Aug. 2, 2021

A local couple is bringing a big-city luxury picnic trend to Sioux Falls.

Sabena and Isaac Carter launched QBIC Luxury Picnics late last month with the goal of giving people another option for date nights and other special occasions.

The idea started when Sabena Carter was looking for a way to celebrate the couple’s second wedding anniversary. She was scrolling Pinterest when she came across the idea for a fancy picnic with soft blankets, nice glasses, candles and a small table.

With her mom’s help, she set up the picnic in McKennan Park as a surprise for her husband.

During their date, the couple got several comments from passers-by on how nice the picnic looked and how it was a good idea.

That’s when the wheels started turning in Carter’s entrepreneurial mind.

“A lot of the big cities across the U.S., they offer these to people,” she said. “I was looking around Sioux Falls, and there was nothing like that here.”

So she and her husband decided to launch QBIC Luxury Picnics. They have five packages available starting at $159 for one hour. Picnics can be set up in a few local parks or in Sioux Falls backyards.

Picnics include food, nonalcoholic drinks, a charcuterie board, plates, flatware, blankets, decorations and a custom letterboard message sign.

Settings include Falls Park, McKennan Park, the Japanese Gardens at Terrace Park or your backyard.

For people who want a picnic outside city limits, there’s a Totally Tailored package for an extra travel fee.

Add-ons include everything from games to dessert to a Bluetooth speaker.

The couple hopes their business also will help people who want to give the gift of an experience rather than a material good.

“If you can choose an experience over that, that’s what you’ll genuinely remember and cherish,” Carter said.