While there’s a lot to be said for an afternoon wedding, a cocktail hour, and a dinner reception where you can dance the night away, there’s something about a brunch wedding that’s very appealing. For one, your guests don’t have to commit their entire social schedule to your wedding–they can still keep their options open for the evening. It’s also great for the bride and groom to do the wedding and reception with enough time and energy left to get a start on the honeymoon.
Oh, and there’s one more reason why the brunch reception is great–the best food in the world is served at brunch. Here’s a brief overview of all the awesome edibles you can offer your guests at a brunch reception:
Mimosas
Let’s face it: nobody really likes champagne. We all drink it because it’s what you’re supposed to drink when you’re celebrating, but when was the last time you thought, “man I could really go for some champagne right now?” It’s never happened. But a mimosa, on the other hand, takes the champagne and adds the tang of fruit juice, a little energy-boosting vitamin C, and cuts the cloying nature of champagne while leaving the fizz. Mimosas are just an objectively superior way to drink champagne.
Bloody Mary’s with Tons of Fixings
As with breakfast food in general, there are two schools of thought for the perfect breakfast cocktail: sweet and savory. Those on the sweet side of things have mimosas, but the savory folks get god’s own cocktail, the Bloody Mary. Since making a Mary is an intensely personal experience, we recommend having a Bloody Mary bar instead of just serving generic versions. Lay out some olives, cheese cubes, pepperoni, bacon strips, celery, cocktail onions, different mixes, tomato juice, Worcestershire, soy, and an array of hot sauces and watch your guests go to town.
Omelet Station
You know what’s better than a couple of fresh eggs in the morning? A bunch of things mixed in with those fresh eggs and served up piping-hot and folded over. Let guests pick a few meats, veggies, and cheeses to go in their omelet and have each one cooked fresh on the spot. That way, if they don’t’ like what they’ve been served, your guests have no one to blame but themselves.
Biscuits and gravy
There are people who won’t eat biscuits and gravy because they feel like it’s just eating soggy bread. Those people are wrong. It’s eating bread that’s been topped with the delicious mixture of salt and fat that is sausage gravy, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving that. Besides, when it is done right, the biscuits are cooked enough that the gravy doesn’t really soak the biscuit (or to go the extra mile, each biscuit half has a sausage patty on top for protection before the gravy’s applied. Any way you serve it, though, biscuits and gravy are the South’s best-kept secret. Discover the deliciousness for yourself.
Waffle bar
You can do pancakes if you’re not into the whole 3-dimensional thing, but waffles work better for a bar-type setting because they have the nooks and crannies to hold whatever craziness your guests pile on top. We recommend setting out plenty of fresh fruits and berries, a hazelnut spread, peanut butter, whipped cream, maple syrup, flavored syrup, and maybe even ice cream (for starters). Let your guests make a ridiculous concoction they normally wouldn’t even eat for dessert, and they’ll be singing your praises for days.
Planning the perfect reception brunch is easy, because breakfast food is the best food. And hey, who says you can’t have a breakfast-for-dinner theme for an evening reception? Just try and tell me your guests wouldn’t be thrilled to roll up to dinner and find donuts and omelets awaiting them instead of steak and chicken. Just make sure you have some high quality natural soap for your guests after they eat; breakfast food tends to be a bit greasier than other types of food.
