Food for a cocktail brunch reception?? Help with a morning wedding period, LOST PLEASE HELP!

If the reception is 12-4, I'd definitely recommend more lunch food. It'll probably be 12:30 by the time anyone eats, so breakfast might be weird.

I don't know, I feel like people usually get breakfast-y food at weekend brunches, and those run until 2 or 3pm at most restaurants. As long as you have both sweeter and more savory options, I think people will be happy.

I'm with Cabell, but I personally find brunch food easier to dress up than lunch food (just add some berries, whipped cream, vanilla or almond extract...) Champagne also (at least in my head) goes better with brunch food.

Maybe we could do the wedding at like 10:30 and then the reception would start at 11:30 and brunch would seem more appropriate? The reception space is like 10 miles away from the ceremony space, that's why there's a half hour gap :-)

With an 11:30 wedding I would do a menu with lunch meats, cheese, rolls, a tossed salad, just light menu options. Hope this helps!

If you are moving the wedding up, consider how much prep time you may need before the actual ceremony. Do you really want to have to wake up at 5am (or some other early hour)?

If you want to feel better about the choice to serve brunch food at 1230-1pm, look at "Sunday/weekend brunch" at local restaurants, what time do they end?

Have you asked your family? I have specific members of my family who would find it odd, but some who would also find lunch food at 12 on Sunday a bit odd.

Also, no need to over think it. From what I've been reading over the past few weeks, it sounds like you are taking your wedding back and making it YOUR wedding. What do you and your FS want? Go with that.

Hm, you ladies make some very good points. I really don't want to wake up at 5am on my wedding day lol. We're already on a Friday, perhaps if we switch to the Sunday we could still have a brunchy breakfast foods. *strokes chin, pondering* I dunno if there's a price difference at our reception venue from Fri to Sun. Gotta check.

I've certainly eaten Sunday brunch at noon or 1pm, and eaten only "breakfast-y" foods. If you could maybe include a ham or something, too, that would be a less breakfast-specific item that still works with other breakfast foods.

FYI: Brunch foods are harder to keep warm and fresh compared to lunch. Depending on your guest count, the station's for omelets and Belgium waffles will be a long line wait. It's easier to do lunch buffets and it seems to be more appropriate to have lunch if it's after 11:30. Hope this helps you some.

Sorry if I'm repeating I didn't read all of the posts. I say if you're doing a brunch at 11ish I would try to incoporate both breakfast and lunch foods is that a possiblity? Just a little bit of both.

If you are going to do just breakfast then I would say move it up to an earlier time.

If you are going to keep it for 11:30 and you cant' do both lunch and breakfast I would say do lunch.

You could also do a New Orleans jazz brunch - play jazz, serve beignets, coffee with chicory and brunch stuff along with heavier fare like jambalaya.

Ugh I didn't even think about that @Erika.

@Shannon, that's actually a really good idea. Do you know what other food is usually served? I'm about to Google my a*s off lol.

@Vera, I was thinking about that but I actually haven't been to many brunches lol. We're either up really early (damn military) or really late so it's always either or. I wouldn't know what to have on the menu.

Like what do you serve at a lunch buffet?

Sandwiches, maybe a little pasta, that's what im thinking.. maybe not so much picnic-y, but delish.

Here's a sample menu from a restaurant in New Orleans:

http://www.commanderspalace.com/menu/brunch/

You could even do a French Quarter theme with the decor: http://albums.mouseplanet.com/AdrienneVincentPhoenix/Club33View_113007_AVP.jpg

Well usually at a brunch you would have breakfast foods like eggs (omlet station is common), breakfast meats, breakfast pastires, freach toast/pancakes/waffles, bagles with all fixins, smoked fishes, crudite, finger sandwiches, different types of cold salads (pasta/ceasar/bean, ect.), maybe a tossed hot pasta.

I agree with Cabell. Maybe even a little sandwich platter or something to add some unch to your brunch I'm so glad to see that you're exploring options that will make you and your FH happy, rather than doing what you feel you're "supposed" to do.

@Rosie, you have no idea how hard it is. I think my problem is I really want my family to be impressed. I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth by any means and I've work my butt off to get where I am now even without the love and support of my family at every stage of it. I guess in a way I'm trying to "show off" and I know I need to stop.

http://www.rrcatering.com/pdf/menu_brunch.pdf Check out this brunch menu from this cater that my wedding planner suggested. Thoughts?

I'm hungry now, their menu looks yummy...

I'd do one lunch station - the carving station, and one breakfast station - either the omelet or the crepe station. The appetizers will work with both IMO. They also had quiche and frittata listed - I think that could go either way depending on the ingredients.

Are you not doing any pics after the wedding (and before the reception)? Cause your timeline doesnt allow for that