Inviting Family To Your Wedding Breakfast: A Guide

A post-wedding breakfast is a great way to extend the celebrations and spend extra time with your guests before they depart. It is also a lovely gesture to thank your guests, especially those who have travelled long distances, for attending your wedding. If you're hosting a post-wedding breakfast, you might be wondering who to invite.

If your budget allows, you can invite all your wedding guests, but this is not necessary or expected. As a general rule, immediate family members, grandparents, and the wedding party (with their plus-ones) should be invited. If you want to include friends or extended family, it's important to be consistent and equitable to avoid any hurt feelings.

You can include an insert in the invitations for those who are invited, send a separate invitation, or even send an e-vite for the breakfast. It's best to avoid mentioning the breakfast on your wedding website or invitations if not everyone is invited to avoid any confusion or disappointment.

Who to invite

A post-wedding breakfast or brunch is a great way to extend the wedding celebration and spend some extra time with your guests before they head home. It is also a nice way to thank those who have travelled long distances to attend your wedding.

If your budget allows, you can invite all your wedding guests to the post-wedding breakfast. However, this is not necessary or expected. As a general rule, you should invite immediate family members, grandparents, and the wedding party (and their plus-ones). If you gave someone a plus-one for the wedding, you should extend this to the breakfast too.

If you want to invite friends or extended family, it is important to be consistent and equitable. If you invite one first cousin, you will probably need to invite them all, and your partner should be able to do the same. The same goes for friends—if you invite some mutual friends, you will need to invite them all. If you want to keep the guest list small, you can limit it to close family and wedding party members.

If you are only inviting some of your wedding guests to the breakfast, it is best not to mention it on your wedding website or invitations. Instead, you can create an insert to include in the envelopes of those who are invited or send separate invitations.

Where to host it

A wedding breakfast is a great opportunity for the newlyweds to spend quality time with their guests, especially those from out of town, and to thank them for attending the wedding.

When deciding on a location, it's important to choose somewhere easily accessible for guests. Pick a site that is convenient for family and guests, especially those who are travelling. A central location in the town, somewhere close to the wedding venue, or the hotel where most of your guests are staying, are all good options. If you have a lot of out-of-town guests, you could reserve a space in their hotel.

You could rent a restaurant, hold the wedding breakfast at your wedding hotel, or in a house. If you're keeping the guest list small, you could opt for a private room in a restaurant or host it off-site to avoid any awkwardness with those who aren't invited.

If you're looking for a more low-key option, you could host the wedding breakfast in your backyard, or book an outdoor space, a rooftop, or a banquet hall.

If you're looking to save on costs, you could host the wedding breakfast at a venue with an in-house event manager who can help with rental items like tables, chairs, and glassware.

What to serve

A post-wedding breakfast is a great opportunity to serve some delicious food and drinks to help your guests recover from the night before. It's also a chance to be creative and put your own stamp on the event.

Drinks

• Mimosas are a classic post-wedding breakfast drink, so be sure to have some on offer. You could even set up a mimosa bar with different juices and garnishes so guests can make their own.
• Set up a Bloody Mary bar with vodka, bloody Mary mix, and various toppings like olives, bacon, and celery.
• Coffee is a must for a morning event. You could even have a coffee cart serving fresh espresso.
• Bellinis are another great brunch drink option. Set up a bellini bar with different fruit juices and garnishes.
• Prosecco is a good option if you want to offer something a little more celebratory.
• Don't forget to have plenty of water available, too!

Food

• Avocado toast is a popular brunch option and a great way to offer something a little healthier.
• For something more indulgent, set up a donut wall or serve fresh pastries.
• A cereal bar is a fun, nostalgic option, especially if you offer a variety of sugary cereals and flavoured milks. Be sure to include non-dairy options, too.
• If you want to offer something more substantial, set up a bagel bar with a variety of toppings, or serve bacon and egg sandwiches.
• For a more interactive option, have an omelette station where guests can order made-to-order omelettes.
• A waffle bar is another popular option, especially if you offer a variety of sweet toppings like fruit, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce.
• If you want to offer something more unique, try a crepe cake or individual charcuterie boards
• For a more casual option, serve barbecue foods like burgers, hot dogs, and grilled eggs.
• A raw bar with oysters and other seafood is a great option, especially for a seaside brunch.
• If you want to offer something more interactive, set up a build-your-own poke bowl or acai bowl bar with a variety of toppings.
• Miniatures pies or wedding cakes made from crepes or pancakes are a fun, individual option.
• For a more sophisticated option, try shrimp and grits, or chicken and waffles.
• For a fun twist, serve fast food from your favourite joint.
• A grazing table filled with fresh fruit, cheeses, nuts, and dips is a great way to offer a variety of options.
• If you want to offer something more substantial, try Spanish-inspired dishes like ham, chorizo, local cheeses, and breads.

Remember, this is your chance to get creative and offer something that reflects your personality and tastes. Don't be afraid to think outside the box!

When to send invites

The timing of your wedding invites is crucial, and there are a few factors to consider when planning to send them out.

Firstly, it is recommended to send out your wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests enough time to clear their schedules and make any necessary arrangements, such as travel and accommodation plans. It also allows you to receive RSVPs earlier, helping you finalise the headcount and seating charts before the wedding crunch. Sending invites within this timeframe is considered proper wedding invitation etiquette.

However, there are exceptions to this general rule. If your wedding is around a major holiday, such as Christmas, it is advisable to send invitations earlier, around three months in advance. This is because guests may need more time to plan during busy holiday periods. Similarly, for destination weddings or weddings with a large number of international guests, it is recommended to send invitations three months or even up to a year in advance to account for travel planning and extended shipping times for the invites.

On the other hand, if you have a shorter engagement period, the timing of your wedding invites will also be adjusted. For couples with an engagement period of a few months, it is suggested to send invitations two to three months before the wedding.

Additionally, if you choose to include save-the-date cards, these are typically sent four to six months before the wedding or even earlier for destination weddings. This gives guests an early heads-up to mark their calendars and make any necessary travel plans.

In summary, while the sweet spot for sending wedding invitations is around six to eight weeks in advance, there are various factors that can influence the timing. These include the length of your engagement, the number of international guests, and whether it coincides with a busy holiday period. Adjusting the timing of your invites accordingly will help ensure a smooth planning process and a well-attended celebration.

How to word the invite

The wording of your wedding breakfast invitations is important to ensure your guests have all the information they need. Here is some text you could include:

• "Please join us for an after-wedding breakfast the morning after we say 'I do'."
• "Join us for a post-wedding brunch to celebrate some more!"
• "We'd love to spend some more time with you before we head off on our honeymoon. Join us for a post-wedding breakfast."
• "Let's eat! You're invited to a post-wedding brunch."
• "Mimosas and pancakes, anyone? Join us for a post-wedding brunch."
• "We'd love to see you for a post-wedding breakfast before we head off on our next adventure."

Be sure to include the time, date, and location of the breakfast or brunch, as well as information on who will be hosting the event. You might also want to include information on the venue and let your guests know if it will be a casual or dressy affair.

If you are only inviting some of your wedding guests to the breakfast, it is best to send separate invitations to those guests, rather than including information on your wedding website or wedding invitations.

Frequently asked questions