Georgia Kearney, The Vintage Picnic Company
How long have you owned The Vintage Picnic Company and what study / career path
took you there?
I started TVPC in January 2018 – it was born out of my desire to get out of corporate and into something that would allow me to spend more quality time with my young boys (Oliver 4 and Henry 1)
My background is quite different though – I studied Psychological Science at UQ and graduated with honours. After this, I moved to London where I stayed for 6 years. I established my career there, fell in love and had the time of my life. However, upon moving home to Brisbane and starting a family, my priorities completely changed and now I really feel like I have my cake and am eating it too!
What are the most popular types of proposal and wedding picnics?
We do a lot of proposal picnics! I wouldn’t say there’s a type that’s more popular than another, but a lot of the guys like to have the proposal written on the chalkboard sign and covered with greenery for their loved one to reveal.
The scariest one I did was when the man dropped the engagement ring to me to hide within one of our vintage suitcases at the picnic so he could totally surprise her! It was a huge responsibility to look after and transport the beautiful ring!
We are also quite popular for smaller, more intimate weddings, elopements and surprise weddings. The first wedding we did was a surprise for the guests – they thought they were attending an engagement party!
Our picnics are also very popular for couples who may be on their second marriages and don’t want the big white wedding that they may have done first time around.
Pantry 360 do all of our picnic food in and around Brisbane and it is absolutely amazing! They source all of their ingredients locally so we feel very proud to be supporting locals, supporting locals!
Where can people hold a picnic and what areas do you serve in SEQ?
We can put on a picnic anywhere from the Sunshine Coast to Byron Bay in a private or public space – as long as we can access it, we can create a gorgeous picnic!
What’s planned for The Vintage Picnic Company in 2020?
We are continuing our growth up and down the coast as well as expanding within Brisbane. We have partnered with Maleny Food Co in the Sunshine Coast hinterlands to provide our picnic catering up there and we have partnered with Sumptuous Fine Foods in Currumbin for our Gold Coast catering. There are great opportunities for us in both of these locations so we’re very excited to make our presence in these parts known.
How far out is your furthest booking?
We already have a booking for November for a 69th birthday party, which will be at the Gold Coast botanical Gardens
You’ve met many couples. Which ones stand out and why?
The proposals definitely stand out because the ladies are just so excited and happy when I go back to pack up. The men are relieved and they’re both just so in love! We are so fortunate that all of our clients are in such great spirits when we meet them. I work hard to communicate efficiently and opening prior to the picnics so when we meet them, they already feel like friends.
What picnic day preparation tips do you have for couples?
Check the weather! Queensland has some of the most beautiful yet unpredictable weather in the world. During the summer months, I always encourage people to bring a hat and wear sunscreen and for our evening picnics I put bug spray in the baskets for anyone susceptible to the mosquitoes! If it’s looking like rain, we have back up options either with a change of location or putting up our marquee for the bigger groups. But, even those picnics that were unfortunate to experience rain, they’ve all still had a great time – I guess that’s the beauty of Queenslanders – we just get on and enjoy the time with our loved ones no matter what!
What wedding trends are you seeing and what do predict for 2020?
I try to stay away from trends and prefer to stick to our own style. We work really hard to make our Vintage theme be the trend so we don’t get caught up in trying to keep up with the very fast-moving ‘trends’ of the wedding industry. I’ve met other suppliers that have drowned trying to keep up so we just stick to our brand and do this really well!
On a lighter note ….
Where are you going to for your next holiday?
We’ve just come back from a ski trip to Canada and our next holiday is most likely
Heron Island to see the turtles hatching in November!
When you arrive home after a picnic what do you like doing?
I like to have a shower and if it’s in the evening a glass of red wine – unpacking and cleaning can wait a bit!
When hitting the kitchen what is your hero dish(s)?
Oh dear, I’m not a massive lover of the kitchen, but I do make a pretty mean
lasagna and I’m about two months into HelloFresh and absolutely loving it!
What SEQ bricks and mortar retail outlet(s) do things well?
This is a tough question and I’m not sure if I have an answer. It’s a very tough
industry to really succeed in, especially against the big chain stores. New Farm Deli is a fantastic business (although not retail). I don’t shop too much,
so I might have to pass on this one
What is your number one online retailer for personal shopping?
Another tricky question and again I’m not much of a shopper. I shop online when I have to, but can’t say there’s a particular site I use more than another
Favourite SEQ restaurant?
We love the red duck curry at Siam Sensations in Nundah village
What is the one thing you always pack when travelling?
I have a little pillow that goes everywhere with me when I travel!
If you could drive a dream car what would it be?
I currently have a Mazda CX8 and I love it! But if I could have any car, it would
probably have to be a Dodge Charger.
