Brunch beneath the trees: food, light and an unhurried celebration

The conversation below is with Marta, a fictional character drawn from common requests made by event organisers. It is an editorial scenario, not an interview with a real NAMETY guest. It helps you picture a future celebration through the eyes of someone who wanted neither a restaurant banquet nor a minute-by-minute schedule.

— Marta, why brunch?

— Because my birthday fell on a Sunday, and I did not want to wait until evening for everyone to sit down and then start checking their watches three hours later. I wanted to meet while there was still plenty of light, the children were not tired and the adults did not have to prepare themselves for a formal occasion. People arrive, pick up a cup, find a place under the trees — and the celebration has already begun, even though no one has officially opened it.

Daylight is what makes this kind of gathering special. On NAMETY's forest meadow, the canopy forms a natural ceiling and the sun moves through the leaves. Decorations should not compete with that. A few thoughtful details, fabric, crockery and a modest amount of flowers allow the forest to remain the main attraction.

— So it is not just an early banquet?

— No. If we moved a restaurant programme to eleven in the morning, nothing would really change. Brunch has a different rhythm. There is no single moment when everyone has to sit down, eat and listen to a toast at once. First something light, then a warm dish, followed by cake or berries, with a walk, photographs and conversations in between. The food supports the day rather than directing it.

NAMETY is not a restaurant, so the organiser plans the menu, preparation, delivery, crockery, serving and clearing up separately and agrees them in advance. The meadow description lists the option of a grill, but how it can be used and what equipment is needed should be confirmed for the particular event. This is less a restriction than a reminder: a table in the forest needs its own logistics.

— What would you serve?

— Food that is easy to recognise and comfortable to eat. Bread, pastries, seasonal vegetables, cheeses, spreads, eggs, one warm dish, fruit, water, tea and good coffee. Someone else might choose a different menu; what matters is how it is served, rather than the list itself. A few dishes arriving at the right time are better than an elaborate menu that needs a restaurant kitchen among the trees.

Ask guests in advance about allergies, dietary requirements and children's portions. Think about how food will be kept at a safe temperature, where drinking water will be stored, who will replenish the table and where used crockery will go. None of this appears in the beautiful photographs, but these decisions are what make the gathering feel easy.

— How do you make the table feel festive without turning the meadow into a stage set?

— I would start with what people will do at the table, rather than the colour of the napkins. Will everyone sit down together? Will guests help themselves over two hours? Do you need space for the cake, children's food and hot drinks? Once you understand how people will move between the table and the meadow, the decoration comes together more naturally.

Repetition works well on a long table: low flowers, branch decorations prepared in advance or seasonal fruit, several matching vases, and fabric that can withstand an unexpected gust. Do not cut or gather plants on NAMETY's grounds for decorations. Tall arrangements hide faces, while very light place cards and napkins soon end up on the ground. Each object should ideally have enough weight, a purpose and no need for constant supervision.

Candles are prohibited by NAMETY's venue rules. Do not use any other open flame without authorisation either; agree the availability of a grill and the rules for using it separately. A daytime brunch does not need extra flames anyway. The main lighting is already there, moving across the table with the sun. And the most striking decoration might be a large platter of berries, a basket of bread or a teapot that keeps filling cups, rather than flowers.

Before ordering decorations, confirm the furniture currently available and its dimensions. That way, you will not buy fabric by guesswork or base your plan on a table that may not be available in the number you need.

— What is the best time?

— A time that leaves some breathing room. I would not put 'Everyone at the table at 12:00' on the invitation. It is better to give an arrival window and plan the main food service a little later. Then one late car will not hold up the whole celebration.

The sun's position, temperature and length of the day change with the season. Choose the exact time for your particular date, rather than following a universal tip from the internet. An earlier start may be more comfortable on a warm day; in autumn, it can be nicer to gather closer to the brightest hours. Check the forecast the day before and agree who will tell guests about any changes.

The timing must also fit within the current package hours: the main event takes place between 12:00 and 22:00, while access to the venue is from 10:00 to 23:00. Being able to enter at ten in the morning does not mean the celebration for guests can begin before noon.

— What happens after the food?

— Nothing compulsory. That is the luxury. Some people stay at the table, some go for a walk and others keep taking photographs. You can prepare a few unobtrusive things: question cards for friends, a small guest book, a simple game and blankets. But there is no need to fear that guests will be 'bored' if the activity does not change every fifteen minutes.

For brunch with up to 30 guests, the current package combines the forest meadow and the Male Lito cabin. For 31–50 guests, exclusive hire of NAMETY is the only option. At a small table, everyone can hear one another; for a larger group, plan several places to talk, a clear route to the food and enough time for arrivals. Furniture, electricity, Wi-Fi, parking and other listed facilities need to be confirmed for your date and layout.

— Do a sauna and hot tub work well with brunch?

— Yes, provided you do not try to take everyone there at once. Exclusive hire for 31–50 guests includes one session with a sauna and two hot tubs, lasting up to two hours. For events with up to 30 guests, sauna and hot tub time is agreed according to the chosen package. In either case, it is a series of separate moments for smaller groups, rather than one activity for everyone. You can explore the spaces on the pages for NAMETY's saunas and the wood-fired hot tub.

— What if we do not want to leave?

— Then brunch can become the first chapter rather than the whole celebration. Afterwards, there could be a walk, dinner, a night in the forest and a quiet morning. Exclusive hire includes all five cabins and overnight accommodation within their capacity, but together they sleep a maximum of 10 guests. For a group of 31–50 people, staying overnight will therefore extend the occasion for only some of the participants. For events with up to 30 guests, accommodation arrangements are agreed separately.

Brunch under the trees is valuable for more than its popularity. It gives the celebration back its daylight hours. Afterwards, there is no sense that everyone spent hours waiting for the main course or the final toast. What stays with you is the light on people's faces, a long conversation over a cup, and one simple thought: we were in no hurry, because that was exactly why we had gathered.

Planning an event? Open the page for NAMETY's forest meadow, choose your preferred date and sketch out the day: the exact number of guests, arrival time, how the food will be served and, if wanted, a sauna and hot tub session. Then go to booking.