Raleigh-based picnic company offers one-of-a-kind private plane trip to Outer Banks

WRAL Voters' Choice Award winner Sweet T Picnics is known for Instagram-worthy experiences. Now, founder Marcie Walsh has taken picnics to new heights -- literally.

Sweet T's new "Wright Way to Picnic" experience invites guests to hop in a private luxury plane at the Raleigh Executive Jetport with their own pilot and co-pilot. They will fly to the Outer Banks and enjoy a picnic near the Wright Brothers Memorial before their journey home. The plane ride is about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the weather and Walsh said the view from the plane is incredible.

In the Outer Banks, Walsh and her team will set up the picnic decorations, food and beverages, which are all brought over in the plane -- sweet tea included. It's a one-of-a-kind trip, and Walsh said Sweet T is the only picnic company in the world to offer an aviation experience like this.

If you enjoy plane watching but don't want to get onboard, Sweet T can setup luxury picnics at the airport.

The "Plane ol' Picnic" experience is offered Sundays at sunset, or "golden hour," when the airport is busiest with people taking off and landing as they train for their pilot's license.

"It's the most beautiful time to come here," Walsh said. "It's also a great time to capture the planes taking off and landing."

For those who prefer other more traditional picnic location, Sweet T offers a variety of luxury picnics you can enjoy at a place of your choosing -- like the popular bohemian picnic or a fantasy fairy experience for kids and the young-at-heart.

Sweet T Picnics can even create the sweetest surprise proposal picnic, complete with "Will You Marry Me?" marquee letters, flowers, music and photos. All picnics are customizable, from the timing to the food to the decorations and flowers. Most of Sweet T's picnics cost $300 for two hours with everything included.

"We offer so many different picnic experiences for people, especially for those who don't know exactly how to plan -- we do all of that for you," Walsh said.

Every picnic comes with a menu of your choice (charcuterie, anyone?), drinks, a soft waterproof padded blanket with extra blankets for cuddling, plush pillows and a table adorned with décor. There's also a picnic basket with beautiful utensils, plates, glasses and cloth napkins. Walsh thought of everything, including San Pellegrino sparkling water, a tiny speaker for music, games, hand sanitizer, insect repellent and a custom message for guests.

Walsh walked away from a corporate job and launched Sweet T Picnics in October 2021. A year later, she received the best small business award in the WRAL Voters' Choice Awards.

Walsh met her husband on a private flight during her reign as Miss North Carolina in 2017. She was boarding a flight to Washington, D.C., and said it was "love at first flight."

"My now husband ended up being my pilot that day, so that's how we met," she said.

The couple got married, and several years later they combined their businesses to offer a picnic experience like no other. Walsh's husband owns Elite Aircraft Services, an aviation school that also offers chartered flights like those people take during their picnic adventure.

"We decided to join the two businesses to offer this really awesome experience," Walsh said.

Sweet T's business model supports other small businesses in the area -- like Lucette Grace, The Cupcake Shoppe and Slice Pie Company, which provide picnic food, and decorations from Preston Flowers in Cary.

Of course, every picnic experience involves a pitcher of sweet tea with special ice cubes that won't melt or dilute the tea.

"If they want unsweetened tea, we can cater to that too, but we might bless their heart first," Walsh laughed.

Sweet T can create tabletop picnics as large as 40 people but also offers event planning. Walsh said her experiences offer the classic charm of a picnic in an elevated and luxurious way.

"Everyone thinks of the classic checkered picnic blanket when you have a picnic in the park, and we take that and put it on a table setting with beautiful plates, cups, napkins -- everything you could possibly think of," Walsh said. "It's your classic picnic you think of in a park, but we just take it to a whole other level."

Each month, a Sweet T picnic is donated to a local charity or cause. This month, the team will host a Father's Day picnic for a man with terminal cancer at his home.

"We truly believe in supporting the people that support us," said Walsh.

You can book a picnic on the Sweet T Picnics website or see photos of the gorgeous picnic setups on Instagram.