The Adventure Bride’s Guide to the Perfect Picnic Setup
Hey Adventure Brides!
Today I’m back with some fun tips on handling a picnic setup. Picnics & charcuterie boards are all the rage now, and there are so many cute ideas out there. Picnics are a great way to stage a proposal, a honeymoon or post-wedding/elopement, or an anniversary/vow renewal.
The themes are colors are endless, especially on Pinterest and Instagram! There are sweet and there are savory boards, there are mixes of both…and all of the contents can be guided by your personal preference.
Here are a few things you simply MUST have in order to have the best picnic experience!
Pillows or a Blanket
Waterfront Picnic Engagement table by Dye the Knot Adventure Weddings & Elopements
While many couples opt to skip out on these, a blanket is the bare minimum to protect your dress from the elements. Pillows can be a bit cumbersome if you decide to hike a far distance to your scenic picnic location, but a blanket can easily be rolled up and stowed away in a backpack.
It also will help your setup look more balanced and stand out against the nature-y background in your photos.
2. A Small Cooler
Nothing would be worse than arriving at your location with goupy cheese, wilted fruit, or room temperature meat that you’re too afraid of food poisoning to eat. Pack some small ice packs around your selections in a small, lightweight cooler that can be brought with you, even on a longer hike.
3. Something Pretty!
Waterfront Picnic Engagement table by Dye the Knot Adventure Weddings & Elopements
Even if your location doesn’t allow real flowers, you can bring a small artificial arrangement or perhaps a table runner to dress up the table. Battery operated candles or little lanterns can also help fill space and give some romantic vibes to your session, especially if you’re planning on blue hour/dark shots.
4. Champagne
Bringing champagne with you on your adventure elopement picnic can really add some cute photos to your session! The trick to great champagne photos is to pop the cork, put your thumb over the opening, shake like crazy, then let the foam go!
Adventure engagement picnic by Dye the Knot Adventure Weddings & Elopements
Of course, you can always have some classy photos of you and your person criss-crossing arms to sip out of the other’s glass.
Either way, having champagne (even if just for the aesthetic) is always a welcome plan, and not hard to transport even on a long hike!
5. Making Charcuterie Boards 101
Everyone knows the best part of the charcuterie picnic experience is the cheese. If you’ve never arranged a charcuterie board before, that’s ok! If you’ve hired me, then the picnic is a quick add on to your photography package that will be taken care of for you. If you’re doing it yourself, its important to select a mix of soft, hard, and semi-soft cheeses that pair well with meat such as brie, parmesan, and gouda.
Abby, the Dye the Knot Adventure Elopement team member who puts the ‘cute’ in charcuterie!
As far as meats go, salami, prosciutto, and chorizo can help provide different flavors and textures with each bite, and pair well with the above mentioned cheeses.
For solids, best to find a seasoned cracker - it’ll really bring out the flavor of the soft cheese and mild meats. Crusted bread is also a nice touch that can really compliment the flavors of cheese you choose.
Dips can go in the middle such as honey, goat cheese spread, etc.
Additional items like grapes, olives, nuts, and fruits can be scattered around the board to help fill in between the sections of meat and cheese and really give your board a variety of colors.
I hope some of these tips helped! Feel free to find me on Instagram to send me your ideas or photos.
And as always, if you’re interested in booking my services for your adventure elopement picnic, head on over to my contact form!
Till next time!
