There is a lot of planning that goes into the wedding and that doesn’t include just planning the big day! There is the rehearsal dinner, the getting ready plans, the showers and bachelor/bachelorette parties and then of course there is the post wedding brunch. During the reception there is little time for the happy couple to relax and socialize with all of their guests. They are in high demand on this day so very often the wedding celebration turns into a full weekend affair of events. Because so many people travel in from out of town it is also nice to be able to provide them with a little parting snack on their way out of town.
Very often this brunch is reserved for just family and wedding party members because lets face it you don’t want to have to feed 150 people another meal it’s just not in the budget! But this event also gives the couple a little bit more time to see their relatives who they may not have seen for quite a while. It is also a chance for the couple to relax and rest after the big night is done!
Post Wedding Brunch Tips
- Venue- Check with the even manager of your reception. They might have a smaller room and a deal they can do with you to host your brunch there the next morning. Check with the hotel where you have block booking they might also be able to cater a simple brunch for you at a low cost thanks to your block booking deal! Check with a local family member, they might be willing to host a small gathering that morning for you in their home and then you don’t have to worry about a thing! One other option and the one I actually did for my post wedding brunch was to cater the brunch myself by going to costco two days before my wedding buying the needed supplies, and having my mom run out that morning to pick up some fresh bagels. We were lucky enough to have a huge bridal suite with a bedroom and separate living room and kitchen and we just hosted it for the whole 80 person wedding right there! We told our guests they were welcome to stop by for a quick bite on their way out of town the next morning and 90% of them did and we didn’t spend more than $200.
- Guests- Again you DO NOT need to invite the entire 150 person wedding! It should be reserved for family, close friends like those in the wedding party and possibly out of town guests. If you’re having a destination wedding that’s kind of tough because EVERYONE is from out of town. So really think about who should come to this event and don’t feel like you need to invite everyone.
- Vibe- This event should be casual, you don’t need to decorate or have assigned seating or favors for the guests. It is a calm time to connect with those invited. Have it be later in the morning or early afternoon so your hungover guests have time to recover and let the mood be light!
- Food- This does not need to be another formal meal. Again keep it casual have a buffet something easy. Like I said before I bought all of our buffet treats before the event and had them all out for people to snack on. A selection of fruit, yogurts, bagels, pastries and juices is all we provided. You don’t need to serve a hot breakfast. You of course can but this should be a calm flexible time where people can just stop by on their way out of town.
- Invitations- Don’t worry about a special printed invitation. Though if you’d like you can include a special card in the invitations you are sending out to those specifically invited to the brunch. But you can also e-mail them or send an e-vite. If you are doing hotel gift bags you can label them all and put a special invitation in there for them. Because we did invite everyone we actually put the invitation to the brunch in our wedding program. There are no rules or etiquette to follow for the post wedding brunch this is your wined down time!
Good luck and remember not to stress about this event. If you want to leave it out all together that is just fine too! There are no rules stating you must have a post wedding brunch it’s just a nice touch!