If you’re wondering whether or not hosting a brunch the morning after your wedding is worth it, you’re not alone! We know that planning a wedding is a ton of work, so the idea of coordinating an additional event may have you questioning if it’s something you even want to do. Because this is such a common debate among brides, we’ve put together an outline of all the basic wedding brunch questions and answers below:
What is a post-wedding brunch?
A “post-wedding” or “morning after” brunch is hosted for guests the morning after the wedding. It’s not required, but it is traditional. The brunch provides an opportunity for the couple to see off guests before they head home, and for the guests to see off the couple before they head off on their honeymoon.
Who throws a Post-Wedding Brunch?
The post-wedding brunch is typically hosted by the newly married couple. The event itself can be planned by the new couple, or it can be delegated to a family member or wedding planner. This means that you and your new spouse should plan to be there for the entirety of the event. Make sure you take that into account before planning to jet off on your honeymoon!
Who pays for a post-wedding brunch?
Historically, the post-wedding brunch is paid for by the bride’s family, however, it can be a nice gesture from the couple or the groom’s parents to foot the bill. Consider that hosting a post-wedding brunch will take money away from your actual wedding budget, so make sure you have the funds to spare before committing to hosting the event.
Who attends a post-wedding brunch?
While it’s not required for you to invite your entire guest list to the post-wedding brunch, that is the traditional route and it is a nice gesture! If you’re not inviting everyone who attended the wedding, be sure to keep the invitation low-key and don’t post it anywhere public like your website or the detail cards of your invitation suite. You’ll want to avoid offending anyone who isn’t invited.
Some couples opt to only invite immediate family members, the wedding party, and out of town guests. If you’re not inviting everyone, it’s probably best to stick to just immediate family members and the wedding party.
Where should the post-wedding brunch take place?
A post-wedding brunch should be held somewhere convenient for your guests. Since most guests will be heading out once the meal ends, it’s a good idea to make sure the event is at or nearby the hotels that you have blocks at. A classic option is hosting the brunch at the main hotel your guests are staying at. This makes it super easy for your guests to pop in on their way home. You can also rent a restaurant or host it in your home.
If you’re not inviting all of your wedding guests but you want to host the brunch at a hotel where you have a room block, be sure to opt for a private room rather than the main dining room. This ensures that your other guests don’t accidentally walk by and see that they’ve been left out.
Pros
- Recapping the night. Having a brunch immediately after your wedding with your guests provides the perfect opportunity to recap the night together while the memories are still fresh in everyone’s mind. Your wedding day is sure to be a whirlwind, so it’ll be great to speak to individual guests about their experiences.
- Quality time. Hosting the event provides an opportunity to spend more time with people you may not see often. You’re going to be pulled in every direction during the reception will probably result in you not spending a ton of time with individual people. Having this extra time can be super nice if you are having a larger wedding and didn’t get to say hi to everyone. It’s also nice if you had people travel in from out of state that you don’t get to see very often.
- Fun! After months of celebrations and showers this will be your last major wedding event! It’ll give you one more opportunity to soak in this truly happy time celebrating your new marriage surrounded by all of your favorite people.
Cons
- Cost. Although the brunches can be casual, it’s still resulting in money being taken away from your overall wedding and/or honeymoon budget. Many couples opt to host a relaxed buffet style brunch so that people can come and go, which helps with cost, but it definitely still adds up.
- Time crunch. If you’re leaving for your honeymoon the day after your wedding, hosting a brunch will result in less time to prep for travel. You’ll have to make sure that the brunch is timed around your travel plans.
- Exhaustion. After your wedding weekend both you and your guests are sure to be extremely tired and probably moving slowly after a night full of drinks and dancing. You may find that you are worn out and just want to cozy up and sleep in with your new spouse rather than host an event.
All that considered, is it worth it?
As is the case with most of wedding planning, it’s really up to you! If you’re having an out-of-town wedding, it’s probably worth it to see your guests off before they travel home. If you’re having a local wedding and there are very few people traveling or staying in hotels you can probably skip it. Consider what you want, how much time you have before the honeymoon, and what your budget will allow. After all, there are no rules when it comes to your wedding. You should do whatever will make you and your fiancé the happiest!