Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo Source: Martha Stewart Weddings

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Looking for an affordable way to add ambiance and charm to your special evening? Why not hang rice paper lanterns. Available in a wide array of colors, sizes and patterns; light weight, battery operated and easy to install, lanterns will add a glorious glow to your reception.

These gorgeous bubble-like lanterns can easily fit into any event design theme. Use various vibrant but complementary colors to create a fun and whimsical atmosphere. Combinations such as orange, pink, yellow, soft lime green and lavender make a wonderfully fun and fresh palette; perfect for a spring wedding.

Want something more elegant and sophisticated? Hang all white lanterns in various sizes for breathtaking results. Also try adding in a few colored lanterns that are in keeping with your color scheme.

Do’s & Don’ts

Don’t skimp. A few lonely lanterns strewn around the room looks cheap and lacks that Wow! factor. Lanterns are best displayed in groupings.

Do consider renting instead of purchasing if budget is a concern. If your venue is too large and you do not have the budget to acquire lanterns to fill the room, consider zone lighting. Hang a grouping of lanterns above the dance floor or above the head table.

Don’t hang with string. The number one mistake most people make is hanging their lanterns with ugly string, twine or wire.

Do consider hanging your lanterns with beautiful ribbon or clear beading cord, otherwise known by its more manly name of fishing line.

Don’t hang all at the same height. Hanging your lanterns at the same height can look a little boring and lacks depth. Try instead to hang your lanterns at different heights; you will achieve greater visual impact particularly when using one color.

Don’t hang to high. Your lanterns should feel like a warm cloud of bubbles above you. You will lose the ambiance by hanging your lanterns to high.

Suppliers:

www.lunabazaar.com (For Purchase)

www.blowflowerdesigns.com (Rental)

What a great way to recycle your used, clean tin cans.

Materials Required:

• empty soup, broth or vegetable cans
• fine gauge wire
• large nail
• hammer
  sand
• votive candles
• thick gloves
• pliers
• table vise
• permanent marker

Instructions:

1. Remove labels from cans and wash and dry thoroughly.
2. With your safety gloves on, take the pliers and bend down any sharp edges created when the lid was removed with a can opener.
3. With a permanent marker draw dots on the can to create a shape. You can also do this on a sheet of paper to use as a template. I stick with simple geometric patterns rather than intricate representations. It just cuts down on the frustration level.
4. Fill cans with water and freeze. This will help the cans keep their shape when you punch in the holes. Keep in mind that water expands when it freezes. I found that one or two of my cans split down the side. The expansion also caused the bottom of the cans to protrude. This was easily remedied by tapping them back into place with a hammer.
5. Once the water in the can is frozen solid, clamp the can to a work table with a vise.
6. Using a large nail and a hammer punch a hole into either side of the can. This is where you will attach the handle.
7. Then punch holes into the can following the pattern you laid out with your permanent marker.
8. Allow the ice to melt, pour out any remaining water and dry the can.
9. To create a handle, take a length of the fine gauge wire and insert it through one of the side holes. Twist the end to secure. Repeat with the opposite end of the wire on the other side.
10. Place a small amount of sand in the bottom of the can and add a votive candle. If you are feeling particularly festive use a spicy scented candle to perfume the air.
11. Hang these in various places in the garden and light at dusk.
12. Use caution when removing holders after use, as the sides will be very hot.

By crumpling the bags we achieved a beautiful raw looking texture that also disguised the fact that we did not remove all the toilet paper remnants still stuck to the tube. Remember, by using thicker paper or crumpled paper you can save yourself the painstaking task of removing all the toilet paper glued to the tube.

Materials Required:

• Clean empty cardboard toilet paper tubes
• Paper to cover tubes. (ie. clean used brown paper lunch bags, reuse old wrapping paper, wall paper remnants, recycled scrap booking paper, old sheet music, fabric scraps, old maps)
• Non-toxic White Glue
• Artist brush
• Scissors
• Ribbon or Raffia for embellishment (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut lunch bag along one length crease then cut out bottom of bag to lay bag flat.
2. Crumple bag to create a raw organic paper look.
3. Unravel crumpled bag and lay flat on your work surface.
4. Measure and cut a piece of the lunch bag paper to fit the tube. Cut to exact measurement of tube length and allow a half inch overlap on the circumference.
   Use this cut out as a template to cut more sheets as required.
5. Apply glue to tube and spread thinly and evenly with artist brush. Be sure to coat the entire tube with glue especially the edges at each end of the tube.
6. Apply paper to tube.
7. Apply a bead of glue to the overlap and spread with artist brush. Be sure to spread glue to the edge of the sheet. Press the overlap down to seal.
8. Gently rub the entire tube to ensure the paper adheres to the glue.
9. Set aside to allow the glue to completely dry.
10. Once glue has dried, neatly fold the edges of one end of the tube. Remember to allow a slight overlap of the top fold.
11. Fill the tube with organic chocolates, chocolate covered nuts or candies of your choice.
12. Fold the other end of the tube to seal.
13. Tie a beautiful ribbon around the circumference of the tube for a beautiful finishing touch. (optional)

What a great way to recycle your clean, empty glass jars.

Source: P. Allen Smith Garden Home

Materials Required:

• assorted sizes and styles of glass jars with a lip
• fine gage metal wire
• wire cutters
• needle nose pliers
• votive candles

Instructions:

1. Collect small jam jar sized glass jars with a lip just below the top.
2. Next, take a long piece of wire (about 24 inches is good) and bend it around the jar just under the lip so that a ring is formed. With the needle nose pliers twist the wire together close to the jar to secure the ring. When tightening the wire be sure to leave a little give so that you can attach the handle.
3. Once the ring is created you will have 2 approximately 8 inch long wires originating from the point where the circle is twisted closed.
4. Bend the excess wires over the top of the jar and attach them to the wire ring to create a handle.
5. Place a votive candle inside the jar.
6. Hang it in a tree with sturdy branches, far enough from the end of the branch, so the jar won’t slip off in the wind. Light the candles to create a magical effect.
7. Caution should be used with any open flame; do not leave candles burning unsupervised.
    

Imagine the delight on the faces of your guests as they marvel at your creativity.

Not only are these buds beautiful to look at, they will fill the air with a mouth watering sweet aroma.

Important tip: Please remember the icing can melt and slide off your cupcakes if the temperature in the reception hall gets to high. Make sure the facilities are air conditioned during warm months.

Materials Required:

• Approximately 15 cm styrofoam ball
• Bowl to fit styrofoam ball
• Double sided tape (Can be found at most hardware or scrapbooking stores) or green tissue paper
• Tooth picks or sandwich picks
• Approximately 53 mini cupcakes per bouquet
• Decorating Icing Bag and Tips
• Cupcake recipe of choice
• Icing of choice

Instructions:

1. Apply double sided tape to bottom of styrofoam ball and place ball in the bowl. The tape will keep the ball from moving around. Alternatively, you can place green tissue paper in the bowl and nestle the ball in the tissue paper.
2. Bake mini cupcakes using your favorite cupcake recipe and allow to cool.
3. Position tooth picks/sandwich picks into styrofoam ball and apply cupcakes to the picks.
   See photos below.
4. Fill icing bag with icing of your choice. Using a large star decorating tip start applying icing from center of cupcake, swirling out to the edge of the cupcake.
5. Insert chocolate leaves between cupcakes to cover any exposed styrofoam. Click here for instructions on how to make chocolate leaves.

 Photos courtesy of Flickr_Sandra_socake