Brunch and New York go hand in hand. With our bars and lounges open later than most other cities, it’s no wonder so many people like the idea of sleeping in, throwing on some dark shades, and heading to the nearest brunch spot for unlimited mimosas and some delicious food. In warm weather it’s even nicer, with outdoor seating and a nice view. But brunch is also a great idea when looking to host something simple and affordable at home in your own outdoor space. Whether it’s for a birthday, babyshower, or just a fun afternoon with friends- we love a good brunch. So we wanted to share some easy tips on creating your own simple but Instagram worthy brunch spread.
1. Use what you have.
Rather than hitting up the party store for plastic and disposable decor and platters, shop your own house. Candles, lanterns, and other decorative pieces from around your house can make for nice table settings. Base your color scheme on these items, so you can base what you do have to purchase on what is already available.
For our set up, we had a lot of white and silver decor- so we decided the pops of color would come from flowers and the food.
Our outdoor tables were glass, so rather than using tablecloths to cover them, we used placemats as a table liner in the center of the table.
We then raided the kitchen for any platters that could be used and set aside to match the food to them.
By using your own items, you’re also bringing elements of inside to your outdoor space, which can make it feel more cozy and comfortable for guests to settle in and have a great time. Work with what you have!
2. What to Buy
After deciding that the pops of color would come from the food and a flower arrangement as the centerpiece, we decided to make life even more easier by having a beautiful summer bouquet delivered by Teleflora.
Teleflora has an amazing selection of summer flower arrangements to choose from, so it was easy to pick one that complimented our theme and decor. As soon as we placed the arrangement down, it gave the table a pop! Perfect!
As for the glassware and dinnerware, you can decide if you want to use your own or buy some fun plastic or paper to match the decor. Plastic champagne flutes are perfect for mimosas, your own tea set is perfect for teas and coffees. We decided to go with some fun polkadot cups from Cheeky to add even more pops of color. If you really want to save, having some fun mismatched but colorful items from your own kitchen works well for a outdoor garden inspired brunch. Think Alice in Wonderland with lots of fun colors and prints.
3. The Food
After perusing Pinterest for some inspiration, we decided on two main platters that would bring fun pops of color and be the first thing guests see when they arrive.
Our choice was fruit bouquets (ice cream cones filled with mixed fruit) and waffle slices sprinkled with confectioners sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, topped with berries.
These were such simple and affordable choices, but really made the table pop and were able to last on the tables as the guest arrived and began to eat.
For the rest of the food, we decided on eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, and a colorful pasta salad. We added a light cheese and cracker spread and it was the perfect amount of food.
4. The Drinks
For the drinks, we decided on Mimosas and Sangria. Champagne is fun to mix with not only orange juice for mimosas but also other fruity juices. We filled a drink dispenser we had with champagne and some tropical fruit juice, and a smaller carafe with mimosa. For the Sangria, we thought the Sangria from Beso Del Sol would make for a fun look on the table and went great with the polkadots with the cups. Guests can throw some fruit in their cups and dispense the Sangria and have a delish drink!
We kept our drink and dessert table simple, with a cakestand for a strawberry shortcake and grabbed a canvas painting from our hallway add some background decor.
The tablecloth? It was actually a shower curtain! Rather than buying those cheap plastic tablecloths from the dollar store or overspending on a nice tablecloth, we used what we had and found a fun floral print shower curtain in the linen closet! The material is perfect for liquid obviously, so easy to clean up any spills.
You don’t have to be Martha Stewart or have her kind of money to host a fun and beautiful brunch outdoors. Work with what you have and use inspiration from sites like Pinterest to give you ideas, but don’t stress over what you don’t have or your budget. At the end of the day, it’s all about having a great time with family or friends and creating memories. As you build your entertaining inventory, you can find platters and pitchers from yard sales, dollar stores, places like Marshall’s, and even shop your grandmas kitchen for those pieces that haven’t been used in years. Before you know it, you’ll have lots of fun things to pull out the next time company comes by-without needing to pick up a bunch of disposable party goods.
Happy Brunching!
Like some of our ideas? Here are links to some of the brands mentioned above:
Teleflora’s Sunny Siesta Bouquet: www.teleflora.com
Besa Del Sol Sangria: www.besodelsolsangria.com
Cups from Cheeky: www.cheekyhome.com