Day After Brunch ($5 per guest!)

Hosting a brunch the morning after the wedding is a nice touch.  It gives you more time to visit with those who traveled from afar while providing guests with a better option than steamed eggs at the hotel.  But it is another cost and can require serious planning, no matter how simple you intend it to be.  (Any event larger than 20 guests requires real coordination – while plenty of smaller events entail just as much.) 

On timing: a late start allows you to get presentable.  As the guest of honor you need to be there from the beginning, so calculate in travel.  With most hotel check outs at noon, I recommend a start no earlier than 11:00 am.  Those with early flights won’t be able to make it no matter what time it begins, so why not give yourself an extra hour to just enjoy your first morning being married?  A 2-hour window is ample time for all interested in attending.  Budget in 30-minutes before and after for setup and clean up – meaning you’ll need to set aside three hours or so to be social, then can get back to the early honeymoon! 

On attendees: you can invite family only though many welcome out-of-town friends and some have the means to include their entire guest list.  Most likely you will have far fewer attendees than at the wedding due to early flights, hangovers and family schedules.  An emailed invitation works well for such a casual event. 

Inexpensive food options:  What’s inexpensive?  I’m talking $5 a person cheap.  You’ve already hosted one awesome meal, if not two (counting the rehearsal) and it’s really about the socializing, so skip the smorgasbord and consider:

• A Bagel Bar: set out a variety of bagels and cream cheeses (of course plain, strawberry and chive – but what about pineapple, jalapeno or pumpkin?)  Consider apple or honey butter in addition to whipped (insert cute “whipped” joke?)  Or step it up a notch with lox, red onion and tomato.

• Donuts: towers and platters of donuts with milk (chocolate and plain variety.)  Need I say more?

• Oatmeal with All the Fixins: steel cut oats are perfect for this (the 'special occasion' oats are filling) and can be cooked overnight in crock pots.  Have toppings like fresh blueberries, nuts, slivered oranges, apples and brown sugar crumble.  A crème anglaise makes oats irresistible.
• French Toast Kabobs: battered bread alternated with raspberries and other fruits provides grab-and-go breakfast for those with tight timeframes.  Mini syrup cups in shot glasses or teacups?

• Yogurt Parfaits & Granola Bars: for the health-conscious, pre-made yogurt, fruit and nut parfaits pair perfectly with homemade or a variety of store-bought granola bars.  Those with flights later in the day will thank you for the portable treats!
• Cereal Bar: decorative jars and vases make your childhood favorites fancy.
  
  
• Cinnamon Rolls: spice up plain cinnamon rolls with various icings (vanilla, orange and bourbon-spiked)
• B&G: biscuits and gravy made simple with an DIY assembly-line setup.  Chinese take-out containers keep it quirky.  Display gravy in cast iron pots and garnish with fried sage for a composed touch.  With jams on the side for lighter diners, all appetites are covered.
• Coffee & Pastries: keep it simple with assorted pastries from a local bakery and good coffee
• Waffle Bar: rather than a manned station (which can get pricey) a less expensive version would be to pre-make a batter (I love this malted mix) and set out 2-4 waffle irons for a DIY bar. 
• Muffins: served with a fruit salad, a spread of several muffins - like blueberry, pumpkin-chocolate, banana-nut, poppy seed or cornbread, just to name a few - will please every palate.  Plus leftovers can be turned into fabulous bread puddings. 
• Crepe Station: While pre-made crepes don't last, a local food truck that serves crepes would be a great option in a park pavilion for a casual setting (especially if you can negotiate an all-in or discounted price.)
• Potluck: family (or church members?) sign up to bring various casseroles, etc. for your guests post-wedding night. 
• Build-Your-Own Breakfast Burritos: tortillas, scrambled eggs and meats make a mean hangover cure.
• Bundt Cake Breakfast: it’s your party, you can eat cake for breakfast if you want to
• Muffin Tin Omelets: better for a smaller crowd, these cute individual-sized eggs are sure to satisfy.
• Scones & Crumpets: Downton Abbey-themed breakfast, anyone?

On drinks: no one expects an open bar in the A.M.  In addition to the very basics (coffee – like this party pack from Starbucks – and orange juice) you might want to have one signature drink, like DIY Mimosas, a Bloody Mary bar or Hot Chocolate for winter weddings.