Bride-to-be brunch with Denby

Brunch is hands-down my favourite meal of the day – delicious breakfast foods with a cheeky tipple to go with it. But you don’t have to be an amazing chef or baker to throw together a quick and simple brunch to impress your friends. I woke up on Saturday morning and jumped out of bed with excitement – which is very rare for me as I’m not a morning person at all. It was the day of my hen do!! I knew the girls had planned a day at Ascot and that we were leaving just before midday. But I had no idea what was going to happen that day apart from a lot of prosecco… A LOT.

So after sorting out the little one, I got started on myself… And that took up most of the morning! How did we ever used to do that 2/3 times a week getting ready for nights out!? It got to 10am and I hadn’t even had a cuppa yet – I was too busy having a giggle in our ‘getting ready whatsapp group’!

But for once I was prepared – the lovely team at Denby sent me an early wedding gift a few days before and what better what to christen this beautiful tea party set then with a bride-to-be brunch? This Monsoon Home Collection by Denby – Filigree Silver is really stunning with it’s shimmering silver detailing – but it’s also pretty tough. Dishwasher and microwave-safe, this fine china is for using and not for keeping safe in a cupboard! The Monsoon home collection by Denby combines Monsoon’s iconic patterns and beautiful designs with Denby’s expertise in ceramics to produce unique dinnerware to be enjoyed every day. Celebrating quality craftsmanship, each collection is inspired by travel and designed to enrich the spirit and senses. The range features interpretations of original artworks from the Monsoon archive, resulting in stylishly elegant dinnerware that can be treasured forever.

I knew that I wouldn’t have much time to prepare anything too fancy so opted for some good-old brunch favourites to line our stomachs with. Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and bacon bagels with tomato sauce. I chose bagels over baps as they look really nice cut up into quarters – and a little bit more ‘restauranty’.

Instead of tea for the bride-to-be brunch – I opted for a prosecco and gin cocktail. After all, brunch without alcohol is just breakfast right?

For the cocktail, I pre-soaked some raspberries in pink gin to make boozy berries. In the teapot I added elderflower tonic and prosecco and some gin into a milk jug to let my hens (or is it chicks?) choose how strong they want to make their own drink. I popped some boozy berries and a sprig of mint into each tea cup and then all your guests have to do when they arrive is to fill it up with ‘tea’.

I loved this twist on a classic tea party and it was a fab start to my hen party at Ascot! It really shows how adaptable a tea set can be. And if you have a small kitchen with little storage space like me, then everything has to work extra hard to earn it’s place in my cupboards!

Thank you to Denby for the lovely gift too, it’d make a wonderful engagement or wedding gift for anyone ; )

Natalia xo