Today we are living the dream with the team from Tahoe Elevated Picnics. Meet Monica and Megan, the masterminds behind this unique (and totally awesome) concept. These ladies know a thing or two about Tahoe, friendships, and what it takes to create memorable experiences. Join us as we plop down on a cushion, pour a glass of chardonnay, and get down to business with these two engaging entrepreneurs. 

TX: Your picnic packages are straight out of a Travel + Leisure magazine. What inspired you to create this type of business?

Meg: Wow, thank you! Well, truth be told, Tahoe Elevated Picnics was established from a dream & bottle of Chardonnay. 

Mon: Yeah, that’s quite the compliment! Megan isn’t wrong. One day we were sitting on my patio during summertime, drinking wine & catching up. It so happens that my family had just come to visit & I was giving Megan the rundown of what we did while they were in town. My family hadn’t been to Northern California before, so of course, we did the more touristy Tahoe things, but I also took them to more low-key locations to enjoy a less crowded experience. One day, I took my family on a hike along Lake Tahoe & at the end of our hike, we relaxed by the water & watched the sunset. As we were hanging out, enjoying the scenery, my mom mentioned something like, “I wish I had a nice cheese spread & a glass of wine right now.” I thought, how cool would it have been if we did have some type of a picnic spread waiting for us after our hike? Then Megan & I poured ourselves another glass of wine & started brainstorming. 

Meg: We both have experienced the Tahoe/Truckee area as tourists & as locals. We wanted to create something both the tourist & locals could appreciate. We wanted to give individuals an opportunity to experience Tahoe & all its effortless beauty through a different lens. 

Mon: We discussed a few different concepts & landed on creating a customizable picnic experience where guests have the option to develop their dream picnic with the help of Tahoe Elevated Picnics! 

TX: You offer a variety of set-ups, from romantic “Date Night” and “Proposals” to “Adventure Backpacks,” “Group Picnics,” and the super cool “Winter Wonderland.” Which is your favorite, and what makes it special?

Mon: I think our date-night package is my favorite experience we offer. 

Meg: Hey, I was going to say that! It's okay, I have another favorite.

Mon: Well, we both can agree that our date-night experience gives our clients the opportunity to take date night to a whole new level. We allow guests to have the opportunity to create this one-of-a-kind intimate romantic picnic setup without having to break the bank. Since our date-night package is customizable, it’s easy to create a picnic that coincides with your style or vision.  

Meg: Monica nailed it. Our date-night package offers couples the opportunity to mix things up a little by enjoying a private romantic picnic in picturesque locations. I think my favorite is our group picnics. It’s been a blast creating these group picnics where some are celebrating a birthday, or an engagement & others just wanted to gather a group of their favorite people to enjoy a picnic where they can be present & catch up. Whatever the occasion is, we make sure to put those special personal touches to compliment their celebration. 

Mon: Yes, & what’s nice about the date-night package & our group picnics is they’re both available during the winter season, which essentially is our Winter Wonderland Package. We bring both picnic types together & have the picnic in a 12x12 bubble tent. It's an experience unlike any other! 

TX: It’s obvious how much you both love the Tahoe area. How long have you been in the area?

Meg: I’ve lived in the Truckee/Tahoe area for about 6 years now. I’ve gone from living on Donner Summit to living in Truckee, then Incline Village & then back to Truckee. I can’t see myself leaving anytime soon! 

Mon: I’ve lived here for about 4 years now. I’m originally from Chicago & my fiancè was living/working out here a year before I moved. Now, Tahoe is our forever home! 

TX: You offer so much more than picnics. Tell me about your add-on offerings. Will you be adding more services in the future?

Meg: Yes! As we mentioned, we wanted to offer our guests an experience, not just a product. We offer add-ons like beach or table games, charcuterie boards, proposal arches, etc., to accommodate the picnic’s given occasion, but we also offer options that enhance one’s picnic by working with other local businesses to provide an additional elevated picnic experience. 

Mon: Some of those add-on experience services include having a picnic while sampling wine at Truckee River Winery or going on a private sailboat cruise with the Cruisers Acadamy, then enjoying a post-sailing picnic on the dock. This winter, we partnered up with a portable sauna company called Lost Sauna Co., and people have been really excited about the opportunity to enjoy a day of mountain activities & then unwind with a picnic & sauna session. 

Meg: We’re always open to new local partnerships & look forward to adding more this summer! 

TX: What would a client expect to pay for your services from your least expensive option to the no holds barred event? 

Mon: From the get-go, we wanted our picnic packages to accommodate various budgets. Our least expensive package is our Adventure Backpacks which is really ideal for adventure enthusiasts who are actively exploring Tahoe & are wishing to have a wonderful picnic on the go. We’ve had people take these lightweight, compact backpacks mountain biking, snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking, etc. & have their picnic on mountain peaks, sandbars, scenic overlooks, the list goes on. 

Meg: Adding on to what Monica said, we made our packages customizable, so we could offer our services to satisfy an array of clientele. Our customizable packages can also allow guests to create their dream picnic experience, whether that be a big gathering with a private chef or an elaborate party. We can do it all! 

TX: You offer such great experiences. Do you have a favorite story from one of your clients?

Mon: Megan & I share the same memorable experience. Last summer, we were hired to do a proposal setup & the best friend of the soon-to-be bride was in charge of coordinating the entire arrangement. The client wanted to have the proposal in a location 30 minutes outside of South Lake Tahoe. 

Meg: We had no idea of where this requested destination was or what it looked like. We also offer our services more in the North Lake area, so we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we were determined to make it happen! 

Mon: We arrive at the location & start setting up & a group of 10 people comes walking towards us about 30 minutes prior to the couple arriving. It was the family & friends of the couple about to be engaged & they were so kind & excited about everything we had set up. 

Meg: The best friend who booked us was with the family & gave us a framed photo of an individual & kindly requested that we could incorporate the photo into our proposal setup. 

Mon: We had no idea who was in the image nor what significance it had, but we thought it fit perfectly next to our floral arch. When it became closer to the time of the proposal, Megan & I hide alongside the family, so the couple was unable to see us while the proposal took place.

Meg: Well, she said yes & the entire family celebrated together on the beach for an hour & once it was time for us to clean up & head out, the soon-to-be-bride gave us a huge hug & started tearing up as she explained how special this proposal was to her. We came to find out that her father had sadly passed away a few months prior & the location of where we were was her dad’s favorite place to take her & her family. 

Mon: It gets better! As she’s explaining how significant this place is to her & her family, she shows us the image that was placed near the proposal arch & it’s a picture of her family standing in the EXACT same spot where we had chosen to set up the proposal area. 

Meg: Yep, she was standing in the exact same place in which the photo of her father was taken while her soon-to-be husband was asking for her hand in marriage. 

Meg: WE LOST IT! 

Mon: Yeah, it truly was one of those moments when you’re like, “this is why we do what we do.” 

TX: Oh my gosh! That is the BEST story EVER! Thanks so much for sharing this and for bringing such a unique business to Lake Tahoe! Now, do you mind passing me a tissue?