Elopement PICNIC Scotland - Q&A with JEAN of SCOTTISH WILD PICNICS
JEAN IS THE OWNER OF SCOTTISH WILD PICNICS AND PASSIONATE ABOUT MARRYING DELICIOUS FOOD AND STUNNING STYLING WITH THE WILD SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE. WITH HER TEAM, SHE CREATES LUXURY PICNIC EXPERIENCES THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD. WHETHER IT'S INSIDE A COSY BELL TENT OR IN THE BEAUTIFUL OUTDOORS, IT'LL CERTAINLY BE A MAGICAL PICNIC YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.
Since 2018, Scottish Wild Picnics have been able to offer styled and catered luxury picnics and events in their bell tents at beautiful locations at castles, forests and gardens across Argyll, the Central Belt, the Cairngorms and even as far as the Highlands!
The company ethos is to provide a luxury experience with a minimal environmental footprint. They use local, independent Scottish food producers whenever possible and a lot of the styling is sourced from charity shops, auction houses or donated to the team. They love Scotland and it is important to always leave picnic sites and venues in exactly the condition they were when they arrived to set up! It feels a bit like a magic trick at times when you see the final set up, and then two and a half hours later it’s all gone, leaving not a trace!
Take it away Jean…
The package includes a luxury picnic for two but we’re not talking about sandwiches on a blanket here – tell us all about the SWP experience!
The idea is to create a magical experience for every guest – so while the food is obviously crucial, just as important is the whole immersive experience; we aim to create a magical, fairy tale set up that will live in the memory and not just on the taste buds. We truly believe that everyone deserves some magic in their lives so we do our best to can create a truly enchanting experience, and if our guests are delighted by it and treasure the memories, then our job is done!
I think we’ve elevated the humble picnic to something quite unique! It is not a matter of sandwiches in clingfilm on a blanket, but our sandwiches (if that’s what you’re having) come on china platters that showcase the best of Scottish produce. We’re also huge fans of the sharing platter, and love a good balance of fresh, seasonal fruits as well as lots of sweet treats. We like our tables to pop with colour and smell divine! We are also passionate about making them look gorgeous, which is why we use lots of beautiful vintage china paired with robust and colourful enamel, glassware and picnic-friendly cake stands and platter boards and slates.
In addition, we always do our best to make sure our couples and their guests feel comfy and cosy with plenty of blankets, cushions and even the occasional hot water bottle!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A WEE WILD WEDDING THAT YOU’VE SEEN FIRST HAND?
I think that after the pandemic, couples began to see that smaller weddings and elopements would allow them to create a special day that’s just about them. The Wee Wild Wedding team has become well-versed in delivering a beautiful elopement and micro wedding service truly tailored to a couple’s requirements, informed by our credo of making each picnic different and unique. We also cater for folk with food allergies or dietary choices, and our guests have been delighted that their specific needs come front and centre. Being able to provide a rainbow unicorn cake for one of our couples was a high point!
AS A COUPLE, WHAT OTHER THINGS SHOULD THEY BE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF FOOD?
I think Scotland is so beautiful in any season, but for those wanting a Winter or Autumn wedding, there needs to be an understanding that there must be a robust Plan B in place. This year, we’ve seen some phenomenally bad weather but we are flexible and skilled enough to set up indoors if necessary; several of our jobs have had to re-locate to the couple’s accommodation, but we still managed to create something comfy and unique in those indoor spaces. Picnics are not just about the outdoors, and a carefully styled venue can create just as much magic as a garden or bell tent – plus it’s generally cosier!
Location and logistics come hand and hand for our team – we bring a lot of kit with us, so we need the location to have vehicular access.
In terms of food, we’ve pretty much got that covered. Our long experience of alfresco food has allowed us to develop robust menus that are easy to eat in a picnic setting – you don’t want anything too fiddly or that makes a huge mess. This was why we created the ‘Cream Tea in a Jar’ – it was a delicious way of experiencing the magic of scones, cream and jam, but in one handy, portable and easy to eat jar!
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FAVOURITE DETAILS YOU’VE SEEN AT WEDDINGS?
Dogs! More dogs, please – this year we saw some handsome hounds, and we love it when the dog gets their own flowers! Plus, we like to ensure all our doggy guests get their own wedding favour to mark the occasion – gravy bones FTW!
As wee wild women who live in our boots yearlong, we’re huge fans of a bride in boots – if you’re going to have a wild picnic, you really need good boots. No-one wants to eat their picnic with cold, wet feet!
HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY WEDDING TRENDS APPEARING LATELY?
The pandemic saw a growing trend in outdoor weddings, mainly because they needed to be if you wanted more than 6 people at your wee big day! Couples who just wanted to get married had to look for alternative options, and the great outdoors was a good one. However, since the pandemic ended, couples have still embraced alternative and unique places to get married. In Scotland we are spoilt for choice – let’s face it, here you can pretty much get married wherever you want! We’ve set up in gardens, by lochs, in castle grounds and woodland glades and forests, so we’re hugely keen on outdoor weddings. It’s why we come armed with bell tents and gazebos, so we can weather-proof your special day!
Sharing Menus, Grazing Tables and Dessert Bars seem to be firm favourites for 2024, with the move away from more formal dining to a more casual style. All three provide an opportunity for guests to try a variety of different foods in a social setting. We already have a robust sharing platter menu as one of our menu choices, and have provided many Dessert Bars at our picnics. Whether sandwich-based or sharing platter-based, our picnic tables look to be bang on trend for 2024!
Sustainability in wedding decor is becoming key as couples are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint. We provide eco-friendly and re-usable styling, table and service ware, and we choose locally sourced Scottish food producers. Eco friendly weddings are here to stay!
What opportunities does a Wee Wild Wedding give that a normal wedding doesn’t?
I think Wee Wild Weddings give a kind of freedom for a couple to tailor the day to what their heart desires. It is really freeing not to have to contend with huge guest lists and the bandwagon that comes with having to try and please everybody – sometimes with a larger wedding people lose sight of the fact that their wedding day should be just about them. I think our elopement packages offer something very special that allow two people to focus on themselves and create a day that’s just about them.
Any tips for couples planning a Wee Wild Wedding?
Be brave, be bold, embrace the marvellously unpredictable Scottish weather and get your Wee Wild groove on. You bring the fun, we’ll bring the picnic!
Follow the links to learn more about Scottish Wild Picnics
Website – scottishwildpicnics.co.uk
Facebook – Scottish Wild Picnics
Instagram – @scottishwildpicnics
