We all love going out for a fun time, especially ones that involve delicious food and interesting drinks. Brunch is becoming an increasingly popular mealtime get-together for friends and family. While it’s a great way to mingle with your loved ones, enjoy food and beverage, and unwind, it can be overwhelming all at the same time. If you’re in charge of planning your next brunch get-together, we’ve put together nine helpful tips to plan your perfect brunch and your perfect brunch look.
- Set the Date and Time — First, you’ll want to set the day and time for your bunch. Most brunches take place on a weekend, preferably late Sunday morning. Keep in mind any holidays or events that could affect attendance. Have a rain date if you’re hosting an outdoor brunch. If you’ve decided to host brunch outside, you’ll want to dress accordingly depending on how the weather goes. You can wear trendy pants and an oversized cardigan with a nice blue top underneath for layering so you’ll stay comfortable no matter which way the weather goes.
- Pick a Theme — What kind of theme do you imagine for your brunch? Let’s say you want to get dressed up for a tea-time-inspired brunch with more formal attire. Encourage your guests to wear chic dresses, so they’ll get into the spirit of elevated brunch outfits. Picking a theme will help guide the menu and overall ambiance of your brunch. A garden brunch may require more casual outdoor-friendly attire, while a brunch-and-bubbly-themed brunch calls for an elevated look.
- Invite Your Guests — Once you have an idea of when and where the brunch will take place and what kind of brunch it’ll be, you can create an online event page for your brunch. Take a look at different sites to create your online party invitation. Ask for RSVPs by a certain date so you can plan accordingly.
- Create Your Menu — The perfect brunch is all about a variety of dishes that includes vegetarian and gluten-free options for guests with dietary restrictions. Some popular choices for brunch include eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and a charcuterie board. According to WFTV, the concept of brunch originated from the upper-class British tradition of fox-hunting lunches, where ladies and gentlemen would gather together for early lunches and enjoy a variety of foods and alcoholic beverages. While today you don’t need to be from the British upper class to enjoy brunch, you can still continue the tradition of an exciting array of food and beverage for your brunch menu.
- Plan the Drinks — Offer a variety of hot and cold drinks to cater to your guests’ different tastes. Include hot drinks like coffee and tea with both decaf and herbal options. You can make your own juice blend with fruits and vegetables or simply buy store-bought juice. For the perfect boozy brunch, cocktails are a must. Classic brunch cocktails like mimosas and Bloody Marys are always a hit. Surprise yourself and your guests by creating unique cocktails with fresh ingredients and spirits.
- Set the Table — The food and drinks are the cornerstones of the perfect brunch, but the ambiance is just as important. Set the table by following the theme of the brunch by including linens, flowers, and proper tableware. You can add accent pieces to the brunch table to go along with your brunch theme. Ask your guests to match the brunch theme and table by wearing accessories like light blue colors for an ocean-themed brunch or something with glitter and sparkles for a glitzy ladies’ brunch. Take a look at some ideas on how to accessorize to get inspired by different brunch looks and accessories.
- Prepare Ahead — By planning ahead of time, you’re going to reduce stress on the actual day of your brunch. Planning ahead also includes delegating tasks in advance. If there’s someone in your group that loves to bake, ask them to bring a sweet dish. There might be someone in the group that loves designing invitations, so you can ask them to handle tracking RSVPs and putting together the evite. It takes the pressure off of you and helps your guests feel included in the brunch planning process.
- Have Entertainment — As exciting as food and drink can be, sometimes we need more than warm avocado toast to keep us entertained. Include entertainment and activities for your guests to enjoy, such as music or card games. Having relaxed entertainment will help create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
- Ask for Clean-Up Help — Once the festivities are over, it’s time to clean up. That means washing the dishes and putting away the tableware and decorations. If you haven’t delegated the task of cleaning up to someone else, don’t be afraid to ask for clean-up help. Thank your guests for coming to your party and get excited about planning your next brunch.
Remember that you may be the hostess with the most-ess, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all alone. You can delegate tasks and ask for help cleaning up so you’re not left holding the bag. If you’re in charge of planning the event, you can ask someone else to help prepare the table or clean up after the festivities are over. The important thing is to have fun and get excited by dressing up by wearing fun accessories or cute skirts for your brunch gathering. Happy brunching!
