Wedding Lighting

Photo courtesy of The Gardenista

 

Lighting for your wedding can be tricky if you are having your wedding and/or reception outdoors. Solviden makes solar lights which mean no cords running across lawns or through gardens, perfect for times when you have a party or wedding outdoors. I love the top string of lights above from Solviden (sold at Ikea). Perfect for winding around trees or columns outside.

 

Photos courtesy of The Gardenista

 

Another trick for lighting outdoors are these garden globes (also from Solviden) and also solar powered. Light the edges of walkways, gardens or even the aisle where you are having your wedding ceremony. The great thing about these lights, you can use them again later for other parties, they're not just for weddings. Check out other products by Solviden sold at Ikea or online too.

 

Chinese Lanterns For Your Outdoor Wedding

Photos courtesy of Groupalicious at Chinese Floating Lanterns

  

Chinese lanterns are an interesting way to light your outdoor wedding. They have been used for hundreds of years, but were traditionally released with a wish to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming new year. But they would work equally well to wish the bride and groom good luck and a happy marriage.

For many, they symbolize letting go of one's old self and receiving a new self, a new start. The release is a sort of cleansing, rejuvenating process.

Chinese floating lanterns are just plain pretty to look at. There's something mesmerizing about seeing a Chinese lantern set free. Lit with luminescent color, it floats higher and higher into the sky like a shrinking star adrift on the wind, slowly up into the night sky. Use instead of doves or sparklers at your wedding.

 

 

Groupalicious has a limited time offer that gets you a 10-pack of Floating Chinese Sky Lanterns in assorted colors: green, yellow, red, dark pink, light pink, dark blue, light blue, purple and orange. Launch just one at a time or as a group, or just keep them earthbound to give your special event a boost on the festivity-meter.

Ordinarily this lantern package would cost you $99.99, but with this deal you can score 10 lanterns for only $25. That's one deal you won't want to let float away! Perfect for your wedding or any party.

Blinded By Love?

Photo and idea courtesy of: Tip Junkie Party from Style Me Pretty

Beach weddings or picnic weddings often hand out fans to help keep their guests cool, but we love the idea of handing out these inexpensive sun glasses to guests.  The sign that goes with the favor table reads "Don't Get Blinded By Our Love"--perfect with the inexpensive sunglasses!

Photo from Style Me Pretty

Add to the sunglasses a jar of sparklers for when the bride and groom leave! Signage says: "Let Your Love Shine." Perfect, inexpensive, but what style!

Your Secret Garden Wedding

Looking for a way to design your own secret garden for your wedding reception? Take a look at this photo from The Girl Who Keeps Dreaming.  While I could do without the tablecloth look, Adding the 'bustles' to the chairs, especially for the head table is gorgeous.  Adapt the ideas to fit your colors and area.  While the seat covers might be pricey, the flowers in this photo aren't so it's a trade off.  I can see a lot of ways to work with this idea if you're having an outdoor garden wedding or formal picnic wedding.

Spring or Summer Wedding? Try These As An Accessory.

Photo courtesy of: http://www.candlesandsuch.com

Having a late spring or summer wedding?  Consider providing your guests with these lovely silk wedding fans. As you walk down the aisle you'll feel the cool breeze from these beautiful silk wedding fans.  Fans are not just a pretty accessory but they are also a practical one when your wedding day can go from mild and sunny to hot and humid in a short time. These fans are great additions for weddings with Asian/oriental themes or a southern theme. You an also add them at your reception as a wedding favor especially if you're having an outdoor wedding.  Another option is to use them with a flower attached for your bridesmaids to carry.  Practical and pretty, what  more can you ask?

Renting a Tent for Your Wedding

All Photos courtesy of http://www.sperrytents.com/

Many brides-to-be have to deal with renting a tent.  Most outdoor weddings need to have a contingency plan for bad weather and a tent is ideal if the area you are using is not attached to a restaurant or building where you can move the wedding in case of rain. 

In order to determine the size tent you need talk to the tent rental staff.  Ask for diagrams of the tent with table set up.  This will give you a good idea how many people you can comfortably fit in a tent.  Also keep in mind that if you are cooking outdoors you need a seperate cooking tent. 

You need a minimum of ten feet around the perimeter of your tents.  Other factors to consider are power lines, tree branches, eave lines, and other obstructions overhead that may prevent safe tent installation.  Be sure your tent rental specialist knows the exact layout where you want the tent. 

Tents are usually installed one to two days prior to the wedding. However there may be times due to heavy scheduling that a tent may be installed earlier. Tent pickup is usually the next business day following your wedding.  There is no cut and dried time for installation or pickup, and the renting company try to be flexible to meet their your needs. 

There are a variety of different types of tents as well as accessories that go with them.  Some extras are lighting, dance floors or and flooring, walkways, sides, french doors, heaters, air conditioners, and fancy tent designs or custom tenting.  Custom tents may be in a variety of colors or have lavish designs on both the outside and inside. 

The key to being happy with your tent is communication with the tent specialists you are working with.

Planning A Picnic Wedding?

Picnic receptions can be incredible and much more memorable than standard hotel catering.  Not only is it more casual and comfortable but it's easy (and less expensive) to prepare gourmet picnic food or just good old down home cooking.  Some brides and grooms opt for a pig roast with an option of gourmet hamburgers or provide the fixing for cuban sandwichs with the roast.  You can also pack individual meals (think adult Happy Meal with everything provided in the box from napkins and cutlery to food). You can find fun boxes at restaurant supply houses, paper supply or party stores, or you can even make your own. You will also need small portion cups w/lids. Each guests meal box could include a sandwich (you could have a variety of different sandwiches*, and have lovely tags on the boxes that tell what type is in each box), roasted potato salad (use mixed colors of baby potatoes, with an interesting sauce - a rosemary and horseradish sauce is wonderful), fresh berries or mixed fruit, and corn-off-the-cobb salad. A dessert bar with homemade-looking pies, cookies and cakes would be lovely, too.

* Sandwich suggestions: Curried chicken and cashew salad, veggie and cream cheese, fancy egg salad, and peanut butter/jam/banana for kids.

Another idea is to use white linens on the picnic tables (mixed vintage cloths would be beautiful!), white blankets on the grass (Ikea has white and off-white blankets for under $5 each), sitting-pillows strewn on the blankets, table bouquets of sunflowers or mixed wild flowers (lining the tables with ivy or sweet pea vines would be fun, too), vintage picnic baskets (you can pick these up at flea markets or garage sales, or,borrow them from friends), and white and silver balloons.  Be sure to have enough chair/benchs to seat your older guests who may not want to sit on the ground! 

When I think picnic for drinks I think of mint juleps (mint leaves, bourbon, sugar, water, ice), gourmet iced tea, fresh strawberry lemonade, random bottles of wine (in the vintage picnic baskets?), sangria, and possibly iced coffee.