Low Cost, High Impact: 5 Affordable DIY Baby Shower Decor Ideas

This is a collaborative post.

If you’re hosting a baby shower for a friend or family member, there’s nothing you want more than to honor the mom-to-be and throw a fabulous party. It would be even better if you could do it on a conservative budget! After all, being a gracious and loving volunteer doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. Along with making your own food and having the event at a loved one’s home, doing the decorations yourself can save you tons of money. The following DIY decor ideas are not only trendy, stylish and beloved by moms-to-be—they won’t cost too much, no matter how large the invite list. Pick a few favorites and you’ll be feeling like a pro event planner in no time at all.

Natural Table Accents

Everything from the most popular fresh herbs to the honouree’s favourite outdoor plants can be used as delicate, cost-effective accents for your table’s place settings. By gathering items that grow in your community, you can make the decor even more personal. Lay a few sprigs of tied rosemary atop a set of grey, green or taupe lunch plates for a rustic look (and a charming bonus fragrance). Bright green or dark autumn leaves are also excellent choices for adorning seating areas.

If you’re having your party during winter, dried red berries and evergreen leaves look stunning when tied to red or cream coloured cloth napkins. A big glass bowl of apples or citrus can also make for a unique centrepiece. Cacti and succulents are usually cheaper when bought in bulk and offer the perfect conversation starter at boho-themed events.

Budget-Friendly Table Bouquets

Fresh flowers are a simple yet dramatic detail to brighten up any baby shower. You can make beautiful bouquets on the cheap by choosing affordable, in-season blooms. Visit your local florist for bargains. You also can’t go wrong with varieties such as hydrangeas, carnations and bluebonnets.

Tie several flowers together with ribbon or string and then place them in a budget-friendly container like a mason jar or colourful dollar store vase. Use them as table centrepieces for a lively outdoor brunch or as accents on a long buffet luncheon table. Offer them as parting gifts once the shower ends so the materials don’t go to waste and the blooms keep spreading joy for days.

Bodysuit Baby Shower Garland

Garland has been used for generations to decorate baby shower venues. Making one out of several cotton Onesies® is not only cute and easy, but you can also give the garments as a gift to mum afterwards. Simply purchase a few sets of infant bodysuits in any size and colour you’d like. Go with one shade, like baby blue for a boy’s shower—or pick out a variety to fit your theme colours.

Once you have the garments, grab scissors, string or twine and a bunch of clothespins. Clip each suit to the string with the clothespins. Tie or tape the finished garland over your gift table or a beverage station for an irresistibly adorable conversation piece that really makes the room pop.

Hula Hoop Baby Sign

Prepare guests for baby’s upcoming arrival with a DIY hula hoop sign. Find an old hula hoop in your attic or garage, or head to your nearest dollar store for one. Next, visit the craft store for spray paint in the colour of your choice, as well as fake flowers, floral tape and wooden words or letters. Some decorators like to buy the wooden letters necessary to spell the baby’s name, while others choose a prefabricated word like baby, family or love. You can also use real flowers or greenery instead of the faux stuff.

First, spray paint the hoop in a colour like gold, silver or pink. Use either the same shade or a complementary colour to paint the wooden letters. You can also choose to leave the wood natural. While the hoop and letters dry, arrange your flowers on a table. Choose where each floral piece will go on the hoop.

Place the dry hoop on a flat surface and then cut the floral tape into smaller parts with your scissors. Attach the flowers with the tape where you want them. When the arrangement is to your liking, it’s time to hang it on your venue wall. Attach the wooden word and hoop separately, with the hoop surrounding the letters. You can either affix it to the wall with a hammer and nails or removable adhesive tape. You can also ask the host if you can swap the craft with one of their paintings until the party is over. Bonus: It makes a great keepsake for the nursery!

Dessert Decor

If you have a family member making a decadent layered cake or a friend bringing succulent and colourful mini pies, use their beauty to your advantage. Place the treats atop spray painted bargain store cake stands to make them the star of any table. While they’re sure to wow your guests while you chat and play games, they’ll be even more tempting when it’s time to eat them.

Ask the baker to frost the cake in the main colour of the shower theme. They can also choose fruit in a complementary shade. Best of all, this idea is absolutely free since the dessert is already on deck. Talk about a double win!

Throwing a Chic Baby Shower on a Budget

Now that you have fun, vibrant and affordable decoration ideas for every facet of your baby shower, you can be confident that you’re hosting an unforgettable party on a reasonable price tag. Ask a few friends of the honouree to help create the crafts so you can share some of your task list while enjoying a pre-shower bonding experience. An excellent way to encourage participation is to hold an intimate “DIY party” the weekend before the big day. Serve up a few snacks and beverages and then turn on a playlist fit for a girls’ night out. In a few short hours, your adornments will be complete—and you’ll be that much more ready to kick off your event!