DIY Mimosa Bar + The Lexington Blogger Brunch

     A few weeks ago, a group of local Lexington bloggers and myself collaborated for an over-the-top summer blogger brunch at the Barn at Springhouse Gardens!  It could not have turned out more beautiful and we had the most magical morning chatting, eating, and of course taking lots of photos!  Each blogger contributed to the event in some way, which made it even more special.  I loved getting to see the unique talents of everyone there and learn a little bit more about each person!  Monday, I shared the details of the flower crown bar I set up for the event with tips on how to style your own as well (find that post here).   Today every blogger from the event will be sharing a post about the brunch, whether it be a recipe, DIY, or outfit!  I've linked all of their blogs at the end of this post- so be sure to check them out!  I will be sharing about the mimosa bar I set up with tips and tricks for styling your own!

     Mimosas are a necessity for any brunch and this is such a fun and easy station to set up for a party or event.  Your guests will love being able to customize their own mimosas with different juices and fruit garnishes.  Special thanks to the Lexington Whole Foods for donating all the champagne, juice, and fruit for our mimosa bar at the brunch!  Their fresh squeezed OJ was so delicious and made the best mimosas!  I've rounded up a shopping list of all the necessities you will need to assemble your mimosa bar below.  

Champagne + ice

Fresh squeezed orange juice

2-3 other juices of your choice: I used grapefruit + pineapple

Fresh fruit garnishes: Strawberries, Raspberries, + Blueberries are some of my favorites!

Cups (I used mini mason jars but you can also use disposable cups or real champagne glasses)

      Truly the only two things you really need for mimosas are orange juice and champagne, but the whole point of a mimosa bar is to add a few more fun options!  I like to offer 3-4 juice choices total (grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and cranberry juice are some popular options!), as well as some fresh fruit to add to your mimosas like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.  Don't forget to buy ice to keep your champagne chilled if you don't have a fridge or ice-maker nearby at the event!  As far as cups, I prefer the look of real glass, so I used mini mason jars for this set-up.  You can also use vintage glasses, champagne flutes, or plastic/disposable cups as well. 

     After you've purchased all the ingredients for your mimosa bar, the next step is styling!  Choose a pretty tablecloth or table runner to set the scene and add a pop of color.  I also layered a mix of vintage trays underneath the juice carafes and cups to highlight and separate each section of the bar.  Use vintage glass carafes or pitchers to hold each juice (you can add a label or sign to each one if you wish!).  An icebucket or metal tub will work perfectly to hold your champagne and ice and keep it chilled.  Paper straws are another fun addition that your guests will love!  Choose a color or pattern that works with your theme and place them in a small cup or jar near the cups.  Finally don't forget a few decorative bowls and some spoons, so your guests can easily grab the fruit.  Find my full list of styling extras below:

Paper straws (find my gold striped straws here)

Glass carafes or pitchers to hold juices

Icebucket for champagne

Bowls + spoons for the fruits

Decorative trays

Chalkboard or sign

Tablecloth or table runner

     Arrange your items so that it's easy for your guests to assemble their mimosas from start to finish.  Start with the glasses and straws at the beginning, followed by the juices and champagne, and finish with the fruit garnishes at the end or in the very front.  This is a set up that will wow your guests whether it is for a baby or bridal shower, holiday brunch, or outdoor party!  You can check out more photos from our blogger brunch below, as well as the links to all the other's blogger's pages who participated!  Don't forget to check out my coordinating post about the DIY flower crown bar from this same event here.  Each blogger will be sharing a post today about the brunch- so don't miss all the delicious recipes, cute outfits, styling tips, and plenty more photos of the entire event!  

xoxo

Emily 

Don't forget to check out the brunch posts from all the other local Lexington bloggers below:

Taylor Camacho | The Stylish Tales of Tay

Kelsey Bauer | KabKitchen

Emily Ho | Authentically Emmie

Sarah Caton | Space, Place & Southern Grace

Courtney Hastings | Kentucky Girl Ramblings

Tif Fannin | Bright on a Budget

Katie Mullen & Anna Towle | Hartley Social

Francis Lee Baker | Lee's Lookbook

Kayla Nord | Kayla Weber Art

Whitney Scheibel | Fabulous in Fayette

Ella Rutledge | Girl Meets Lex

Bronwyn Butler | Basically Bronwyn

Stephanie Hargis | This Lexington Life

Leela Foley | Lex Eats

Lisa Coe | Candor and Rose

Amanda Zopp | Salt & Life Blog

Special thanks to all the vendors who contributed to our special goodie bags: Shop Local KY, Miss Molly Vintage, AJ Apothecary, Shop Twenty, Morton James, Springhouse Gardens, Whole Foods Lexington, and Kentucky Yarnbirds. Our brunch was held at The Barn at Springhouse in Nicholasville, Kentucky. All photos taken by Kirstie Dunston Photography unless noted otherwise.