Elopement Wedding Day Picnic Tips
Picture this—you’ve said your “I do”s in a beautiful location—and now, you’re soaking it all in with a wedding-day picnic. With a blanket spread out and an amazing view, you and your new spouse sip on champagne, cut a cake, or share a charcuterie spread. Name something more romantic!
Picnics are a perfect way to sneak in a snack or meal during your elopement. Trust me, it’s easy to get swept up in the schedule and forget to eat!
If this sounds like your vibe—a relaxing moment to eat tasty treats amongst the elements—here are some tips for planning the perfect picnic at your wedding or elopement.
Why Have a Picnic on Your Wedding Day
Your elopement wedding day is not a photoshoot—it’s a day filled with intentional moments spent together in the places you love. So, adding activities like visiting new parks or having a picnic is a great way to be in the moment and have experiences together. However, there are some practical reasons as well.
It keeps you healthy and happy on your wedding day: Let’s be honest, weddings take a lot of emotional energy—as do outdoor adventures. Combining the two is so much fun, but it also means you need to take in food and fluids to keep you feeling in good spirits.
It gives you a moment to let things sink in: Honestly, most wedding days fly by. Between getting ready and the ceremony, from first kiss to driving off into the sunset—so much happens. Taking time to let the moment breathe makes all the difference. So, why not snuggle up with your special someone and recharge with some refreshments?
It’s the perfect photo moment: Wedding picnics are super cute. You’re both dressed in your wedding best, sharing bites of cake, and popping champagne. Maybe you even had an adorable table setting or some fancy-dancy desserts. Whatever the case may be, these are photos you’ll cherish for years to come.
Your wedding picnic could be your first meal together as a couple: Drink deeply from the cup of compassion, and break bread with the person you love most in this world. It’s something you’ll remember forever.
How to Have a Wedding-Day Picnic
A wedding-day picnic can be whatever you want it to be. Want to go big with catering and a personal chef? Have at it! Prefer something small, like making your own charcuterie board? Too perfect! Here are some ideas to get you started for your wedding or elopement picnic:
Build your own
Grab your favorite snacks, desserts, or drinks. Smooth out a blanket and make your own picnic. Check out local vendors and stores that might sell fun snacks. See a real example >
Order a meal or snacks from a vendor
The fancy experience without the fuss. Order a meal or snacks and pack it to go.
Hire a Picnic Vendor
Go big! Picnic vendors can often provide food, table, decor, and anything else you might need.
Airbnb Picnic
You don’t need to go far if you’re staying at a beautiful rental. Works perfectly for a DIY picnic or hiring a luxury picnic vendor.
Having guests at your picnic? Make sure someone is in charge of something—whether that’s a friend or family member or a planner who can take over and help set everything up so you don’t have to worry about it on the big day.
What Kind of Food Should You Have?
When it comes to the proverbial menu for your wedding picnic, there are so many options to choose from. That’s the beauty of crafting a day just for you! Here are some ideas:
Breakfast: Start the day off right—grab breakfast or pastries from a local spot, make your own and pack it to go, or bring the ingredients with you and cook on a camping stove.
Coffee: But first—coffee! You can make coffee at your picnic with a Jetboil or a camping stove. Make it personal with personalized matching mugs.
Snacks: Grab your favorite snacks from a local store or Trader Joe’s. You can eat them as is, or craft a spread on fancy plates or a chopping block.
Meals: There are so many options for a full meal. What can you make the night before and pack up? What can you grab from a local shop to take with you? What can you make on a camping stove? Grilled cheese, tacos, pancakes… the options are endless. Or if you’re staying at an Airbnb, hire a personal chef!
Drinks: Pick your favorite beer, cocktail, or mocktail. Grab the ingredient, and hit the wild!
Dessert: Grab your favorite dessert or even a cake. Yes, you can totally bring these things out to a wedding day! Just make sure to take care when packing items, and while making the drive over.
Blankets & Decor for Your Elopement Picnic
Don’t forget the blanket! You’ll need something to sit on, so consider bringing a blanket and chairs. As a bonus, if you hire us, we have those on hand all the time! Or grab your own. You can buy one on the way or grab something from a local shop.
Looking for blankets? Rumpl or Pendleton are perfect for the outdoorsy types. Consider bringing a blanket with waterproofing material if the area is prone to rain or dew.
Need chairs? That’s A-OK. Whether for comfort or accessibility, we love a good camping chair; but any chair you can carry will do.
Decor can be as simple or complex as you want. Keeping it simple? Your florals and blanket can be the decor. Want to take it a step further? Grab faux candles, a lantern, and cute personalized items like signs or mugs. Or go all in and hire a picnic vendor. Consider this your canvas and get inspired by checking out Pinterest Boards.
Transporting Picnic Items
If traveling, consider getting a small cooler. You can grab ones with straps that make for easy carrying. Or get rolling ones if you’re having a picnic somewhere with sturdy ground.
Coolers with ice are important because you might be transporting things like cheese and meat that could spoil if temperatures are warm. Similariarly, some desserts could melt if exposed to heat.
No cooler? Just make sure to pack accordingly, as food can get squished or melt easily.
Make it Eco-Friendly
Decor? Blankets? Cooler? You can skip the vendor and buy items for either. Make it eco-friendly by buying something you’ll reuse.
Additionally, you should bring reusable containers and cutlery. No single-use plastic here! To be extra safe, skip glass—because no one likes shattered glass on the beach or hike. Yikes!
Where to Have a Picnic
There are logistics to consider when picking a spot. Especially when you consider you’ll likely be carrying items that are prone to squishing. So, keep that in mind when choosing a location.
Consider Leave No Trace when choosing a location. Certain areas do not allow for off-trail exploration due to sensitive meadow habitats or crypto-soil, making for a difficult picnic spot. Look for spots that are made from solid ground—dirt or sand with no plant matter, hard rock surfaces, or fields with invasive species.
Confused? No worries—we know the ins and outs of Leave No Trace and can help you find the perfect spot.
Reusable plates, cups, and cutlery
Cutting board
Corkscrew/bottle opener
Wet wipes, napkins
Trash bags
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Small speaker for music
Picnic Wedding Checklist
Drinks
Water
Blanket or Chairs
Pillows
Cooler
Ice pack
Picnic basket
Real Picnic Wedding Stories
