Club Entertaining: Party Planning For Your Entertaining Needs

occasions

winter holiday

Backyard Brunch 101

With these simple entertaining tips, it is easier than you think to pull off a simple, elegant outdoor brunch.

Easy entertaining tips for spring brunches

Invite your best pals.
Pastels are the harbinger of spring; pink, robins-egg blue, and lilac invitations tied with a pretty ribbon are an easy but elegant way to introduce your party. If you want a cozy gathering, 4-6 people is plenty; a mid-size brunch can include up to a dozen guests; and a larger party is only limited by the size of your home, yard, and budget.

As to time, don't make it too early; after all, "brunch" is a combination of "breakfast" and "lunch." Most brunches begin between 9 and 11 a.m.; plan yours around any other activities going on that day (such as Easter services or an afternoon commitment). Be sure to specify on the invitation whether kids are invited; just say "adults only, please" or "be sure to bring the kids!"
Set up your space.
Ideally, the fickle spring weather will cooperate and gift you with a perfectly sunny, mild day, but have backup plans just in case. Even if you can't eat outside, a few touches will enliven the house and give off a springtime air (see "Make it pretty" for more details).

If you've got more than eight people on the guest list, a buffet table is in order. Label each dish with a place card so guests know what amazing treats you're serving, and organize savory foods on one side, sweet foods on the other, and drinks at the end. With a smaller group, you can put platters of food right on the table, but it's nice to have a spare table nearby to put dishes on after they've been passed around.
Plan the meal.
Though brunch is technically a meal, it's somewhat casual, which means it's low-key to make and easy on the budget. Include a mix of savory and sweet foods–our recipes include Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Barbecue Pitas, and Italian Meatball Soup for the savory portion and French Toast Maple Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole for a sweet treat. You can also pick up pastries, muffins, and bagels from your club warehouse store (cut each into quarters to stretch out the food and so guests can choose from a variety). Toss fresh fruit with yogurt for a quick, tangy salad, or make it a part of the décor by arranging slices of multi-colored fruits on a large platter in a concentric pattern to look like a flower.

As to timing, the Italian Meatball Soup can be made the night before and reheated the next morning while the Barbecue Pork and French Toast Maple Cinnamon Breakfast Casserole heat up in the oven and you're preparing the Shrimp Fra Diavolo. You can also speed up the baking time for the Barbecue Pork by defrosting for a day in the refrigerator for a day before placing it in the oven. Put fresh fruit, muffins, and other prepared foods on the table last–minute.
Dazzle with drinks.
Coffee and fruit juice are a must; don't forget cream, sugar, and sweetener for guests. Get fancy with a tea party, or add a spirited drink to the mix, like mimosas (sparkling wine and orange juice) or Bellinis (sparkling wine with peach puree). Both need to be made to order, so ask a friend to help.
Make it pretty.
Think simple, sophisticated, and inexpensive. If you've got spring bulbs popping up around your yard or apple blossoms in bloom, cut a bunch for the buffet table centerpiece, or set out newly-planted pots of annuals.

Pastel cloth or plastic tablecloths pair well with white or clear plastic dishes. If children are attending, cover a special table for them with butcher paper (you can buy it at your club store or a craft store) and set out crayons. They can decorate the table themselves. Having the party inside after all? Fresh flowers and a lightly-scented spring candle do wonders to freshen up the house even if you can't feast outdoors.
Just for fun.
There's no need for games at a brunch–it’s all about the food, right?–but if you want to plan children's games, go retro with jugs of bubbles and sidewalk chalk, or hold an old-fashioned egg relay.