This post was originally published September 2014 and updated as of June 2023.
Learn our favorite budget-friendly baby shower ideas that can make a simple and inexpensive party super special!
A few years ago, I was tasked with throwing a baby shower for one of my good friends, but my budget was tight so we were on threat level orange for some serious creativity and affordability. Luckily, I thrive under fiscal pressure and the shower turned out so cute. So, today I’m going to share my favorite budget-friendly baby shower ideas that can make a simple and inexpensive party super special!
1. Tissue Paper Fans and DIY Garland Decor
Hanging a little something from the ceiling can help to draw the eye up and make your decorations feel more put together and dramatic. Doing a couple of different kinds of decorations can add a lot of interest, so instead of relying just on pom poms or fans, do pom poms AND fans. More is more y’all, both in party decor and putting whipped cream on stuff. The whipped cream doesn’t really apply here but I’ll never miss an opportunity to mention it.
You can find a great tutorial for these tissue poms here and I bet you already have the supplies hanging around your house! Tossing in a little garland can also add so much and will cost you pennies. To make the one I used all I did was cut out squares from some scrapbook paper, punch out some little hearts, hot glue them to some string, and BAM, an adorable garland was born!
2. Donut Kabobs with Painted Skewers
Next, the food table. This is all about aesthetics. You can buy the simplest of cupcakes or donuts or cookies from the most boring of grocery stores and make them look like a million with a couple of simple touches. How do I know? I didn’t make a dang thing. (Baking is hard. Judge me.) So, here’s what I did to make those bakery items my own. First, I turned these donut holes sassy by picking up some plain kabob skewers and adding some craft paint! So easy, so cute. You know you have a bunch of craft paints rolling around your drawers, so add a little color to your next party table and paint your skewers!
3. Cookies and Milk with Paper Straws
Next, I stuck some colorful straws through some chocolate chips cookies and added some milk. You can find these straws at any party store for just a couple of dollars and guests love them. There’s just something about a pretty straw that makes a party feel like a party.
4. DIY Cupcake Toppers
To take my store-bought cupcakes to the next level, I used a heart punch to punch out some glittery hearts from scrapbook paper and stuck them on some toothpicks! There was nothing to it and it cost me zero dollars because I already had all the supplies. Also I should note that I’d put a heart on pretty much everything I eat if it was acceptable. I mean, look how cuuuuute.
I really didn’t do anything with these fruit skewers, but fruit is just pretty on it’s own so let’s look at it:
5. Affordable Grocery Store Flowers
Since I was at the grocery store anyway I also picked up a bunch of their cheapest blooms, brought them home and rearranged them in some mason jars I had lying around. This is such an inexpensive way to add pretty to any table! I think it cost me 4.99 for the bunch!
6. DIY Felt Cake Topper
And my favorite part, the cake. This cake just a simple white cake from a grocery store bakery, but I knew that if it was going to be the centerpiece of the table then it needed some spunk. So, I fashioned a little pom pom cake topper with some felt and leftover skewers to give it that sass. I followed the tutorial here to make them, glue gunned the skewers in and they were easy as pie.
7. Candy-Filled Favor Bags
The final touch of this party was so simple it was ridiculous, but it added such a cute final touch to the event. All I did was fill some plain treat bags with the mom-to-be’s favorite candy and stapled the paper used in the decor to the top. So easy my toddler could do it (but he didn’t do it because that kid is wild and certainly would staple his face to the wall), and the gals loved them.
You are hereby ready to party! (All while saving enough money to get yourself some extra donut holes for after everyone leaves. Party planning can really make you work up an appetite.)
ox/Liz
