Have you been thinking of a way on how you can make your outdoor wedding more magical? While so much is invested in your wedding dress, floral arrangements and champagne, the right lighting can be the key aspect that provides a perfect backdrop to your outdoor celebrations. Not a lot of people realize it but a creative display of lights can make any wedding ceremony and reception seem like something straight out of a fairy tale. The proper lighting can emphasize the emotions and the mood that you want to portray, and there is nothing better than using them to make your guests feel as magical as you do throughout the course of the special evening. With that in mind, here are six wonderful ways to illuminate your outdoor wedding.
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1. Projection at the entrance
Everyone knows that first impressions always last and this is why it is important to give your wedding entrance a breathtaking look. You can do this by decorating the entrance with lights that project you and your husband-to-be’s names. This will definitely amaze your guests as soon as they reach your wedding venue.
2. LEDs for the dance floor
Like your first kiss, your first bite of food and your first toast together, you want your first dance to be in a space that is as magical as the rest of your wedding. And what better way to do that by choosing a LED dance floor! You can also construct or rent a central pillar and then attach strings of colored miniature LEDs from the four corners.
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3. Candles
Candles are the most romantic way to add some soft light to a wedding. For an outdoor wedding, candles in glass will tend to work best, as they will be protected from the wind. A simple hurricane lantern surrounded by a floral wreath is one lovely idea. Votives in beautiful holders are also great. Particularly interesting are pierced candleholders in colourful glass with a Moroccan flair. The flame will flicker and dance through the pierced design, while the coloured glass will cast wonderful reflections on the tables.
Candles can also be used to light many other parts of an outdoor wedding. Walkways can be lined with tiki torches or fancier wrought iron candleholders on tall posts. The tiki torches are also helpful in keeping mosquitoes at bay, which your guests will certainly appreciate. Steps should also be well lit, both for decoration and safety.
4. Carved pumpkin
Another fun way to add light is through the use of carved pumpkins. They are a terrific seasonal detail, and will also add soft illumination to your reception. Carved pumpkins do not have to be traditional Halloween jack o’ lanterns, if that is not your style. Almost anything can be carved in a pumpkin, including monograms, geometric motifs, and symbols like hearts or doves. Masses of glowing pumpkins look especially dramatic when placed in a row, such as along the top of a stone wall lining a driveway or behind the bar.
Image Credit: Michelle Valantine Photography
5. Overhead paper lanterns
Overhead Paper lanterns work very nicely to light up a large open area and will REALLY illuminate your outdoor space. Without adequate light coming from above, your guests will not be able to see their dinner or for that matter, each other. Besides, all that soft light from above is very flattering, as it will catch every twinkle in your Swarovski crystal earrings, gently illuminate your gorgeous wedding gown, and make your face look more radiant.
They can be hung directly from trees to create romantic nooks. You may also wish to create a grid of very fine wire from which you can suspend large numbers of lanterns to provide more general lighting for the wedding.
6. Twinkling white lights
Twinkling white lights are another beautiful addition to an outdoor wedding lighting scheme. They can be wrapped around tree trunks and tent poles, scattered throughout tree leaves and foliage, and even intertwined directly into tall centerpieces. A gorgeous effect can be created by hanging numerous tiny white lights over the top of the reception area to mimic the effect of a starry night. If this is impractical to do for a very large area, consider giving only the altar the beautiful glow cast by hundreds of little white lights.
Style: #LD4432, Image Credit: Mary Claire Photography
Illuminating your outdoor wedding is one of the best ways to make it magical but it is important that you do a test run on an evening before your wedding to make sure that the amount of light cast is enough that you can see clearly, but not so bright that it kills the mood.