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Events leading up to a wedding give the bride-to-be opportunities to spend time with a variety of friends and family. The large number of people a bride may have to interact with, though, can also mean less time spent with close family members and the special moments that only a family can share as part of the overall wedding experience. This is why a bridal shower brunch with intimate family and friends just before the bustle of the wedding day is a good idea.

A bridal shower brunch usually takes place between 10 a.m. and noon, 2-3 days before the wedding. It’s an inexpensive and fun way to allow close family members to bond with the bride and feel like they’re sharing in and contributing to her wedding planning efforts.

First thing in hosting a bridal shower brunch is selecting a serene ambience for the brunch. This could be a banquet hall or a private section of a restaurant. Traditionally though, a bridal shower brunch is normally held at the bride’s home but any calm surrounding will normally do the trick. Decorations for the brunch should be stylish and preferably match to the color theme of the wedding, while reflecting the class and maturity of the bride.

It’s never a bad idea to get ideas from the bridal party, but overall the dcor, theme and colors selected should approach that of a wedding atmosphere. At the same time, the dress code can be set to semi-casual (with a touch of sophistication) to allow for a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

The theme of the bridal shower brunch and wedding should also be taken into consideration when planning the day’s menu. If the couple will have a traditional white wedding, items such as chicken salad, white pizza, mini bagels with cream cheese, and the use of white serving dishes would make perfect sense. But don’t feel as though you can’t prepare a bride’s favorite family recipe, one from a friend, or unique and creative entrees from a contemporary cookbook, especially if that’s what the bride would prefer.

For exotic themed weddings, you might want to hire a chef who specializes in the exotic meals the wedding is based on. The trick, though, is to keep the meals light, so cheeses, salads and soups are best for such an occasion. Others include croissants and brioches, fruits like grapes and strawberries, vegetables like tomatoes and gourmet, among others.

When planning drinks, be sure to include non-alcoholic options (if alcohol will be used) and keep the offerings connected to the overall wedding theme. You really can’t go wrong with fruit punch, coffee, tea and soft drinks in terms of the non-alcoholic options, even if the brunch event is very formal or exotic.

It’s also a common tradition for the bride to treat her guests to some type of gift. This does not have to be overly expensive, and can even be something home-made, a bottle of wine, gift cards, gourmet chocolates or candy, flowers or other items. The overall goal is for the bridal shower brunch to be a wonderful time spent with family and friends without being a financial or planning burden for the bride and her helpers.

Bridal shower brunch ideas are just the beginning at the BridalShowerMoments blog. Join Janine Moore and our other writers for more on bridal shower decorating, centerpieces, activities and more.

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