$60 grazing table for 30 people (on maternity leave budget) — update from my last post

A little update from my post yesterday asking for help with a budget charcuterie board for a bridal shower.

I’m currently on unpaid maternity leave, so I had about $50–75 to work with for ~30 people. I ended up spending around $60 total (plus some fruit and odds/ends I already had at home).

I was honestly so nervous putting this together. I had to use sliced cheeses, stretch everything as far as possible, and just hope it came together in a way that felt full and pretty.

But it actually… worked.

I did salami roses + a “river,” folded the cheddar to give it more dimension, and filled in with crackers, pretzels, dried fruit, nuts, and everything I could layer to make it feel abundant. I also made homemade whipped fresh herb butter and strawberry chia jam to add a little something extra without spending more.

When I stepped back, I almost cried. It looked like something I never would’ve thought I could pull off on that budget.

The best part though—

The bride-to-be was completely blown away and so grateful.

A bunch of the women kept coming up to comment on how beautiful it was (I’d say at least a third of the room).

And one of the women helping set up told me she expected “just a tray with some meat and cheese” when she heard a friend was making it… and was genuinely shocked (in a good way) when she saw the full table.

That honestly meant everything to me.

I really wanted to give my best friend’s daughter something special, even if I couldn’t spend much—and I’m so glad I was still able to do that.

Thank you to everyone here who gave me tips—you helped more than you know!