Closeup of desserts and brunch food on table at wedding shower with varying heights. Fresh fruits, a small cake and other items.
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How to Host a Simple Bridal Brunch

I’ve attended and hosted many a bridal shower, and I can tell you from experience, that it can get stressful. What I can also tell you from experience is that often the most beautiful, and successful bridal showers are the most simple. I’ll show you how to host a simple bridal brunch.

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Good food. Good company. No pretense.

Here are the five steps you need to host a simple bridal brunch:

  • ONE – Choose your theme.
  • TWO – Select an invitation.
  • THREE – Plan your menu.
  • FOUR – Decide on Decor
  • FIVE – Choose a take-home gift/favor

Why host a bridal brunch?

I always enjoy a brunch because it’s the best of both worlds.

Your bridal shower menu is less complicated and stuffy, and there are usually options that please everyone. A vegetarian can choose a salad, egg, or pasta dish. A gluten free guest can enjoy eggs, meats, or salads, and your meat lovers get their fill in different dishes from all of the yummy choices you prepare.

If you aren’t having the event catered, but rather serving various brunch themed dishes, you can easily ask people to bring their favorite, and it all works together seamlessly.

Brunch also allows you to serve a variety of different drink options.

  • Mimosas
  • Punch
  • Coffee
  • Flavored Seltzers
  • Bloody Mary Bar

My only caution with planning a brunch gathering is to not get into too many options. For example, pick a signature cocktail (the bride’s favorite), and add a Bloody Mary Bar OR a Mimosa Bar. Not both.

Five steps to planning the perfect Bridal Brunch:

Step 1: Choose Your Theme

You’re hosting a simple bridal brunch at home, so go with a theme you can pull off in or around your house. It doesn’t need to be bland and boring. The most intimate of affairs are often at home.

Think about the space you’re in, and what you already have on-hand and work with it. The idea isn’t to spend more money than you have – its to keep it simple and elegant – because the best get togethers are just that.

Idea for a theme: Garden Party – take the bridal shower outside. Set up simple tables, use linens you have around your home, and fresh flowers. It’s a simple and elegant way to celebrate your friend’s upcoming nuptials.

Step 2: Select an Invitation

I always try to do a written invitation for formal events, and a bridal shower is one that I consider to be a formal event.

Keep with your color theme and keep it classy. The invitation below is an example of one that you might choose for a simple garden party bridal shower.

I’ve seen invitations that mention “Prosecco Pong”. Although this may be a fun bachelorette party game, it certainly doesn’t belong on a pretty invitation (or in my opinion, as part of a bridal shower).

Ask for an RSVP. As much as I hear that asking for one is “no longer needed”, that’s simply not going to help you plan your bridal brunch effectively. You need numbers, and quests need to let you know that they’re coming.

Step 3: Plan Your Menu

Here’s where the fun comes in. Brunch involves food from breakfast and lunch and can be as heavy or as light as you prefer. One mistake I saw was where the only type of food offered was seafood. I’d shy away from any one type of food only with your menu. People have allergies, and all sorts of other food aversions, so keep your menu simple and easily pleasing.

Bridal Brunch Recipes

A bridal brunch is a great way to gather some easy, delicious menu items together to make a special menu that the bride will love and guests will never forget!

Step 4:  Decor

Try a little whimsy for decor for your bridal shower table. Use a few of the brides’ registry items to hold floral arrangements. She gets to take home pretty flowers to display for the week after the shower, and also gets something off of her registry with each arrangement. You could also ask the other ladies in the bridal party to each make their own arrangement in one of these items so that all of the different tables are covered.

Step 5: Bridal Shower Games

I have never been one that enjoys or encourages lots of bridal shower games, pick one or two and go with that. Make sure that the bride to be isn’t embarrassed by the games or made to feel uncomfortable in any way.

Play a game that allows guests to get to know each other rather than focusing on the bride alone. This takes the pressure off of the guest of honor. Here’s an example of a game that does just that:

How to plan a bridal brunch - 5 steps

Step 5:  Take Home Favors

Today is about the future Mrs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the guests feel special as well. Think simple and elegant as far as favors go. Seeds and pots. Teacups you can pick up at thrift stores and plant a small plant in. A colorful plant that is at each place setting also doubles as decor!

Hosting a Simple Bridal Brunch the Easy Way

There is a great deal of pressure on a bride and groom leading up to the big day. If the past year or so has taught us anything it’s that perfection isn’t required, so hang up your tightly wound lady pants and set up an environment where friends and soon to be family can simply enjoy each other and celebrate the impending nuptials.

Leave the pretense where it belongs – in the past.

xoxo,

JJ

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