Brunch is a meal eaten sometime between breakfast and lunch. You might even consider it a combination of the two, especially since the word brunch combines breakfast and lunch. Brunch is great, bottomless brunch is even better. It’s an opportunity for you to turn breakfast or lunch into a fancy dining affair because your menu isn’t constrained to a single meal time.
Want to spend some time with your friends between breakfast and lunch? Do brunch. Get together over some breakfast staples mixed in with lunch elements. You could take it a step further by turning it into a party. Make an affair of it. You wouldn’t just be meeting up for croissants and coffee; you’d be having a party at brunch. A brunch party. It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase your excellent hosting skills.
Read on to find out how to host an Instagram-perfect brunch party that’ll blow your guests away.
Steps to Planning a Brunch Party
Hosting parties requires planning, so you don’t have insufficient food and drinks, more guests than you planned, and an atmosphere short of the one you’re going for. Brunch parties are no exception. Fear not, though, because we’ve got you covered. The following are steps to take when planning a brunch party:
What’s the Occasion?
You want to think about what the brunch is for. Are you celebrating something, say a birthday, an anniversary, an engagement, a book launch, or the reveal of your baby’s gender? Or do you want to have brunch just for the heck of it? It’s nice to have a reason for things, but don’t get hung up on this. You don’t have to be celebrating something to host a brunch party. There’s nothing that says you can’t have friends over just for a meal and a good time.
There’s brunch for occasions, and then there’s brunch for brunch’s sake. Your brunch party’s occasion (or lack thereof) determines the route you’ll go with your theme and decorations, which will be discussed in detail below.
Who are you Inviting?
Think about who you’re inviting. When considering this, keep the following in mind:
- Your guests: is your brunch party for friends, family, work colleagues, or your book club? Do you want a specific group of people, or do you want a mix of people? Â
- The number of guests: having unexpected guests at your brunch party could throw off your planning. To prevent this, have a specific number of guests in mind. Send out invites and have people RSVP.
If you have more guests than you planned for at your brunch party, this can lead to your venue not being large enough to contain them and limited food and drinks. And you could become frazzled. And a frazzled host is not at the top of their game.
What Are You Serving?
What’s for brunch? Pretty much anything you want. Give your guests a variety of foods to choose from. Keep it sweet and savory with a breakfast-lunch menu, from waffles and French toast to frittatas and casseroles. You can find brunch recipes here and here. And don’t forget the egg dishes. They’re standard fare at brunch and are quick to prepare. Martha Stewart’s got some great egg dish recipes for you to try out.
Serve your brunch buffet style to take the burden off your shoulders. Instead of running around serving your guests, your guests can grab what they want from the buffet table when they want it. However, if you have a smaller number of guests, you can opt for setting a table.
Consider Food Allergies and Diets
Plan your menu with your guests in mind. What food allergies do they have? Shellfish, peanuts, and wheat are common foods people are allergic to. Having to rush one of your guests to the hospital due to a severe reaction to something they ate at your party.
Besides food allergies, dietary restrictions due to moral beliefs, religion, culture, and personal choice are other things to consider. If you have vegetarians or vegans among your guests, consider them when planning your menu. Also, be mindful of faith or religious based diets and lifestyles such as Kosher and Halal when planning your menu.Â
Indoors or Outdoors?
Do you want to host a brunch party in your home or patio? Think about the number of guests you’re inviting. With more guests, an open area is preferred. It gives your guests room to move around. If you’re hosting it indoors, keeping the guest list small is better unless you have lots of space to work with.
You might want to host brunch indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather. You wouldn’t want to risk an outdoor event in unpredictable weather. Heat and bugs might deter you from an outdoor affair in the warmer months, while in the colder months, you might prefer the insulation provided by a closed space. The appeal of sunshine and fresh air might be irresistible for an outdoor brunch, or you might prefer an intimate indoor affair.Â
What’s the Theme?
What sort of atmosphere do you want for your brunch? What’s the vibe? Are you thinking glamorous or soft pastels? Themed events are a lot of fun, and having a themed brunch party would allow you to get creative with your decorations. Have fun choosing a theme to give your party a little oomph.
Decor is Key
Think about the space you’re working with, the theme, and the occasion for your brunch. All these should be considered when figuring out what decorations to use.Â
Indoors or outdoors? A big or small venue? A baby shower or fall-themed brunch? Start there if you want to know how to decorate your brunch venue.
Cocktails Are a Must
Don’t forget those mimosas. In fact, don’t forget the cocktails in general. Or any other alcoholic beverage for that matter. Allow your guests to indulge in a Tequila Sunrise with their frittata or coffee cake. Check out cocktail recipes here.
Host a Brunch Party
Now that you know how to plan a brunch party, why not host one? Plan a brunch party you and your guests will love. Before it’s over, they’ll be asking you when the next one’s going to be. And you’ll have earned the status of grade A brunch party host.