If all goes as daydreamed, your wedding reception will be a beautiful blur of dizzying spins on the dance floor, joyful toasts, bountiful bites and celebratory embraces. Why stop the celebration there? Many modern couples are opting for an additional day-after brunch to keep the good times rolling and allow the blissful buzz to carry on through the next morning.
Kylie Edwards of Tujague’s Restaurant reflects that incorporating a farewell brunch is becoming progressively popular for a multitude of reasons.
“There has definitely been an increase in couples opting for a casual farewell brunch,” said Edwards. “In today’s wedding landscape celebrations often span an entire weekend, so the farewell brunch offers a relaxed and intimate extension of the festivities. The couples have a chance to wind down and enjoy meaningful moments with guests they may not have had time to connect with during the whirlwind of the reception.”
When deciding which fare to present after an evening of partying the night away, Jordan Breland, senior sales manager at Galatoire’s, suggests a mix of options to appeal to your peckish guests.
“No brunch is complete without the balance of savory and sweet items,” she advises. “For every fresh fruit display or round of beignets we may offer bagels and gravlax or eggs Benedict. Or guests may choose fried chicken and andouille gravy to pair with pain perdu or fresh pastries. This even applies to beverages – we’re serving up bloody marys in addition to brandy milk punches and mimosas.”
For guests who are unable to stay and enjoy the entire brunch spread, Breland suggests having a sweet finishing touch edible parting gift at the ready.
“Individually wrapped pralines are a great way to offer a sweet treat to those who can’t stay for the full meal, and they’re easy to customize by adding a sticker with the couple’s monogram or sweet note to their guests.”
Even if the brunch has a relaxed and casual tone, Caroline Oliver, senior sales manager at Galatoire’s, reminds that you can still wow your guests with creative presentation.
“Guests want buffets to feel elevated – more interesting servingware, buffet attendants rather than self-serve and custom buffet markers have grown in demand,” says Oliver, noting that a couple recently incorporated a personal touch by branding the toasted bread of a grilled cheese with their monogram. “Brunch foods are just easier to customize than other meals – think waffles, omelets, biscuits, and even grits stations can lend room for guests to get creative and tailor foods to their tastes.”
To take the brunch celebration to heightened levels, Christian Pendleton, general manager of Brennan’s, who has had requests for everything from black-truffled soft scrambled eggs and shaved French black truffle to crab and avocado toast with white sturgeon caviar and chive, believes the addition of the bon voyage brunch provides what he calls “a perfect bookend to the wedding weekend.”
He suggests incorporating a wow moment like a champagne sabering to round out the festivities for your remaining partygoers.
“A festive way to close out the wedding weekend is with a ceremonial champagne sabering for the ultimate celebratory wedding toast,” says Pendleton. “It leaves a lasting impression with guests and makes for a memorable way to begin the send-off of the happy couple!”
