Wedding trends come and go, but the charm of the wedding brunch continues to capture the hearts of couples planning their big day in 2024.
A blend of casual elegance, cost-effectiveness, and opportunities to show off your unique style are just a few of the reasons brunch weddings offer a refreshing alternative to the traditional evening celebration.
In this post, we explore what makes brunch weddings more than just a fleeting trend and shed light on why they’re such a beloved choice for modern couples.
Whether you’re an early bird who loves to keep your evenings open or you simply love the idea of a daytime wedding filled with the best brunch foods and a lively garden party atmosphere, there’s something special about starting your married life with the sun shining down on you.
Let’s jump into why the wedding brunch is trending in 2024.
1. More Variety In The Menu
One of the biggest draws of a brunch wedding is the ability to add sheer variety to the menu.
At a traditional evening wedding, you’re basically limited to offering wedding cake and dinner. But a brunch wedding reception opens up a world of culinary possibilities.
You could put together a spread featuring everything from fluffy pancakes drizzled with syrup to savory breakfast tacos and salmon toast. Or french toast, cinnamon rolls, and an omelet station could sit alongside a main course of fresh fruit and lunch classics so that there’s something for every guest to enjoy.
Serving brunch food allows for a full meal that caters to more than just a few tastes by combining the best of breakfast foods with the hearty, savory, satisfying elements of lunch.
Come up with your own creative brunch wedding ideas like serving specific menu items at custom food stations to make sure that your wedding day menu will be as memorable as the ceremony itself.
2. Brunch Weddings Can Save You Money
Opting for a brunch wedding can impact your wedding budget in a seriously positive way.
Unlike the lavish expenses often associated with evening weddings, brunch receptions offer a unique opportunity to celebrate your new status as a married couple without breaking the bank. Here’s how.
More Efficient Use Of Your Time And Resources
Morning ceremonies and early afternoon receptions take advantage of daylight hours, which cuts out the need for extensive lighting setups. This creates a bright and cheerful ambiance and cuts down on costs associated with lighting a dance floor or outdoor space through the night.
Additionally, wedding vendors, photographers, and wedding planners may offer lower rates for daytime weddings, since these events allow them to take photographs without the need for additional lighting setups and specialized camera gear.
Simplified Menu Options
While delicious and diverse, brunch food typically costs less than the full dinner courses served at evening weddings.
That said, a simplified menu can still be elegant and unique.
Instead of buying a traditional wedding cake, consider offering a variety of brunch-time favorites like cinnamon rolls or a build-your-own mimosa bar (more on this one in a moment).
These options are more economical, but also add a playful touch to your reception by giving guests a bunch of tasty options to choose from.
Plus, the early wake-up call for a morning ceremony means you can serve a single, substantial meal at the brunch reception instead of the multiple meals (cocktail hour, dinner, late-night snacks) often expected at night.
3. The Mimosa Station And Bloody Mary Bar
A standout feature of any brunch wedding is undoubtedly the beverage service. Especially when it includes something like a DIY mimosa station or a Bloody Mary bar.
Options like these are always fun because they give your guests something to do with their hands and contribute to your wedding day’s celebratory atmosphere. Here’s more detail on why they’re such a hit.
Customizable Fun For Everyone
A mimosa station (or really, any drink station) allows guests to create their own beverage tailored to their favorite flavors.
You could choose only to offer the classic orange juice mimosa, but adding exotic options like mango or pomegranate makes the station more appealing to anyone who enjoys a splash of color and flavor in their glass.
With a Bloody Mary bar, you could also offer an array of different hot sauces, spices, and garnishes like celery, pickles, and even shrimp to give your guests both a savory treat and a conversation starter.
Drink Stations Let You Add A Personal Touch
Having these bars at your morning wedding or brunch event shows thoughtfulness and attention to detail while sharing drinks you love the most with people you love even more.
A DIY beverage bar offers an experience where guests can get to know you and your tastes by exploring a palette of your favorite flavors.
They’re Great For Encouraging Guests To Mingle
Both the mimosa station and Bloody Mary bar naturally encourage guests to mingle and interact as they’re making their drinks – and while they’re drinking them!
The act of choosing ingredients and creating their own drinks provides a fun, laid-back activity that can break the ice among wedding party members from each side of the family.
Perfect Pairing With Brunch Foods
Mimosas and Bloody Marys are the quintessential brunch drinks. And they’re the perfect pairing for tons of items on any brunch food menu. But if you’re serving more exotic options, you could alsways set up more exotic drink stations, too!
4. A Brunch Wedding Reception Is A Great Photo Opportunity
The unique allure of a brunch wedding reception goes beyond innovative menu options and refreshing beverages. There are also practical benefits that may make you reconsider the traditional reception dinner.
For one, brunch weddings offer unparalleled photo opportunities to capture you andf your partner in the soft, natural light of the morning and early afternoon.
Here’s how a brunch setting can enhance your wedding album.
Natural Lighting At Its Best
Photographers rave about the ‘golden hour,’ but the gentle, diffused light of morning provides a magical effect that’s not too much different.
Soft light minimizes harsh shadows and makes it easier for your photographer to highlight natural beauty so that the photos from your wedding ceremony and reception are glowing and vibrant.
It also makes it easier to capture perfect shots that show off your wedding design or theme elements, from ornate centerpieces to the delicate details of the lace on your wedding dress.
Better Lighting For Backdrops And Settings
A brunch wedding reception often allows for more varied and visually appealing backdrops for your photos, while evening receptions that take place limit you to the use of artificial light sources.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but if your goal is to remember every detail of your wedding day, taking brunch photos makes capturing the subtlest details in stunning photos easier.
Daytime settings also open up possibilities for additional fun photo ops, such as playful moments captured during lawn games or candid shots of guests creating their masterpieces at the Bloody Mary bar. These are harder to capture when taking pictures at night.
5. Brunch Weddings Feel Relaxed And Laid Back
The appeal of a brunch wedding lies not just in its unique timing and delicious menu. There’s also the inherently relaxed and laid-back vibe it offers.
A brunch wedding leans towards simplicity without sacrificing style or fun. An atmosphere like this sets the perfect tone for a day filled with love, laughter, and casual elegance.
You can also set up activities like lawn games or hire entertainment to add something playful and encourage guests to mix and enjoy their time without the formality often seen at evening weddings.
6. The Entertainment Options
The daytime setting of a brunch wedding is perfect for incorporating outdoor and interactive entertainment that wouldn’t be possible if your wedding takes place at night.
Lawn games are a hit at any outdoor or garden party-themed brunch wedding. Having games gives guests of all ages a way to mingle and have fun. Classics like bocce ball, croquet, and cornhole are excellent choices that people of all ages can enjoy, which is why they’re perfect for family-friendly weddings.
If your wedding is not-so-family-friendly (read: no kids allowed), you can entertain guests by incorporating something like a guided drink-tasting experience as a unique twist to the traditional open bar.
Offer a selection of specialty coffee or a sampling of local craft beers for an option that’s both a fun and educational part of your reception, adding an interactive element to the dining experience.
7. Venue Flexibility
When it comes to venue selection, brunch weddings offer couples greater flexibility and often more choices than traditional evening events.
This advantage can transform the search for the perfect location into an exciting exploration of possibilities.
Broader Selection and Availability
Many venues see high demand for evening weddings and might have more openings for morning or early afternoon time slots.
This means securing your dream location without the long wait times or competitive booking battles is much easier when you opt for a wedding with brunch.
Cost Savings
When it comes to venue pricing, a daytime wedding can help you save money.
Lots of venues offer lower rates for daytime events because they recognize that these slots are less in demand than evening hours.
The cost difference can be substantial and give you more room to play with your wedding budget. This opens up new possibilities to expand on your vision by doing things like adding options to your brunch menu, extra touches to your decor, or cool wedding favors to your guest gift bags.
8. More Opportunity To Celebrate
A brunch wedding makes it possible to extend the celebration by several hours. At an evening wedding, there’s always the risk that guests will get tired and feel the need to leave before the party is over. Here are a few of the ways a morning ceremony opens new possibilities.
More Time To Spend Together
Brunch starts early, so you essentially gain more hours to enjoy the company of your guests.
Host Multiple Events in One Day
After the formalities of the ceremony and reception, the rest of the day can be filled with any additional gatherings or activities you’d like, such as a relaxed afternoon lounge by the pool, a casual evening get-together, or sunset drinks and a toast.
9. Brunch Wedding Receptions Have Tons Of Styling Opportunity
To be fair, so do evening weddings.
But with a brunch wedding, the natural daylight and casual yet elegant vibe make a perfect backdrop for a variety of themes that just don’t work for weddings that take place at night – like the soft romance of a garden party theme or the vibrant energy of a summer picnic.
Personal touches transform the space into a reflection of your unique story. So having more options gives you more room for creativity and expression.
A brunch wedding reception stands out for its ability to blend elegance with playfulness and sophistication with whimsy, all under the bright morning sky.
It’s a chance to infuse everything from the centerpieces to your wedding favors with personal meaning and style.
10. No Evening Obligations
If you’re a homebody, a standout benefit of a brunch wedding is the open schedule post-reception.
You and your guests have the rest of the day free for personal activities, extra celebrations, or pure relaxation.
You can leave early for your honeymoon, enjoy quiet time your bridal party, or simply bask in the afterglow of the morning’s festivities.
Guests can decide to extend their stay, explore the area, or just hang out, making travel plans and accommodations much easier to manage.
Host A Wedding Brunch At The Dallas Oasis
A morning celebration opens up a world where the food delights, the drinks sparkle, and the decor shines under natural light.
It also brings a bunch of benefits that range from saving money (without sacrificing style), to exploring a wider variety of themes, and new opportunities to plan other celebratory events throughout the day.
It might just be the perfect way to begin your journey as a married couple: wrapped in the warmth of the morning sun and the love of your closest friends and family.
Looking for more ideas to make planning your wedding as easy as possible? Check out our ultimate wedding checklist below and find everything you need to plan the celebration of your dreams!
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