Tea Party Bridal Shower

How to Give a Beautiful Bridal Shower Without Spending a Lot of Money

I am the mother of eight children. Our first wedding was in 1993. We didn't have another one until ten years later. By that time my oldest daughter was 30 years old and had been planning her wedding for 28 years! We then had two more weddings in the next two years. So the money was spread pretty thin. Our daughters friends didn't have a lot of money either as they were all married already and had families to support.

So my daughter{ the married one} decided since there were seven bridesmaids and me{ mom} we could each take a table.

We rented a beautiful, sunny hall for $50.00 and put eight round tables that seated ten people at a table around the room. We found someone that had just had a retirement party and they lent us the table clothes. You can also rent those. Then we came up with the theme of a tea party since the wedding was in April.

Each bridesmaid was on her own and could design her table any way she wanted as long as she stayed with the theme of tea party.

I had just received a new set of Correll ware for Christmas. It was beige with green herbs around the edge, very spring looking. My favors were little clay pots with violets plated in them. I bought everything for my table,as did most of the bride maids, at Christmas Tree Shop. The pots cost $1.29 for three in a package. So I bought three of those. The potting soil was $1.00 for a huge bag. and the plants were twelve in a flat for $5.00.

Most of us bought tea pots for $4.99 and even got all the fancy teas, hot chocolate and coffees there. Special cookies cost a dollar a box and it was easy to make the table look very pretty.

My daughter in law bought her little plates and tea cups and saucers for anywhere from 2 for a dollar to $1.69. She made beautiful chocolate lollipops and arranged them sticking up from some styrofoam.

One of the girls had all different kind of little cookies and pastries. Every table was very different and very pretty. Because we all took responsibility for our own table no one was over taxed.

For the luncheon we had finger sandwiches and salads and most of that was provided by the grooms family. There were lots of beautiful little desserts too.