How to Find Paper Lanterns With Lights for a Wedding Reception
Paper lanterns for a wedding reception are easy to find through online shopping or through a visit to a home décor or crafts store. Let your decorative plans for the event dictate your purchases, as paper lanterns can be found in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and lighting styles. Finding the appropriate style of paper lantern is essentially a matter of understanding what options are available.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
Decide if the reception will be held indoors or outdoors. Paper lanterns are sufficient for indoor celebrations, but most are not designed to be exposed to the elements.
Consider how the lanterns will be in use during the reception to determine the type of lighting needed. Smaller lanterns with less illumination are suitable for centerpieces, for example. Many retailers sell battery-operated paper lanterns with lighting fixtures installed for hanging or for tabletop use. However, most lanterns are sold separately from their lighting fixtures.
For paper lanterns that do not have lights already installed, choose battery-operated floral or craft lights for centerpieces or for shorter amounts of time (five to seven hours). For hanging lanterns or longer use (up to 20 hours), choose battery-powered LED lights.
Estimate the size of the lanterns that will be necessary for the décor. When installing lights, a single LED hanging battery terminal should be sufficient for lanterns up to 14 inches in diameter. A triple LED hanging battery terminal is sufficient for lanterns up to 36 inches in diameter.
Visit your local home, garden or craft store to purchase paper lanterns or look for online stores offering lantern products. If you are looking for a specific combination of shapes, colors or patterns, you may find the widest selection online.
Man alive! The past two years, as a wedding DJ, I have seen some pretty rainy outdoor weddings. While an outdoor wedding can be totally awesome, when the weather does not cooperate, it can be a disaster if you do not have some planning, in order.
1. Dress for the elements. Choose fabrics that ensure comfort on the big day. Think about the later hours of the event as well. Will you need to be warm at any point? Will it maybe get to warm, after the dancing starts?
2. Keep your guests' comfort in mind. Also, make sure to let your guests know that the wedding will be outdoors. Prepare them so that they may dress appropriately.
3. Decorations. Wet streamers look like wet toilet paper. Remember, decorations have to brave the elements, and sometimes they may ruin photos, as well. Look for natural or built-in points of beauty for great backdrops and photo opportunities, rather than to try and plot lots of unnecessary decorations.
4. Invest in a good tent. You get what you pay for and you do not want to be dodging downpour streams in the middle of the dance floor. Take no shortcuts when renting a tent, or deal with sunburns and tidal waves.
5. Plan well. While you have to plan ahead and cannot know what the weather will be on a particular date exactly, you can still try for the right season. Plan your outdoor wedding day for a time of the year that averages good weather that is comfortable.
6. Have a Backup Plan. Ever hear of "Plan B"? Make one! You can't predict what the weather is going to be. Rather than stress about it, plan for a site which will allow you to move the entire wedding to an inside location easily.
7. Alert your vendors! All of your vendors should know that it is an outdoor wedding. It sounds easy, but often this is forgotten and sometimes certain precautions need to be taken by your professionals to make everything work out well.
Here are several pieces that are a part of what you might end up mailing out to your wedding guests.
Save the Date Card
Wedding Invitation
Reception Card
Response Card
Response Envelope
Direction Card
Map Card
Thank you Notes
Photograph
Bridal Registry Cards
You should look into wedding invitation etiquette and find out how to assemble and address those pieces. In addition to the items that you will mail to your guests you will also want to consider having
Place Cards
Escort Cards
Table Numbers
Response Cards
The response cards are sent to your guests so that they can RSVP to your wedding and/or reception (RSVP in French is Respondez s'il vous plait or "Please reply"). Here are a few wedding reception wording examples for your response cards.
The favor of a reply is requested on or before (Date) Name _______________________ Number of guests _____ ______ Will not be attending
This is a simple option for using response cards.
You might want to use this wedding reception wording if you need head counts for both the ceremony and the reception. For instance some sites may have several different rooms available for both the ceremony and reception based on the number of guests that you will have attending, so you would want to know how many people will be attending each event.
The favor of a reply is requested by (Date) Name __________________ Number of guests for the ceremony _______ Number of guests for the reception _______ ______ Sorry, will not be attending
The favor of a reply is requested Please make your dinner selections by (Date) Guest _______ Beef__ Chicken__ Child__ Guest _______ Beef__ Chicken__ Child__ Guest _______ Beef__ Chicken__ Child__ ____ Will not be able to attend
The wedding reception wording for this response card is great for allowing your guests to make dinners selections if a choice is offered.
Response Envelope
You will need to send a response envelope addressed to either the parents of the bride, the bride, or the person who is handling the RSVPs.
Make sure that you attach a stamp to the envelope because your guests should not have to pay to respond to your invitation. You might also want to number the guests on your list and put the coordinating number on the envelope in case some of your guests forget to write their name on the response card (it does happen).
Direction and Map Cards
Direction cards contain only the written directions while a map card would include both the directions and a map.
If the directions to the church and reception are simple then you could just have a direction card. But if you have more complex directions then a map may help to make sure that your guests do not get lost.
You should do a drive through of the directions to make sure that the directions are accurate. A better idea is to have a close friend who has not been to the locations try to directions and/or map out themselves to ensure that even people who are not familiar to the area get to each location easily.
Escort and Place Cards
The escort cards for your reception are traditionally placed on a table right outside the banquet room directing your guests to their appropriate table. You may use a tent card with the name of the guest or couple and their assigned table number.
The place cards are put at each table setting and inform each guest of his or her assigned seat.
Here is Part 2 of a Summer's Most Unconventional Wedding Reception
Supplies: For 6-10 people: -1 picnic basket -1 water pitcher -6 to 10 plates -6 to 10 drinking glasses -Paper napkins, forks -Tablecloth or blanket (blankets for younger guests who may want to sit on the grass)
If reusable plates and glasses are too expensive, use paper! Another way to cut costs is to just buy reusable items for the bridal party and parents' tables/baskets. Remember, though--if the wind picks up, your disposable items will go flying! Tablecloths can vary greatly on price. You may run into a sale and be able to cover each table for $5. Another option is to look for inexpensive fabric--$1.00/yard. Measure the tables before you search!
Talk to your favorite grocery store deli or restaurant about your food needs. This is a great job for your mother-in-law! An experienced grocery shopper may have more success getting a good deal on food!
Menu: For each basket: -Croissant Sandwiches -Potato salad -Fruit salad or watermelon slices
These are ideas, but work with food you like (you'll be eating the leftovers!) and any specials the deli can offer. To make an easier reception, use food that stores at the same temperature. Depending on the facilities at the park and how many volunteers you have, you could also serve chicken and corn on the cob.
To make the plain plastic containers from the deli more exciting--use your computer to make your own label. Bride & Groom's Passion Potato Salad, enjoy on July 31, 2008. Get creative!
Be sure to include serving spoons in the baskets! You can probably scrounge up enough serving spoons from the kitchens of the moms.
Guest's Perspective: Guests will arrive at the park and be directed to a table. Assigned seating is recommended! Picnic baskets and water pitchers will be delivered to each table. Guests will take it from there! You can assign one person at each table to be the "server." He/She will open the basket, hand out the plates, forks, napkins, cups and... food!
The bride and groom can put written instructions inside the basket, announce over the music/sound system, or send pre-designated volunteers to the tables to give any further direction that may be needed.
Guests will be put at ease right away since they get to participate in serving the meal, and they don't have to WAIT in line to eat!
You can include a bottle of wine and an assortment of sodas in the baskets if water is not quenching enough. Iced tea or lemonade, in place of water, is another option. Be sure to have ice water on hand, though, for guests on special diets.
Put a large ziploc bag full of ice at the top of each basket to keep food cool while guests are seated. Ice can be put into the guests' cups to avoid giant bags of water at the end of the day.
Dessert This is the fun part! Pie or ice cream? (Let's face it--your guests are probably sick of wedding cake, and it really doesn't fit on a sunny day.)
Put a whole pie in each basket, along with a knife and plastic serving spatula. These can be homemade pies or purchased from the store. Differing flavors may promote movement amongst the guests. :)
Set up an ice cream bar, manned by the bride and groom. This way everyone will get a chance to say hi to the new couple. Offer different ice cream choices that the bride and groom scoop out into cones when the guests are ready for dessert.
Visiting Guests If ice cream scooping is too much work, the bride and groom can float around to each table while the guests eat.
Guests Mingling By the time the meal is over each table will be feeling like family. Get help from your moms to figure out where to seat everyone. You can place matching relatives together. Bride's Aunt and Uncle and kids with Groom's Aunt and Uncle and kids. Or you can put complementing personalities together. Remember to put at least one friendly, outgoing person at each table!
Estimated Cost and Shopping List If you are unable to stay within this budget for any item, look around! Borrow from moms and sisters. To make mismatched items more cohesive, tie a ribbon that matches the color of your wedding around it!
Supplies>> $340 $100 for 10 Picnic Baskets $ 15 for 10 Water Pitchers $ 75 for 100 Plates (buy on clearance!) $ 75 for 100 Cups/Glasses $ 25 for 200 Napkins (High-end white paper) and 200 Plastic Forks $ 50 for 10 Table Coverings (butcher paper or tablecloths on clearance)
Food>> $460 $ 65 for 150 Croissants (try Costco or Sam's Club) $ 75 for 12.5 pounds of Sliced Meat (assortment of Ham, Roast Beef, Turkey) $ 75 for 12.5 pounds of Sliced Cheese (assortment of Cheddar, Pepperjack, Provolone) $ 10 for 6 heads of lettuce $ 50 for your choice of tomatoes, mayo, mustard, and other favorite sandwich toppings! $ 70 for 7 Gallons of Potato Salad (homemade or deli) $ 35 for 10 Small Watermelons $ 80 for 7 Gallons of Fruit Salad (deli)
Dessert>> $60-95 $ 60 for 10 Pies or $ 65 for 13 Gallons of Ice Cream $ 30 for 9 boxes of Ice Cream Cones (12/box)
Beverages>> $75-150 $ 50-100 for 10-20 Bottles of Wine $ 25-50 for 100-200 Cans of Soda (watch for sales!)
This is a general framework to move you in the right direction for a memorable wedding reception. Put your personality into every piece of the event. This will give your guests something to talk about, and help distant relatives get to know you better! Some guests may even hide your wedding gift in the car, and replace it with a check--once they see what kinds of interests you and your sweetheart really have!
OK, so we know it isn't summer, yet, but for you brides in planning-mode, this is a great idea!
You want a romantic, memorable wedding reception, but everyplace in town is booked! Are you sure?
Some say you need over a year to plan a good wedding and reception. I say you can do it in less than three months. When planning your reception, first figure out your goals. Seriously! Is it to get lots of gifts? Spend time with relatives you'll never see? Show off your dancing skills? Write it down & make sure your groom contributes to the list!
Once your list is complete, you may realize that a formal reception is unnecessary. Or, you'll see that the standard just won't do!
This summer's hottest unconventional wedding reception is a "Memory-Filled" Picnic Lunch.
Objective: Allow guests to relax, eat, greet the bride and groom, and get to know the "other" side.
Challenges: All the reception halls are booked that day, or out of your price range. Budget is between $500-$1000 for 100 people. Your sisters have all done this before--you want your wedding to be memorable. Your mother-in-law-to-be really wants to help.
Solution: Serve lunch, family-style in picnic baskets at the park.
Find a local park (or even the yard of the church). It should be close to the ceremony and provide ample parking. Check with the city or county to get any permits to use the park for a large party. There may be a fee, but it will be a small fraction of the cost of a reception hall. Parks with shade, pavilions, tables and restrooms are a must!
If tables are not available at the park, see if you can rent them from a local church. Depending on the "age-ility" of your guests, you may not need tables for everyone!
Check your big box stores in the Summer Section (items should be marked down by mid-June). Look for the makings of a picnic. You do not need 100 of the same thing. Just find matching items for each table or picnic basket.
Coming to our next post...all the essential details to make this reception happen, including shopping lists, and pricing! Check back tomorrow!
