Today we’d like to introduce you to Falen Todaro.
Hi Falen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My passion for planning, decorating and seeing my vision come to life has been a life-long love story.
It all started in high school when I was involved in a program called Service-Learning. This class taught students how to plan events that benefited the community while learning how to properly handle the logistics of each event. I learned how to handle all the behind the scenes logistics of each event and how to set up the event. When I saw the community enjoy the event, it gave me the satisfaction of completing a project that not only I enjoyed, but the community benefited from.
This must be what artist feel when they finish a piece of art. A satisfaction that they made this beautiful piece of artwork.
I got satisfaction from seeing the beauty behind a completed event.
As the years went on, my main desire in college was to be an event planner. But my other creative side took president as I loved writing as well. I graduated from UCF in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. I immediately started my Journalism career but it quickly ended when I got married, had my first daughter and became a stay at home mom.
At that same time, my husband and I took over a restaurant inside a golf community. My love for logistics and event planning was rekindled as the restaurant had a large banquet hall attached and helping to book and set up weddings and other event brought back that sense of creative accomplishment, I felt all those years ago. After a few years, I gave birth to my second daughter and fully gave in to the stay at home mom life. Homeschooling became my priority, but with that came kids parties and events. And of course, my creativity needed an outlet.
All of my daughters parties have been topnotch, not to brag, but I’ve always been told by other kids and parents that I throw the best parties, and have the most creative ideas for each party. Its a blessing and a curse really, as my parties are the most creative, but I become so hyper focused on them, they consume my life. That’s probably why they are the best.
At the end of Covid in the spring of 2022, I threw a wonderland tea party for my daughters and their friends. And thats where the idea for Outside the Picnic Basket was born. My one friend who attended said I should set up parties for people as a business. I had seen the idea of luxury Picnics that became popular during covid and had been thinking about it for a year, but that comment from my friend sparked something in me that said: jump…..start the event planning business you’ve always wanted. So I did! My girls were becoming teenagers, and I still wanted my mom life to stay first place in my schedule. Thus, a large event planning career didn’t seem like the right fit. But a small luxury picnic event planning business seemed like just the right amount.
I could still focus on my girls and homeschooling, and plan small Luxury Picnics on the side.
Outside the Picnic Basket was born in May of 2022.
We started with a couple of themes and luxury Picnics for two. But are now handling Picnics for up to 20 people. After a year of Picnics, I started dabbling in setting up balloon art to go along with my Picnics. After some trial and error, I really got to love Ballon art even more than setting up Picnics. With both Picnics and balloon, I get the joy of seeing my finished product and than the smiling faces of my clients. But with balloon art, its ever changing. Each build is different and seeing a different finished product each time brings me a new level of creative joy. When my clients get joy from taking photos with family and friends in front of my art, it brings happiness to my heart knowing I made their special occasion even more special. That’s our motto, let us help you make your special occasion even more special!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d say yes, its been mostly smooth. Our first year of business was very busy. But the further we got away from the covid years, the more the world opened up to big events again, smaller intimate events weren’t needed as much as they were during covid.
Thankfully during these recent years I found my love for balloon art, and have the combo of luxury picnis and balloon art has really helped keep our small business afloat.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We specialize in Luxury Picnic and Costumized Balloon Art.
I have a passion and love for creating something I can look at with pride.
I feel the most proud when I stand back, look at my art and say, I made that.
And it brings me even more pride when my clients walk away feeling like their event was extra special because of my effort.
My attention to details and pride in making my clients event something they will remember for years to come is what sets me apart for other businesses like mine.
What were you like growing up?
I was very shy as a child. But as teen I became a social butterfly. Mostly because I watched how people reacted to my father’s outgoing nature. Everyone knew him and remembered him because of the way he understood, listened and spoke to people. He made them feel comfortable. I wanted to be just like that, I started as a teen, learning to interact with the people I was around. And eventually I learned the amazing social skill of being able to carry on a conversation with anyone I’m around.
My interest in high school was service-learning and volunteering. I had friends but wasn’t the popular one, I just spoke to everyone and didn’t care if people liked me or not.
I guess I succeeded in being remembered because years later, I still run into people from high school who remember me, details about me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/outsidethepicnicbasket
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outsidethepicnicbasket/profilecard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCUG1HFtm/
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/3Wki8nH
Image Credits
Pretty Poppies Photography
