Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
questions? take a look below.
If you can’t find your answer here, please contact us
process & booking
A pop-up picnic is exactly what the name sounds like. You pick a spot and tell us what design package and theme you want with the additional add-on services and we come on the day of your picnic date and set up your picnic with everything we agreed on. All you have to do is show up with your picnic party and enjoy your runaway picnic! You don’t need to worry about anything or even lift a finger. We got you set up.
A pop-up picnic is exactly what the name sounds like. You pick a location and tell us what design package and theme you want with the additional add-on services and we come on the day of your picnic date and set up your picnic with everything we agreed on. All you have to do is show up with your picnic party and enjoy your Runaway Picnic! You don’t need to worry about anything or even lift a finger. We got you set up.
Our pop-picnic setup is available for rental up to a max. of 2 hours. If you choose to leave before, please notify us at least 30 mins in advance to come and pick up our setup. You are responsible for all of our rental setup items until we arrive on site for pickup and meet you in person. Please do not leave our rental items unattended.
Our process is very easy:
Step 1: choose your design theme. Step 2: choose a location. Step 3: pick a package (and decide on your total number of guests. Max 8 persons per package). Step 4: select add-ons. Step 5: book your Runaway Picnic date and pay. A refundable security deposit will be added to your booking and will be refunded to you after your Runaway Picnic experience is over and our rental items have been handed over to us without missing items or damage.
If you need us to customize something for you, let us know. We also offer a wide range of custom add-on services to add to your luxury Runaway Picnic experience from catering to live art workshops. Please visit our PACKAGES page for more info. If you have any questions you can visit our FAQ page or send us a message and we’ll make your worries go!
Congrats, you just booked your first Runaway Picnic experience! We’ll reach out to you to schedule a 15 mins phone consultation with you to discuss and plan your upcoming picnic. Now, relax and get ready for your enchanting runaway picnic. Our aim is to create a relaxing luxurious experience for you to enjoy.
You know you deserve it.
All of our picnic packages include a 15 min designer phone consultation, rental setup for up to 2 hours (extra hour at additional charge), picnic décor, rugs and/or blankets, candles, tableware and napkins, silk flowers/foliage décor (fresh flowers option available at additional charge), optional faux cake décor, tasting charcuterie-like board, organic sparkling drink, glassware and high quality cutlery. Local delivery is free of charge for locations within a 20km radius or less from South Keys Ottawa, ON.
Locations that are beyond Ottawa’s South Key’s 20km radius or locations that have difficult terrain such as sand, dunes, deep woods, stairs, sloped terrain and are not easily accessible by car or located with nearby parking, a transportation and handling fee would be charged. Transportation costs start at $80. Max travel distance is 30 mins from South Keys Ottawa.
To make your luxury Runaway Picnic experience more luxurious, we have a wide range of custom add-on services such as catering, private butler, photography, jagua henna tattoo, ceramic painting workshop, paint night, custom water portrait painting, premium floral arrangements and décor, arch backdrop, balloons, tabletop S’mores roasting station, custom picnic favors, graphic design and signage services. Please visit our ADD-ONS for more info.
If you have anything else you’d like to add to your runaway picnic experience, let us know and we’ll see what extra magic we can do. All out-of-house add-on services are charged a $50 handling fee per vendor.
Date nights, proposals, anniversaries, elopement, micro weddings, bridal showers, birthdays, group of friends, family gatherings, girls night out, bachelorette parties, double dates, office/work team bonding picnic event, special occasions and intimate gatherings.
Our picnics are suitable for 2-14 persons max seated capacity.
All of the picnic images displayed on our website are our work. Our Runaway Picnics keep on changing so make sure you follow us on our social media. We’re on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube @runawaypicnic
Our Runaway Picnics are subject to our designers’ creative expression and that means each Runaway Picnic experience will not be the same 100%. Who loves monotony? Definitely not us! We like to keep our creativity flowing and create an enchanting tailored Runaway Picnic experience for you.
You pick your picnic package, design theme with your add-ons and location and we’ll do the rest. It’s a Runaway Picnic after all, you don’t need to worry about the details. Just relax and let us treat you!
Yes, we can! We offer either luxury picnic event planning or corporate style high-end holiday party and gala event design services at your venue of choice. Cocktail style or seated dinner event design available.
For non-picnic event bookings please send us a message on our CONTACT page with details and we’ll get back to you and discuss.
Please visit our BOOK page to begin your booking request.
You’ll have to let us know which design theme, location, package and add-ons you need with your preferred date and time. We’ll contact you to confirm if your selected date and time is available. After that, we’ll send you an invoice. To secure a date and booking agreement, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required on all picnic bookings (in addition to the refundable security deposit). The remaining picnic balance is due 7 days prior to your Runaway Picnic date.
Please note that booking through our online form does not secure your booking date. It is only a booking request form. Your date is secured once you have paid the 50% invoice total + refundable security deposit. Please visit our Terms & Conditions page for further information.
design & customization
We offer our runaway picnics in either relaxed cozy picnic format (cushions and rugs/blanket with no dining table) or dining style format.
Our dining style format availability is subject to location selection approval.
We also offer our Runaway Picnics on private boat / yacht and canoes subject to boat season availability and weather conditions. Please contact Runaway Picnic for inquiries.
We offer our Runaway Picnics in either relaxed cozy picnic format (cushions and rugs/blanket with no dining table) or dining style format. Our dining style format usually features our handcrafted low-height picnic table; however, we can also set up on dining-height picnic tables found in major parks depending on the location.
Of course not! We have a variety of picnic design themes to choose from; however, when you select a theme, it doesn’t mean you’ll get an exact replica of the picnic design image. We want to create a special Runaway Picnic experience for you and that means each picnic setup will be unique, subject to the creative expression of our designers.
Relax and enjoy the magical experience of Runaway Picnic.
Yes, we can. Please send us a message with your customization request to see what’s available. If we have agreed to your customization request, please include your customization request in the additional info section when booking with us.
We’re looking forward to creating a special Runaway Picnic experience for you.
Each picnic package comes with a non-alcoholic organic sparkling drink (or Jelab* for our Oriental Charm package) and a tasting charcuterie-like board.
We also offer large charcuterie boards (savory vs sweet) or any other food requests (such as gourmet salads, Sushi, or cake) as an add-on service. Runaway Picnic collaborates with multiple local small businesses for food requests and takes no responsibility for liability issues.
*Jelab is a delicious refreshing Middle Eastern non-alcoholic celebratory drink made from carob, dates, grape molasses and rose water.
Of course, it would be our pleasure. Send us a message with your vision and we’ll work with you to create a special proposal your partner will never forget! We need a minimum of 2 weeks notice to plan for your proposal picnic. Please note our romantic picnic for two package price is our starting price. Extra add-ons and special gifts, signs, roses and petals and custom design services are charged at an additional cost.
Yes. An extra hour of the Runaway Picnic experience is charged at $100, subject to booking availability.
For outdoor locations, we don’t accept extra hours after sunset for safety reasons.
Our charcuterie-like board is a tasting size charcuterie board. Perfect as a sampling appetizer. If you want a large charcuterie board, large enough to feed your picnic party, you’ll need to add an extra charcuterie board when completing your online booking form. We also offer premium grazing table as add-on for large gatherings.
We offer savory charcuterie boards with dietary options such as vegan, halal, dairy-free or gluten-free. We also offer delicious dessert and fruit platter boards to add to your Runaway Picnic experience at an additional cost. What’s a runaway picnic without great food?
Your custom hand-painted watercolor portrait painting will be around 8″x11″ in size, painted on Canson® paper and framed.
Yes! We have designed and built our locally sourced folding low-height wood table right here in Ottawa. All made with love. 100% handmade maple and pine Canadian wood.
Our Runaway Picnics are tailored for adults and young responsible adults to enjoy. Our tablescapes contain high quality stainless steel cutlery and glassware which can cause a safety hazard if dealt by children. Therefore our picnics are for adults use. Responsible young adults (aged 14 and above) are welcome too. There are plenty of kids’ party planners in the city that you can reach out to if you need a kids-only picnic party.
In case you wanted to have your children with you on your Runaway Picnic (as in the case with a family Runaway Picnic), it’s ok. We find children (aged 3 and under) are usually running around playing or sitting in their parents’ lap, which doesn’t necessitate the extra charge for extra seats and tablescape. Therefore, Runaway Picnic will not include your children in the guest count for your package. However, you are responsible for all of our rental items and any damages/loss incurred. Please don’t leave our rental items unattended until we arrive for pickup.
We sometimes plan public events throughout the year and they always sell out quickly! From paint nights, charity fundraisers, cake workshops to tatreez and mosaic lamp making + more!
Make sure you’re following us on Instagram @runawaypicnic and are on our waitlist to know about our next event release date. Our events are great to learn a new fun skill and expand your social circle while having a great time!
logistics
Runaway Picnic is located in Ottawa, ON, Canada and serves its clients in the National Capital Region (Ottawa, Gatineau and surrounding areas).
For areas beyond the National Capital Region such as Mt Tremblant, QC and others, please contact Runaway Picnic for availability requests and custom quotes.
Our pop-picnic setup is available for rental up to a max. of 2 hours. If you choose to leave before, please notify us at least 30 mins (minimum 1 hour for locations that are >20kms from South Keys Ottawa) in advance to come and pick up our setup. You are responsible for all of our rental setup items until we arrive on site for pickup in person.
It’s up to you. Ottawa is a beautiful city with many outdoor locations to choose from. It could be on the highway, bog, backyard, farm, private cottage or even your living room!
Whichever location you choose to have your Runaway Picnic, you are responsible for location permit, parking and, if applicable, access fees. We don’t rent locations. We are only a pop-up picnic rental service. Or you can let us surprise you with a secret location.
Please note, we are a local service catering to Ottawa and the National Capital Region with a maximum 30 km travel distance from South Keys Ottawa.
We specialize in intimate events with high level of design detail at Runaway Picnic therefore we try to limit the maximum total guest count for group picnics to 14 -16 guests.
Our standard Runaway Picnic service fee applies to every picnic package with a maximum of 8 persons per picnic count. For picnics up to 14 – 16 persons, extra 30% service fee and transportation costs are applicable.
If you wish to have a picnic event for more than 14 guests, please contact us for availability options and custom quote.
Yes, we can! We love those. We’ve done a couple of those and they’re the best surprise gift you can have to spice up your holiday getaway.
We also offer full day rental of our runaway picnic if you’re choosing to have it at your private cottage. We deliver and set your picnic at your cottage and the next day we come and pick it up. Perfect for those romantic getaways where you don’t want to be disturbed.
Extra charges apply for full day rental, next day pickup and transportation. Please contact for quote.
We are able to travel as far as 30 kilometers from Findlay Creek Ottawa. This policy includes traveling to private cottages too. For proposals or large gatherings, we could go beyond 30 kilometers radius such as Mt Tremblant, Montreal, Kingston etc subject to our availability.
For areas that are beyond a 20km radius from South Keys Ottawa, a transportation fee will apply starting from $160.
No, we leave after we have greeted you and you’re settled. We’ll return once your picnic reservation ends for pickup of our rental items. You are responsible for our picnic rental items for the duration of their picnic reservation until we return back on site for pickup. Please do not leave your rental items unattended.
We are blessed to be surrounded with great outdoor spots in the National Capital Region. Can be a beach, forest (our favorite), river, water-front or you can let us surprise you with a surprise secret location (shared with you on the day of the picnic).
If you need help with selecting a location, feel free to contact us and we can help you find a good location.
Every location has its own rules. Some locations require a permit, entry fee and parking fees while other locations don’t. It is the responsibility of our client to ensure applicable permit and other fees are secured for their picnic date.
Our Runaway Picnics are designed with a small intimate gathering in mind. Generally speaking, for a small gathering number like what we cater to don’t require a permit; however, if large structures are installed at the picnic exceeding a specific size then a permit might be required (please review local bylaws for permit requirements for a specific location). Some locations require parking fees, which is the client’s responsibility.
If you wish for us to set up a pop-up picnic at a farm, you might want to contact the owner of your desired location to see if we can set up a pop-up picnic there and discuss land access rates.
Ah, you can’t trust the weather man when it comes to Ottawa’s weather. We can have all 4 seasons in one day! That’s why each outdoor location should have an indoor backup location for your Runaway Picnic.
For outdoor locations, it’s best to choose a location that’s in a shaded area or has a pavilion or shaded structure to have your picnic or move your picnic to if it rains unexpectedly. Some of our clients enjoy the unexpected light rainfall with their picnic as it adds a magical touch to their picnic especially when it’s in the middle of the forest, but it might not work for everyone. So we advise our clients to have a backup plan and come prepared. After all, you’re on a date with nature!
It depends on your selected package, add-ons and any custom design requests. Generally, we need a minimum of 2 hours to setup for your Runaway Picnic experience before your scheduled timeslot.
For bookings that require customization and installation of backdrops and other items, it may take longer. Please contact us for details.
It depends. If there is accessible nearby parking, we could. However, most of the parks have picnic tables already found in the middle of the forest so we prefer to utilize what’s existing.
Don’t worry, we can transform those tables and create an enchanting dining picnic setup for you!
Follow us on Instagram to see our magic work in action @runawaypicnic
It’s large enough for 4-10 guests. We also have a smaller table for 2-4 guests.
For our large group picnic table, we need to have a minimum clearance of 8′ x 10′ for indoor setups.
policies
Cancellation within 24 hours is accepted for all picnic packages. After that, no cancellations are accepted. A lot of time and effort goes into planning for each picnic date. This includes our time and money spent connecting with our designer, vendors and suppliers to secure and provide us with the items and services needed to create your picnic. We also receive a lot of requests for booking a picnic with us and due to our limited available spots, we are unable to accept cancellations after the 24 hour time frame period. If something comes up and you need to reschedule, we offer a one time rescheduling opportunity for free.
For rescheduling, we allow a one-time rescheduling minimum a week in advance from your picnic date. If you need to reschedule more than once, there will be a 50% additional charge of the picnic booking value per each rescheduling date.
In the event of a lockdown, all booked picnics will be eligible for rescheduling at no cost. Rescheduling date is valid for one year starting from the date of when you booked your picnic.
Cancellation within 24 hours is accepted for all picnic packages. After that, no cancellations are accepted. A lot of time and effort goes into planning for each picnic date. This includes our time and money spent connecting with our designers, vendors and suppliers to secure and provide us with the items and services needed to create your Runaway Picnic experience. We also receive a lot of requests for booking a picnic with us and due to our limited available spots, we are unable to accept cancellations after the 24 hour time frame period. If something comes up and you need to reschedule, we can offer a one time rescheduling opportunity for free.
For rescheduling, we can allow a one-time rescheduling minimum a week in advance from your picnic date. If you need to reschedule more than once, there will be a 50% additional charge of the picnic booking value per each rescheduling date.
In the event of a lockdown due to COVID-19, all booked group picnics will be eligible for rescheduling at no cost (out-of-house vendor cancellation fees may apply subject to vendor’s contract).
If you’re looking for a romantic Runaway Picnic getaway and would like us to set up your picnic at your cottage without disturbing you for the night, we can come the next morning to pick up your rental for an additional fee. Since you are booking our Runaway Picnic rental service for more than 2 hours, we would be charging the price of an additional picnic package in addition to transportation and handling fees. Transportation and handling fees cost start at $250.
The client is responsible for all of our Runaway Picnic rental items until Runaway Picnic arrives on site and the client hands over their setup complete with all the décor items and furniture without damage or missing items.
Runaway Picnic takes responsibility of cleaning the flatware, glasses, cutlery and tableware; however, the client is responsible for cleaning up after themselves and disposing their garbage and waste in the appropriate recycling bins as found on site. Waste includes but is not limited to food and drink waste, pet waste, fire hazard and hazardous substances, etc. Client is expected to respect and follow the selected locations’ set of rules and regulations set by the location authority/owner. Similarly, Runaway Picnic is not responsible if the client did not follow the location’s guidelines.
Runaway Picnic is not liable for any damage or waste left by the client on site and is not responsible for cleaning up after the client.
While we don’t charge HST for our in-house services, we charge a 20% service fee for every booking on weekends (30% service fee for weekdays, last minute bookings and large gatherings over 8 guests). Runaway Picnic reserves the right to make changes or cancel this policy at any time.
For catering and out-of-house add-on services, we can’t remove the tax from the order if the vendor charges HST. Tax will be calculated and added to your order as part of the add-on service. This includes any delivery and travel charges required by the vendors to deliver their product/service at your picnic site. Runaway Picnic is not responsible for delivery charges for out-of-house services or products.
Our service is for adults and responsible young adults of all genders, races, religions and backgrounds. We aim to be as inclusive as possible and ensure you have a worry-free Runaway Picnic experience. After all, we started our business with the goal of destressing and enjoying life even for just a moment in peace, and with a touch of luxury.
We feel that all adults need a break and some time for themselves and their loved ones. We’re here to deliver a unique experience for them. One Runaway Picnic at a time.
We value your privacy and as such, we do not sell or distribute your information to anyone unless given explicit approval by you to share your information with third parties. We will only share your information to coordinate with our suppliers and vendors in order to complete your order. Such information could be your names and invite details (for printing graphic design services and creating custom favors) or dietary information for catering.
Similarly, you may appear in promotional images or content on our social media platforms, website, printed and digital publications in relation to Runaway Picnic. We may feature your testimonials, reviews and images to promote the Runaway Picnic experience in Ottawa and surrounding regions.
We take the COVID-19 situation seriously and want you to have a safe and positive experience. We trust that you and your guests are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and you’re not carrying the virus. We also follow and operate under provincial COVID-19 protocols and laws. Each Runaway Picnic experience booking is subject to provincial and City of Ottawa regulations and laws and we are not liable for any COVID-19 sudden lockdown restrictions.
On our end, our items are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We can also provide hand sanitizer with each Runaway Picnic for your use.
Our team is also vaccinated for COVID-19.
Let’s spread some Runaway Picnic love, not germs.
No. Most public parks and beaches don’t allow consumption of alcohol. All of our complementary drinks are non-alcoholic.
collaborations & business opportunities
Yes! We love Ottawa so much and we want to show you the enchanting beauty of the National Capital Region. We’ll show you the magic of a picnic in Ottawa when you book a Runaway Picnic experience with us.
Who said Ottawa is boring?
Yes! We love Ottawa so much and we want to show you the enchanting beauty of the National Capital Region. We think Ottawa can be enchanting and we’ll show you how when you book your Runaway Picnic experience with us.
Ottawa is not boring, not with us.
We believe our community grows stronger when we support and collaborate with each other especially when there’s great talent in town. We have created a much-needed service for our community and we want to be able to provide the best service to our clients because they deserve it. If you’re a local business and would like to collaborate with us, send us an email at info@runawaypicnic.com
We’re glad that you like our business idea and would like to partner with us on creating magical Runaway Picnics for our clients. Please send us an email with your idea and we’ll see if there’s a possibility in partnering with you!
Yes! We want to show the world how Ottawa can be fun, one Runaway Picnic at a time.
If you’re looking to post a news story about us or feature us in the media, please send us an email with your contact and media coverage information request and make sure to tag us @runawaypicnic.
We hope to inspire and bring some joy to the life of Ottawans. Let’s Runaway Picnic! #RunawayPicnic