Ask a professional bridesmaid: Do I need to do a post-wedding brunch?

Dear Jen,

 

We’re putting the final finishing touches on our wedding weekend. We’ve already planned out the details for the rehearsal dinner, and of course, the wedding day. Now we’re going back and forth over whether or not we should do a post-wedding Sunday brunch. What are your thoughts? Do people expect one? Will people actually go to one? We can do one through the hotel, but it will cost over $60 a person, and I have no idea how many people I should pay for. Plus, we’re spending so much on the wedding, I don’t even know if we can afford a brunch of that caliber.

 

Sincerely,

Brunch or No Brunch

 

Dear Brunch or No Brunch,

 

There is an overwhelming amount of food at weddings. Between the rehearsal dinner, the cocktail hour, the reception plates, and even, sometimes, a full dessert bar, there’s no excuse for guests to leave the wedding stuffed.

 

There’s no reason to shell out a lot of cash for a Sunday post-wedding brunch, especially because a lot of guests do their own thing that morning, whether it’s sleep in late or wake up early to travel home. If you want to give your guests an option, create a mini-event for people to come and say goodbye and maybe grab a small, light meal to take on the go with them. You could bring in bagels or even put together pre-packaged snack bags. Something simple and optional for your guests. Spending $60 a person will hit your wallet hard, and may leave you with so much leftover food that you might need a couple of extra suitcases to lug it all home with you.