Planning a Picnic Brunch for a Special Birthday | AD

*This is a collaborative guest post

Most people absolutely adore picnics – gorgeous sunshine, time spent in the great outdoors, and yummy treats all in the company of their favourite people – what’s not to love? When considering romantic date ideas, a picnic kept coming to mind, and then it morphed into fun birthday ideas, leaving me with what you see here – my tips for planning an ideal brunch picnic for your partner on their special day.

The Guest List

When it comes to picnics, the options are endless, and that’s true too of the guest list. If you think your sweetheart would most appreciate their birthday with just your company, plan for a romantic day where the two of you can focus on each other. If they’re the life of the party and have lots of friends and family that you know they’d love to see on their special day, try to orchestrate a larger picnic. If you do decide to open up your picnic gathering to a larger group, there will be quite a few details to iron out, including who is bringing food, where you’re meeting, and whether or not you want to make this event a surprise, so take that all into consideration before extending invitations.

Picking Your Picnic Spot

Picnics are really all about location. If you’re going to spend time basking in the great outdoors, you better make sure it’s a spot that takes in all the best your area has to offer. Perhaps it’s a spot under a willow tree by the local creek in a neighbouring park, or a spot that stakes out the best view of the cityscape. Think about your options and pick what you think your sweetheart would most enjoy. If you’re planning on a party for two that’s all about romance, you’ll want to steer clear of traffic heavy areas and stay away from playgrounds. If it’s a family affair with friends in attendance, you might want to stake out an area with large fields where backyard games can be played, or right by the water’s edge so you can keep an eye on your little ones.

Packing Your Basket

When you head out to your previously scouted location, make sure you have all the essentials you’ll need for a day of fun in the sun. First, you’ll need some blankets that you don’t mind getting dirty. You may also want to bring along a few throw pillows covered in pillow cases for some extra comfort throughout the day. If you’re meeting up with other picnic guests, make sure they know to bring blankets and towels to spread on the grass – you don’t need any allergies messing up the fun, which reminds me – bring along some antihistamines if either of you are sensitive to pollen. When it comes to the actual picnic basket, be sure to line the insides of it with plastic trash bags – that way, if any food spills you won’t have a horrid mess to clean up. As you begin to fill your basket with food, make sure to pack all the things your partner loves; it could be something as simple as chicken wings or sausages, along with crisps and fresh cut vegetables. If you’re meeting up with other people, consider a barbecue in the park to make it easy to feed everyone, or make sure each guest knows to bring a basket of their favourite foods.

Staying Hydrated

Be sure to bring a cooler filled with water to avoid overheating and dehydration, and grab some refreshing drinks like iced tea that you can enjoy while whittling away long hours in the sunshine. What’s a celebratory picnic without something to toast with? Instead of grabbing an everyday bottle of champagne or chardonnay at the local grocery store, make for a special birthday surprise with some wine personalised specifically for the birthday guy or girl. You can have a special birthday message inscribed on the front or put on your favourite picture from past celebrations to make for a memento your other half will hold onto for years to come.

You simply can’t beat a wonderful day spent in the sun (you’ve got to get your fill when it decides to shine!) with all of your favourite people, and this is a birthday surprise your sweetheart is sure to adore so get to planning and spend some hours relaxing in nature’s best.