1.Select the Ideal Spot
Pick a venue that suits your wedding weekend vibe and makes life easy for your guests. A hotel space near where most people are staying, a backyard, garden, or a casual café can be great choices. The aim is to make it accessible and relaxed.
2.Keep Décor Simple and Fresh
This gathering should feel airy and understated. Use soft pastels or muted tones, and consider reusing your wedding flowers for centerpieces or small table displays. Personalized touches—like a small “thank you” note at each seat—can make the atmosphere warm and inviting.
3.Offer a Versatile Menu
Design a menu that appeals to a wide range of tastes by including classic brunch favorites like eggs, quiches, fresh pastries, seasonal fruit platters, and savory wraps. Buffet, family-style, or grazing-table setups work best as they encourage guests to mingle and serve themselves with ease. Pair the food with popular beverages such as freshly brewed coffee, herbal teas, fruit juices, and brunch cocktails like mimosas or Bloody Marys. To elevate the experience, you can feature curated hampers in Melbourne filled with gourmet treats, artisanal breads, cheeses, and locally sourced delicacies, making your post-wedding brunch both stylish and memorable.
4.Add Thoughtful Personal Details
Even though the brunch is laid-back, small gestures matter. Kick off a slideshow of wedding highlights or play a curated playlist featuring upbeat or song favorites from the reception. Consider setting out leftover wedding favors for guests to take, or offer small new ones like mini jams or plant keepsakes.
5.Plan Around Guest Comfort
Let people sleep in by starting around 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and keep the brunch length to about two hours. This schedule helps guests ease into the day without feeling rushed. Open-house formats—where people can arrive and leave when they choose—work best.
6.Be Strategic With the Guest List
Although inviting everyone is always an option, many couples opt for a smaller, more intimate group—such as family, close friends, and out-of-town guests. Be mindful when communicating details, especially if you’re excluding some attendees. Avoid public invites if not everyone is included.
7.Clarify Who Hosts and Pays
Traditionally, the bride’s family has hosted and funded the brunch, but couples today often choose to take on that role themselves—or split responsibility with their partner’s side or close family. Whoever makes the call should handle costs and logistics.
8.Start Planning Early
Aim to begin planning the brunch three to six months before your wedding day. This allows time to coordinate vendors, budget, invitations or website updates, and give guests plenty of notice
Why It’s Worth Considering
- Time to reconnect: This brunch gives you a chance to speak one-on-one with guests you might have missed during the hectic reception. It’s especially meaningful for people who traveled from afar.
- Wrap up on a light note: A casual brunch lets everyone relax and share a final send off with the couple in an easygoing setting.
- Cost and energy trade-off: While it adds expense and may cut into honeymoon prep time, many couples find the benefits outweigh the effort.