Miss Mays Picnics is fast becoming one of Newcastle's success stories.
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Alice May and Max Gough started the event and catering business in late 2017 and are, Gough says, "pretty much" booked out until June 2020.
They're about to get even busier, too, having recently partnered with 35 Hunter Valley vineyards to offer luxury picnics and grazing tables for visitors and exclusive members' events. They hope to partner with another 50 in the coming months.
"We're taking bookings nine or 10 months in advance," Gough told Food & Wine.
"It's still just the two of us. We've considered putting on staff but we're worried other people won't go that extra mile like we do. We deal directly with the client all the way through the process, from the very first email through to the day of the event."
Gough gave up his carpentry career to work full-time with his fiancée at Miss Mays Picnics. He concentrates on the food while May is in charge of creative design and styling.
A recent Miss Mays giveaway on Instagram that received more than 25,000 entries prompted Gough and May to consider branching out to the Hunter Valley.
"Thirty per cent of our followers on Instagram are from Sydney so we hope to bring a lot of Sydneysider clients to the Valley to make a weekend of it," Gough said.
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The couple sold the Miss May Picnics package to vineyard owners and events staff as a "one-stop shop" experience. Gough and May supply food from their commercial kitchen, set up and pack up at the end of the day. Each vineyard provides the wine through table service or at a tasting.
"A lot of the vineyards don't have a restaurant on site and can only offer little cheese plates so they see what we can do and they go 'Wow'," Gough said.
Miss Mays Picnics has expanded its style range in recent months, too. In addition to boho, tropical and coastal options there is now a Moroccan look with handmade woollen rugs, burnt oranges and golden lanterns.
Life is busy but the couple have no complaints.
"It's a passion for us now. It doesn't feel like work," Gough said. "We've got seven weddings booked in, and we never expected that. It's exciting to be spreading the news that we are working in the Valley. Hopefully we can help to bring even more tourists here."
