Bridal Brunch Essentials: Decor and Menu Inspiration

For a bride, the wedding season involves not just one event but a series of celebrations with different groups of people close to her. There’s the engagement party, bachelorette, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and the latest trend: bridal brunches.

A bridal brunch is a close cousin to the popular Southern tradition of a bridal luncheon. Typically held a few days before the wedding, both are intended to gather the bridesmaids and give the bride a chance to thank them for all their hard work and support during the wedding planning process. This is also an excellent opportunity for the bride to hand out the bridesmaids’ gifts.

Unlike larger (or more wild) wedding events, a bridal brunch tends to have a more relaxed atmosphere that promotes bonding, heartfelt conversation, and a focus on the most important women in the bride’s life.

So, how do you throw together such a meaningful event—without adding to the stress of an impending wedding? We’re here to guide you through the process with décor and menu inspiration for a stress-less bridal brunch!

Setting the Scene

The first step is planning out the ambiance of your bridal brunch. The venue you choose will play a role in this, but ideally, you want to use a cohesive color scheme to create a foundation for your other décor. We love pastels, blush pink, and gold interspersed with plenty of bridal white.

Once you have a color scheme, move on to your table settings. An elegant tablescape is always in style for a bridal brunch, so set out nice linens, flatware, and stylish glasses. We particularly love how a gold-rimmed charger adds a sense of panache to any table setting. Don’t forget to add pops of your chosen color here, with matching napkins or flower arrangements.

Speaking of flower arrangements, you’ll also want some chic centerpieces that tie into your color scheme. You can do vases of flowers and greenery or photos of your bridesmaids in elegant frames. But candles are a timeless way to add decoration and ambiance to the setting. Choose from pillar candles, candelabras and tapered candles, votives, or floating candles in sleek cylinder vases. You really can’t go wrong as long as you keep the colors consistent.

Of course, a momentous occasion like this deserves a fun photo wall! Use white hydrangea mats to quickly create a flower backdrop that’s as sophisticated as the rest of your brunch. If you want to go all out, splurge on a neon sign to hang over the flowers, boasting your new last name or something tailored to the occasion, like “Bride Squad.”

Delicious Bites

A bridal brunch is the perfect place for a spread of bite-sized delicacies! While you can certainly serve full-sized quiches or pancakes, small bites always bring an elegant feel, which is ideal for your bridal brunch.

We recommend a nice spread of savory and sweet treats to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds. Here are a few ideas:

Savory Treats:

•       Mini quiches
•       Avocado toast
•       Parfaits
•       Charcuterie board

Sweet Treats:

•       Pastries
•       Donuts
•       Mini waffles
•       French toast sticks

The best thing about these delicious bites is that they look fabulous arranged on platters, so you’re guaranteed to have a beautiful and mouthwatering spread. You can finish off the look with a couple of glass carafes of Bloody Marys and orange juice or go all out with a mimosa bar featuring a variety of juices and sparkling wines and a coffee station with plenty of flavored creamers.

With just a bit of careful thought and planning, you can create a memorable and chic brunch that will ensure your bridesmaids feel loved and appreciated!