Picnic With Me Brings Luxury Picnics to Orange County
When Picnic With Me founder, Meirose Marquez, plans one of her sought after picnics she likens it to an artist painting a canvas. She’ll lay in bed, unable to sleep, staging the whole process in her head — everything from the intricate details of what she’ll include to where she’ll place each and every one of them.
Coming from a 17-year background in teaching, followed by a short-lived stint in the travel industry cut short due to COVID, she finally took the leap of faith — in the midst of the pandemic — to follow her passion for hosting.
“During the lockdown, I went on several picnics with friends and family since so many restaurants were either shut down or had limited seating available,” Marquez remembers.
“PICNICS JUST MADE SENSE AT THAT POINT.”
After posting about the experiences on her personal Instagram, the IG algorithm took note and started filling her feed with sponsored posts of charcuterie companies and picnic brands.
The budding entrepreneur took this as a sign to step out of her comfort zone and create an all-inclusive picnic company herself.
With only a couple throw pillows to start, Marquez used her innate sense of style and meticulous attention to detail to source her props. Think lanterns, record players, and Moroccan rugs, amongst a full storage bin of other gems (she’s since had to upgrade to a bigger unit four times)!
Next, she researched and partnered with the very best local vendors like Graze Box, Cheez Be With You, and Charcuterie by Stace for charcuterie, HAUS 353 for florals, and Team Lawler Customs, for custom designed tables so that she could offer her guests a fully loaded picnic of their dreams.
In August of 2020, Marquez was ready to officially launch Picnic With Me via social media. Word spread fast and she was soon booking picnics all over Orange County (Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Yorba Linda, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach), South Bay, Santa Monica, and Downtown LA — from parks to beaches to your own backyard!
Marquez knows that in this new age of creative outdoor dining, people are drawn to the simple-yet-luxe vibe of an outdoor picnic. She also knows that she needs to set herself apart from the oftentimes cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all competition, which is why Picnic With Me prides themselves on no two picnics being the same. Each setup is custom designed for each unique guest.
“I like to be different,” explains Marquez, who, before each booking, chats with her clients via DM to ensure she knows exactly what they desire.
“I WANT MY CLIENTS TO FEEL THAT THEIR PICNIC IS SPECIAL AND WAS CREATED WITH THEIR OWN VISION IN MIND. I SIMPLY MAKE IT COME TO LIFE!”
Whether it’s a lace teepee, a chandelier hanging in a nearby tree, or a heart made of rose petals, Picnic With Me aims to give that added touch of extraordinary to make birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, and celebrations of all kinds unforgettable.
“Being able to give my clients a beautiful and memorable moment is truly the best part of this job,” Marquez smiles, notably passionate about the career she loves. “It’s priceless!”
To book your own personal Picnic With Me experience, direct message Marquez via Instagram.
Lindsay DeLong is the Editor-in-Chief of Laguna Beach Living. A brand strategist and web designer, she is well-versed at building brands from the ground up, establishing online identity, and eating cheese at picnics. Reach out to her at lindsay@lagunabeachliving.com or on her personal site, iLikeLindsay.com.
Photos by Madeline Javier.