxes were filled with yellow candy to match the theme

Canning jar, black rocks, ribbon, wood accents on skinny dowel rods,
tissue paper pom on large dowel rod, scrapbook paper and daisy paper sprinkle



Entry Table

(First name removed and location blurred for security)



I don't have a picture, but the hosts displayed lemonade in an extra large mason jar and a laddle.



 Overall, we stayed on budget, got all the shopping done in one trip, and had fun while planning! I hope this inspires you to use things you already own to create an adorable shower!


Some other ideas we didnt use were:
- Hanging tissue paper poms/lanterns from the ceiling. This couldn't be done due to facility rules.
- Using large bumble bee balloons or hive decorations. The host wanted the theme to be subtle.
- Using themed plates/cups/napkins. The caterer provided these products, so the host didn't have any say.
- Polka dotted table coverings. The hosts decided to keep the neutral colored tables bare.

Hosting a shower? Don't miss the game ideas or planning tips!

Party Planning--- A baby shower!

Trying to plan a baby shower on a budget?? Here are a few things that might help!

1) Buy a little at a time. Instead of buying everything for the shower at once, buy a few things every time you go to the store. It will be much easier on the pocket book if you spent $5-$10 every week instead of $100-$200 at once! Buy things that will keep well and store them in a safe place! I would suggest designated a box, tote, or closet to being the collection place for all the items you collect.

2) Purchase items at discount stores. All your party supplies don't need to be purchased at a party supply store. Try dollar stores, dollar sections, Wal-Mart, Big Lots, etc. They have great deals! You can purchase things such as streamers, balloons, table cloths, basket fill, place settings, and more and save a big hunk of change! You will definitely want to check the durability and quality of some of these--- you don't want Aunt Betty trying to eat cake with a broken fork!

3) Plan early. Decide on a theme early in the game and plan quickly. This will allow more time to buy in advance and to shop for good deals! For example, if the baby shower will be in the middle of the year or later and you know you're hosting a bunny or duck themed shower, you can take advance of Easter deals for some decor or favors.

4) Use games as part of your gift. If you're playing a memory or pricing game, use the items to memorize or guess the price of as part of the gift you're giving the mom-to-be. Use a game that incorporates baby bottles to start off the mom's needed supply.

5) Utilize some of the decorations as the gift, also. You can hang a clothesline full of baby clothes, display clothes as a centerpiece, decorate with stuffed animals/books, fill baby bottles with tissue paper or candies, and more. Get creative! Centerpieces definitely make the atmosphere of the room, but you can still save money on them!

6) Add some pizazz to your table by placing a piece of colorful scrapbook paper that corresponds with your themes/colors at each place setting. It's cheaper than place mats and can be tossed after the shower. Also, shop for cheap material (by the yard or in the scrap bins) that matches or coordinates with your colors or theme and can be used to spruse up your tables!

7) Design your own invitations (and other necessary paper necessities) Design companies can charge as much as $4 for an invitation, so they can become a big part of your budget. Take a few hours to learn a design program such as Photoshop or something as simple as Microsoft Picture It! Premium (found on most Dell computers). Then look around online for an inspiration of what you want your invite to look like, decide on a size, create a design, buy some cardstock and envelopes (found at an office supply store) and you're ready to go!

8) Make your own food! Some caterers will charge $5 or more a person for a shower's meal--- and most budgets won't allow for that! Make ham salad/egg salad sandwiches, serve veggies & fruits, chip and dips, cheese ball and crackers, etc. Of course a cute baby shower idea is to serve a themed meal-- all the same color, baby themed or baby sized.

9) Use the theme of the nursery as the theme of the shower. Then ask the mom if she has already purchased decorations that can be used to help decorate the shower.

10) Make your own cake-- or cupcakes! A bundle of cupcakes can be dressed up by placing them in a shape that correlates with the shower--- a fish, a monkey head, a baby's rattle, a duck, a teddy bear, flowers, etc. You can also decorate each cupcake with a matching flower, baby item...or just leave them plain and display them on a fancy platter or tiered server.

11) Host the shower from your home or privately owned facility instead of renting a hall or banquet room. Of course, the area will need to be large enough for your guest list and have a flow that will work for a party of this nature.

Happy Planning!

Alternative Guest Book Ideas

Guests write advice/wedding wishes and on cards and drop in a tall vase.  These messages will be organized into a scrapbook after the wedding

A photobooth-- (rented or faux with a hired helper) print 2 copies- one that they get to keep (favor!) and the other one they glue onto a scrapbook page and write well wishes around it. Provide props.

A quilt--- each guest gets a patch to sign and leave their well wishes on 

Guests sign a big plate that will be displayed at the bride and groom's home

A digital guestbook-- have two people take digital photos of my guests as they walk in. Guest will write something on a postcard type paper and after the wedding, the postcards can be scanned in and added to the photos to be compiled onto a digital photo frame.

Have guests sign a personalized bat or sports jersey for a sport's themed wedding.

Guests sign a mat board around a picture of the bride and groom

A custom photobook--- leave spaces in the picture layouts for people to sign the book. Check your local photo lab or companies like Shutterfly.

An old fashioned typewriter with strips of paper for guests to type their name and well wishes on.

Have five wine bottles (labeled 1-5) and silver sharpies for the guests to write on the bottles. The bride and groom will have wine to help celebrate their first five anniversaries.

A time capsule--- guests write down messages for the couple's 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year anniversary. The bride and groom seal them away in designated containers and open them on the appropriate anniversaries.

A large piece of wood that guests sign and can be made into a bench, mantle, or wall hanging.

Rollodex--- Guests fill out their own address and information card to be filed into a rollodex.

Ceramic vase, bowl, platter, tray, etc with markers for guests to sign.

 

*These photos were collected over a span of time without marking their original locations. I apologize!

**Edited to Add:

Source

Looking for other alternatives to make your wedding more personal? Check out Alternative Ring Bearer Pillow Ideas.

Skim through all our wedding ideas, and don't forget to refer to the checklist.

Wedding Photographers

I found this article shortly after our wedding (I apologize-- I didn't mark where I found it) and fell in love with it. My husband and I spent nearly a year looking for a pair of wedding photographers that we loved-- personally, financially, and artistically.

Reasons why you should love your wedding photographer:

1. Even though they have to carry around heavy bags of multiple cameras, they will keep on smiling throughout the day.
2. While they have to be uber creative, they have to really be good with people too!
3. They get a lot of work done under tremendous time pressure. Client-created-timelines sometimes aren’t as accurate as they should be (1 hour allotted for pictures after the wedding but there are at least 50 important family pictures to take). There just isn’t enough time for a human being to get all those shots!
4. They have to work around your guest-amateur photo-enthusiast Aunt Martha that stands behind them with her camera taking their posed shots (did you know the flashes on her camera makes their large professional flashes go off)? This makes the portrait photos sessions go longer!
5. Rarely getting to eat except a quick bite, they are on their feet so they won’t miss an important shot.
6. Mindful of your family, they work quicker when your grandmother and grandfather are standing for shots.
7. Somehow they are able to get your ceremony pictures even though your wedding Officiant does not allow flash photography during your service.
8. A professional photographer’s mind will always be working to setup creative shots, even if it requires them to visit the ceremony site they’ve never worked in.

All of these are reasons that we are so happy we picked Carignan Gallery for our wedding photographers! They were a pleasure to work with and would hire them again in a second!

Wedding Checklist

While planning a wedding in southern Indiana, I found that many of the checklists for brides were not applicable for our wedding. For example, some included rented china and parking director that we did not need, but did not include keep and toss garters which I did need. Also, there were some decisions that we had to make that we hadn't thought about, such as what style of tuxedo pant and jacket.

Shortly after our wedding, I compiled all of my lists from the wedding ;planning process into one list to help future brides planning a small town wedding.

- Application for marriage license and name change form (provided at

   court house in county of bride or groom’s current residence)
- Minister and church
- Reception hall
- Dinner- pick meal, types of dishes/utensils, head count, extra plates for bride and  

     groom to take

- Bartender, liquor/alcohol, liquor license, bartender fee
- DJ

-Songs: Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, First Dance, Bridal Party

entrance, Cake cutting, Dinner Music, Anniversary Dance, Dollar

Dance, Bouquet Toss, Garter Toss

- Photographer- make a list of desired photos
- Dress

            - Alterations

- Crinoline

- Shoes- ceremony and reception

- Strapless bra

- Hair accessory (tiara, headband, flower)

- Jewelry- rings, necklaces, bracelets
- Dresses- Bridesmaids, flower girls, Mothers, Grandmothers
- Tuxedos- Groom, Groomsmen, Ushers, Ring Bearers, Fathers

- Colors and style of vest, tie, shirt

- Style of Tuxedo- 2 button, 3 button, tails, etc.

- Type of Shoe
- Ring pillow, Flower girl basket

- Stationary

- Invites (color, style, design), Save the Dates, Maps, Reception cards,     

        RSVPs, Menus, Programs, Itinerary for guests and/or bridal party, reserved 

        seating signs for reception tables
- Flowers-

- Bouquets (bridal, toss, bridesmaids), boutonnières (groom,

groomsmen, ushers, fathers, ring bearers), corsages (mothers,

grandmothers, attendants of guest book, bubbles, cake, etc.)         

           memorial, accents on dresses or in hair, guest book table
- Garters (1 to keep, 1 to toss)
- Hair style for self and bridesmaids
- Wedding night accommodations

- Reception décor

- Centerpieces for guest tables, head table/s

- Table linens

- Chair covers/sashes

- Backdrop

- Entry Way

- Special sized/shaped tables if your reception hall doesn't have them (cake,  

  sweetheart, guest book tables)

- Window covers

- Door décor

- Food, drink, cake, candy, & gift table décor/centerpieces

- Décor around the room—trees, columns, lights
- Cake design, flavors of each layer of cake, and cake stand

- Cake topper
- Card Box
- Cake server

- Guest favors

- Videographer

- Veil

- Make-up/nails—eye brow wax, highlights, haircut

- Bubbles, Birdseed, confetti, rose petals, etc

- Vows- traditional or personalized

- Limo/transportation/Get-a-way car

- Guest book and pen

- Toasting glasses for couple and/or bridal party

- Bridal party gifts (bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, ring bearers,

   ushers, any and all assistants—bubbles, programs, readers, singers,

   pianists, etc.)

- Gifts for parents/grandparents

- Gifts/Cards for each other at rehearsal or wedding day

- Unity candle and stand or sand ceremony with vases

- Paper Goods/Dishes

- Cups (for dinner, bar, punch)

- Napkins (dinner and cake)

- Plates (dinner, appetizers, and cake)

- Forks (dinner, appetizers and cake)

- Ceremony décor-

o       Pews, altar table, candelabras, doors, aisle runner, windows

- Ceremony Music- Interlude, seating of mothers, bridal party entrance,

    processional, unity candle, recessional

- Announcements in newspapers

- Guest list for wedding, bach. parties, and shower

- Rehearsal dinner- location, guests, decorations, dinner

- Collect addresses

- Clothing

o       Rehearsal and dinner, intimate apparel, honeymoon clothing

- Candy buffet- types of candy, containers for guests to fill (sacks, boxes, 

     buckets), containers for display

- Something old, new, borrowed, blue

- Signs between ceremony and reception, as well as directions (and someone to put up signs)

- Appetizers

- Memorial candle

- Personalized attire for self or attendants

- Containers for left over food and cake to be taken home after reception

- Stamps for invitations and thank yous

- Emergency kit for wedding day

- Bathroom amenities kit for reception

- Mints & nuts with serving containers for cake table

- Baskets/Containers for bubbles and programs

- Prescriptions of medicine and/or birth control 

To Buy:

Marriage License

Crinoline

Shoes

Strapless Bra

Hair Accessory

Jewelry

Dress

Ring Pillow

Flower Girl Basket/s

Favors

Garters

Flowers

Cake Topper

Card Box

Aisle Runner

Veil

Bubbles/Birdseed/Confetti/Petals

Guest Book and Pen

Toasting Glasses

Paper Goods- Plates, Napkins, Forks, Cups--- for cake, appetizers, dinner

Unity Candle or Sand Ceremony

Memorial Candle

Stamps

Candy

Clothing-- Rehearsal and dinner, intimate apparel for you and him, honeymoon

Nuts, Mints, and containers for the cake table