5+ Unique Ideas for Your Elopement Picnic

Hands up if you’ve thought about having a picnic on your elopement day 👋 I mean this is probably the single most common activity I’ve suggested or have had couples include for their actual elopement day. Let’s dive into why having a picnic is such a great idea and how you can actually have a picnic for your unique elopement!

Hi, I’m Cherlyn and I’m an adventure elopement photographer who specializes in helping couples plan their elopement day so you feel comfortable and can fully enjoy the experience of getting married in the wild! Nearly all of my couples incorporate an aspect of food in their day whether. And I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. So safe to say, I’ve got some tips for you *wink*

Why You Need to Plan a Picnic For your Elopement Day

Number 1 Reason: Connection

Food is a universal language for a reason. And it’s exactly why people often gather around food whether for a casual hang or a big celebration. Your elopement is no exception!

Budgeting time for eating on your elopement day is a great way to weave in time to relax and slow down. Even if you’re a go-go-go person, like I can be sometimes, it is such a relief when it’s time for a break. This is time where you can take a moment to reflect and just be yourselves. Often time, I set my camera down so you don’t have to feel like you’re being watched 24/7 (not that my clients ever feel that way).

If you’re inviting guests, this is such a huge component of getting to spend quality time with them. Have you ever been to a snack-less party? It kinda sucks, right? Same thing here. When you add food into the environment, everyone relaxes and can enjoy being themselves, forget that you’re in formal clothes and just be normal for a moment

Second Reason: Energy

No brainer, you gotta eat to fuel yourself properly for your big day! No grumbling stomachs! This goes with being generally prepared. I always send over a packing list for my couples so that they pack everything they might need for their elopement day since we are often outside for most of the day. Snacks and water are a must. And in my opinion, why not have a picnic instead of eating energy bars? You’re probably going to be more excited to eat fresh, delicious food instead of another wrapped processed food.

Third Reason: Celebration

Maybe a cop-out reason since it ties into connection, but truly, what is a celebration without food?? You don’t have to go for an all-out picnic if you don’t want, but what speaks to you as celebratory foods? Is it cake? Or champagne? Or maybe you’re more of a donut couple or handmade pizza? This is where you can totally customize it to be uniquely yourselves.

If you decided to elope on public lands, things like confetti are a big no-no due to clean up and pollution. So I feel like the second best option is celebrating with food! It’s a win-win situation too. You get to look forward to something fun and you can satisfy your hungry stomach too.

Hopefully I’ve convinced you that food is an important part of your elopement day, but now how do you actually incorporate it? Here’s a few ideas!

5+ Ways to Incorporate a Picnic Into Your Elopement Day

1. Have Your Picnic at an Accessible Picnic Table

This is probably the most common method I’ve seen couples decide to do. Many picnic tables are not reservable, so I suggest going mid-week for the best chances. Picnic tables are also something I mark off at trailheads when I scout locations for my clients! That way they don’t have to walk extra distance in search of the best tables.

Pros:

• You don’t have to carry your picnic on a trail and you can simply leave your food fresh in a cooler before you picnic.
• Depending on what location, you’re probably closer to a bathroom and sink, making clean up easier.
• Set up also easier since the tables are already there. You could even put a table cloth over for a simple way to make it fancy.
• It is a great way to include more guests at your celebration
• Easy location to get it catered too if you don’t want to prepare your own food

Cons:

• An accessible picnic table usually means close to a parking lot, which also means close to the highest density of people (aka crowds). So you’ll have less solitude here.
• If you don’t have a cooler (I sometimes will bring one for my couples), food sitting in car will get a lot hotter than food in your backpack

 

2. Bring Your Picnic Up the Mountain

This is ideal for couples who are eloping with few to no guests! Commonly, sandwiches and fruit are a great substitute to a charcuterie board, but there are so many options for this too.

Pros:

• Privacy! You can totally find a space where there is nobody around so you can chew loudly or snuggle next to each other and not feel self conscious.
• The views are often more epic the more you’re willing to hike. Parking lot views can only be so good, but they exist to some degree

Cons:

• You’re farther from any amenities, so you’ll have to plan on packing out your trash and wet wipes/hand sanitizer for clean up
• You have to carry your food yourself. And a blanket if you need something to sit on. Sadly, catering doesn’t hike, so you’re on your own

3. Bring a Charcuterie Board

It took me until later in life to realize how yummy and customizable charcuterie boards can be. Vegan? Opt for dairy-free cheese and lean into fruits and crackers. Gluten-free? Pick crackers that work for you. Hate salami? Don’t include it. You can either DIY your own charcuterie board or order it from a catering company (I’ve got a whole list of local companies to recommend). Don’t forget some fun drinks too!

Pros:

• Charcuterie items tend to sit well at room temperature or lightly chilled. It can travel well and assemble on location.
• Totally customizable so you can bring the snacks that you love.
• Grazing boards are the perfect thing for allowing people to connect while having smaller bites

Cons:

• Charcuterie can get messy sometimes. Bring napkins and wet wipes if bathrooms aren’t accessible
• It’s not charcuterie unless you bring multiple items (my personal opinion, haha), so it’s a lot more things to think about/decide/bring. This is why having it made professionally can be good if you’re not used to making one yourself

4. Make sandwiches

I love that some couples decide to go the more snack route and others want a full-on meal. Sandwiches are by far the most common picnic meals since they are easy to travel with. If you make them DIY, you can also fully customize it. Make it extra cute by packing it in to-go boxes with extra personalized snacks.

Pros:

• For those who like substantial food, this might be a better option than a charcuterie board.
• It’s also great if you want a more on-the-go option where you don’t actually need a flat surface to eat
• Clean up is often easier for sandwiches since there are fewer parts

Cons:

• I find that homemade sandwiches are tastier than store bought, so that means a bit more effort on your part.
• You can’t prepare it too far in advance compared to a charcuterie board which could be prepared probably 2 days ahead

5. Reheat a Fancy Freeze Dried Meal

This is most common for couples who want a dinner since you can make hot food instead of bringing up cold foods to eat. Contrary to belief, there are plenty of delicious freeze dried meals out there!

Pros:

• Super light to carry and you don’t have to worry about squashing a sandwich in your backpack
• Best for couples who are watching sunset on trail
• Clean up is quite simple and meals are complex enough to be nourishing too

Cons:

• Freeze dried food is still not fresh food, but at least it’s hot
• It will take 15-25 minutes to hydrate and heat up

6. Hire a caterer

For people who don’t like to make their own food or value well-prepared food, this is such a good option

Pros:

• You have one less thing to think about during the days leading up to your elopement
• You just have to show up and the caterer will prepare everything for you. No worrying about who should sit where or eat what day-of

Cons:

• The biggest thing is that the cost is much higher for obvious reasons of having a chef on-site
• Limited to accessible locations, such as parking lot picnic tables or back at your airbnb

I hope this helps you plan your elopement picnic! I can’t wait to see what you come up with!