When the pandemic took over and restaurants closed, people found safer ways to get together. Luxury picnics, first spotted on the coasts, have made their way to Kansas City. These upscale twists on a basic pastime are becoming the summer’s trend.
Erin Greenbaum and Taylor Steen are bringing luxury pop-up picnics to Kansas City with their business Bellafête (@bellafetekc on Instagram), which means “beautiful party” in French. We talked to Steen and she shared some tips for creating a great picnic party.
How and when did you start Bellafête? Erin and I have been talking about starting a small business together for a while, but we weren’t sure how we were going to set ourselves apart with all of these amazing event planners and coordinators. So one night over happy hour, we were chatting about luxury picnics and decided that would be our niche, and it all really stemmed from there.
What is your process of putting together these picnics? We start by chatting with our clients and get a feel for what they’re wanting. We consider the occasion, so whether it’s a birthday or bachelorette party, proposal, whatever it is, and then we also consider the theme if they have one, the location that they’re wanting and color scheme.From there, we start our creative planning. We take everything that [a client] has given us, and then we kind of brainstorm, start with the colors that we have and get one statement piece and then build off of that, whether that’s our chargers or our glassware. Pinterest is our lifesaver.
What sets Bellafête apart? We really pride ourselves on catering and tailoring to our specific clients. We try to make every picnic unique and special. We never want to have the same picnic twice. Our picnics have more of a light and airy, timeless and elegant feel, whereas I feel like some of the other picnic companies in KC are more boho or moody.
What would be your ideal setup for a luxury picnic? The Nelson-Atkins Museum lawn. For decor, we would do our dusty blue with white and gold accents. A must-have is an arrangement from Paige at Paige’s Petals and a charcuterie board from More Cheese Please KC and a bottle of wine.
What is next for Bellafête? As we get to colder months, we really want to start expanding our event planning and design services. We want to continue creating bespoke and beautiful parties in Kansas City and really leverage our event design. We are also excited about debuting our luxury igloos in November.
5 steps for your own luxury picnic
Pick your theme
Pick a color scheme or a theme and revolve everything in your picnic around it.
Find a location
Pick a beautiful and picturesque location. Everyone wants to have that Instagram moment—I think that’s why we’ve seen a surge in luxury picnics. Also pick a quiet spot—somewhere with not much noise pollution where you can relax and enjoy good conversation.
Bring your favorite table settings
Using real glassware, dinnerware and flatware brings that elegant, luxurious feel.
Bring company
Grab your besties or your significant other to enjoy the picnic with you.
Bring your favorite food and drink.
Charcuterie is light and easy to snack on while you’re sitting outdoors at a picnic setting. And who doesn’t love cheese? Add some meats and accompaniments like olives or almonds and pair with your favorite bottle of rosé.
