Five Essential Elements For A Romantic + Rural Picnic

The long, warm days of August call for lazy, romantic countryside dates. So, if you’ve made the most of lockdown and got online to find a country connection, why not ask them out for a picnic so you can get to know them better? You may think that throwing together a few bits into a bag will suffice, but if you really want to impress and make your country date feel special, it’s worth taking time to refine your picnic offering and take it up a a notch. So, without further ado, we present the Muddy Matches guide to creating a flawless picnic.

1. The location

Location is everything when it comes to creating an idyllic picnic date. You need to find somewhere accessible which you can both reach easily, somewhere you can park or walk to easily, and somewhere with enough people around that you feel safe, but not so busy that you feel like you’re in a public park. Our perfect picnic spot has a great view, maybe a babbling brook, some tree shade in case it’s super hot, and some flat ground for comfort.

2. The kit

Planning the perfect picnic is about much more than the food and the drink. Having the right equipment is essential to help you and your muddy match relax, chat, and get to know each other better. Make sure you have a waterproof blanket to sit on, have a think about whether you’d be more comfortable with a couple of cushions or fold-up seats as well, and maybe bring a fold up table too to hold your drinks. You need to make sure your crockery cuts the mustard too. We’re loving the new, reusable bamboo crockery that you can get hold of; good for the environment and stylish too. Other essentials are proper napkins, cutlery, drinking vessels and a cork-screw (see below!).

3. The food

Soggy sandwiches and packets of crisps your usual picnic fare? You’re going to have to work a little bit harder if you want to impress your countryside connection. Stay brilliantly British with some inventive, freshly-made sandwiches, cheese platter, local Scotch eggs and bite-size pies. Or, channel some European cool with a Greek-inspired mezze platter of olives, hummus, crudites, tzatziki, dolmades, feta and pitta or how about some Italian antipasti and Spanish tapas?

4. The drink

The chances are that you’ll both be driving if you’re meeting in the countryside for a picnic date, so it’s important to have both alcoholic and soft drink options. For something a little special, invest in a couple of bottles of sparkling elderflower, fruit-infused waters or freshly-pressed local juices. Or how about trying out one of the new fantastic alcohol-free beers or wines that are now available?

5. The ambiance

So you’ve got the food, the drink and the location, but you need to create the ambiance. Of course, having the right equipment (see above), helps but how about a few extra special touches? A couple of tealights (be careful in wooded and grassy areas), posh glasses for your drinks, cushions and blankets for warmth, sunhats for shade, and taking time to set out everything beautifully will really impress.

#STAYCATION #GETYOURSELFOUTTHERE #MUDDYDATING