Trying to gather the troops to meet up en-masse can be an extreme first world struggle, what with work, school, social, family and recreational activities taking a bulk of the time. But, sometimes you really just want to see your friends all together. When is a prime time to gather around and catch up? Friday? Oh, no sorry, Jimmy has football practice. What about Saturday afternoon? Oh, nope, Sydney has a recital and Mike has an offsite work thing. Sunday? Well, that’s a school night, for crying out loud—Okay…. Wait, How about a Sunday morning brunch? The kids can run around in the back yard and there will be boozy coffee and mimosas. Deal!

Honestly, the hardest part about planning a brunch is the scheduling. Now that you’ve sorted that out, you are good to go. You can take the reins and go Martha Stewart crazy on this brunch, or go the Real Housewives and take an Ambien and just melt into your day. Or make use of that Sunset Magazine subscription and just go DYI – BYOB and utilize your resources.

The Martha Stewart Continental Approach: This is the intricate, impressive, wow your friends method. You’ll have a gigantic spread of seasonal fruits, scones, muffins, artisanal veggie quiches, a lovely arugula salad perhaps, and a mimosa station, equipped with fresh pressed juices to add to your sparkling. Your key to success here will be in the details. You can really add drama and flair with creating a theme on the buffet: a color palette that incorporates the season, creating elevation with risers and unique vessels, fresh floral and greenery, and even custom handmade signs denoting the items. Ah, the Hamptons.

The Real Housewives Approach: You Helped! I mean, you got all of the goods, and you can delegate somebody to set it up and cook it. This is when you trust your guests to tend to themselves. And, by no means is this being a poor host. This is being a laid back, carefree, accommodating host, where you would rather have your close friends cook their own omelets with the ingredients you brought, so they can customize it to their specific liking. This is having a bloody mary bar where you’ve got the vodka, the mixer, and a huge spread of veggies, garnishes, pickled accoutrements and your guests can build their own adventure. And, when in doubt, have your event catered. This takes all of the day-of hassle out of your hands, so you can actually engage with your guests, or take an 8 hour nap. Catering your event gives you the option for a pre-set breakfast, a buffet station, passed items, or action stations, where chefs can impress and cook items up to your guest’s desires.

The BYOB Approach: This is the simplest approach and also the most cost effective. If you do not know about specific food sensitivities or what people may want, just ask your guest to bring an item that they’d like to have served. It usually results in a smorgasbord-potluck style brunch that really captures the essence of you and your friends. Most of you likely lead busy and stressed lives, so take that Sunday morning and make it relaxing, carefree and real. Simple and delicious foods, flavorful drinks and close friends are a perfect recipe for creating that modern “International House of Coffee” moment amongst you and your ladies friends.