Picnics & Porches Offers Pumpkin Concierge Service This Fall

Written by Lia Hobel | Photos by Callie Broaddus 

Imagine stepping onto your porch this autumn and being greeted by a stunning display of vibrant pumpkins, cheerful mums, and rustic hay bales — all artfully arranged to capture the spirit of the season. What makes this transformative service truly special is that it’s crafted by a visionary young entrepreneur. “I love to use my imagination to create beauty and evoke emotion in the world around me,” shares Wren Egender, a 17-year-old senior at Foxcroft School and the founder of Picnics & Porches. 

As a Bedford Scholar with a concentration in fine arts, Egender has always had a passion for art in all its forms. Harnessing creativity, ambition, and a fresh perspective, she recently launched Picnics & Porches with the help of her mother, Katie Wilson. “My mom is an entrepreneur herself who helps small businesses and solopreneurs with branding, marketing, and events. So I suppose it was only time before she encouraged me to start my own,” Egender says. 

“I love to use my imagination to create beauty and evoke emotion in the world around me.”
–Egender

The idea for the business came about while looking for summer job opportunities. With encouragement from her mother, who has over 15 years of experience in event planning, Egender launched a luxury picnic and porch décor business that caters to Hunt Country and beyond. “My mom handles a lot of the back-end details and some of the marketing. She’s teaching me the ins and outs of running a business,” Egender explains. The mother-daughter duo works seamlessly together, with Egender focusing on aesthetics and design while Wilson manages the logistics. “I’m thankful that I have a built-in business mentor and best friend. Honestly, without her help I couldn’t have started any of this,” Egender reflects. 

One of the key aspects of Picnics & Porches is the distinctive visual brand that Egender and Wilson have created. “We want our offerings to really stand out from our competition,” Egender says. Wilson’s extensive network of top-quality vendors and venues has been invaluable. “I really enjoy learning from and collaborating with them,” Egender adds. For pumpkins, they’ve partnered with Wegmeyer Farms in Hamilton, which boasts a selection of over 50 pumpkin varieties. “We pick a mix of classics and rare heirlooms in different shapes, sizes, and colors, so every porch looks unique.” 

Egender emphasizes the convenience of the service, noting that it saves customers time, effort, and the stress of figuring out what to buy and how to arrange it. “We hand-pick the prettiest pumpkins, deliver them right to your porch, and then style everything so it looks amazing,” she explains. The feedback from clients has been overwhelmingly positive, with many appreciating the ease and beauty of the final result.

For porches, customers start by going online and selecting their package. The starter package, “A Touch of Autumn,” offers a pretty mix of pumpkins but more of a DIY approach when it comes to design. “Pick of the Patch” is another option, and as Egender explains, “This is the most ordered package because it has a really stunning variety of pumpkins, including sizes and colors, plus two straw bales and our design services to help display them all.” The “Hello Gourd-geous” package “goes big with even more pumpkins, plus gourds and corn stalks for extra texture.” The next level up is “The Great Pumpkin,” which Egender says is their showstopper. “It features a huge variety of stunning pumpkins, including two giant pumpkins, plus straw bales, corn stalks, ornamental corn — the works.” Additionally, there are specialty looks like “Cream of the Crop” for an all-white palette or “The Pastel Patch” for soft, muted tones. There are also custom packages for homes and businesses that want something special and bespoke. 

Together, Wilson and Egender set up and also break down the decorated porches. “It’s definitely a workout, but I love weight training,” Egender says, adding that her stepdad is also a secret weapon to their business success when it comes to the really heavy lifting. “We’re also partnering with multiple farms for our pumpkin recycling. At the end of the season, we’ll remove your pumpkins and donate them as feed for the farm animals,” she explains.

“We’re also partnering with multiple farms for our pumpkin recycling. At the end of the season, we’ll remove your pumpkins and donate them as feed for the farm animals.”
–Egender

Looking ahead, Egender is excited about the potential for expansion. Picnics & Porches is in talks with a photographer about hosting fall mini sessions, and the duo is open to partnering with local wreath makers or sign makers to enhance their offerings. On the picnic side of the business, Egender partners with Etten’s Eden and Designing Flowers for florals, and for custom pumpkin clients, they’ll likely incorporate pots or planters full of ornamental cabbage, sedum, and other late-season bloomers. “I love creating settings and spaces that make people smile. Whether it’s a pretty picnic or a porch full of gorgeous pumpkins, it’s about making everyday moments more magical and memorable,” Egender concludes. ML

Visit picnicsandporches.com to learn more.

Published in the October 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.