Do You Need to Host Brunch After Your Wedding?

It's such a popular trend that it may feel required.

Sometimes it feels like every wedding is now a weekend-long affair, full of activities for guests.

rustic-wood-reception-table-with-hydrangea-runner-and-breakfast-food
Photo: Elizabeth Messina

Sometimes it feels like every wedding is now a weekend-long affair, full of activities for guests. Perhaps the most popular of these events is the morning-after brunch. Even nuptials that don’t come with a multi-day itinerary will often still include a meal the morning following the celebration. Given its popularity, it’s understandable that some couples may feel like this brunch is a must, along the lines of a rehearsal dinner. However, that can be overwhelming, with all the planning that’s already gone into the big day.

wedding pancakes, morning-after brunch wedding weekend

Photo by Elizabeth Messina; Planning & Design by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants 

If you have the means, an elaborate brunch complete with its own aesthetic and full menu can be a wonderful way to send off your guests after they celebrated your marriage. That said, it is far from a necessity. For those who love the idea of a morning-after brunch, but shudder at the thought of planning another full-scale event, there are a couple of ways to simplify the process: 

Do you or your future spouse come from a blended family? If your parents generously ask to contribute to the festivities, assigning the brunch can be a great way to include everyone. This is particularly useful for those who may be following tradition. If the bride’s parents are covering the wedding and the groom’s parents are divorced, one set can take care of the rehearsal dinner while the other plans the morning-after brunch. 

Does your hotel offer breakfast? If you have a lot of out-of-town loved ones staying at the same property, there may be a continental breakfast included for hotel guests. In this case, you can just use your wedding website or word of mouth to tell people to come enjoy a laid-back morning meal with the newlyweds. Just be prepared to stick around for quite a while, as you don’t want to disappoint attendees who were hoping to see you before you depart for the honeymoon. 

While a morning-after brunch is a new tradition that we love, it should never come before your own budget and sanity. If it will be too difficult to pull off, feel free to skip it! 

For more on wedding-related events, discover eight steps to planning your rehearsal dinner and everything you need to know about bridal luncheons.