This post goes out to all you do-it-yourself mothers and daughters out there. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to enhance the ambiance of an outdoor wedding (especially at dusk), paper lanterns may just fit the bill. And not only are these inexpensive, but they are super easy to create as well – a perfect project for any mother of the bride to work on! You could buy special paper balls for this purpose, or you could make rectangular shaped lanterns out of paper lunch bags. Here is a video that shows exactly how to make rectangular type of paper lanterns for a wedding.
To make these you’ll need white paper lunch bags, some strung novelty lights (think Christmas tree lights but with a rectangular cap that screws on to hold each light in place…check out the video to see what I mean), some decorative ribbon, and a razor knife.
First, draw an “X” on the bottom of the bag and then cut the slits out with the razor knife in order to provide a point of entry for the light. Then slide the light through the slit and secure it from the other side by screwing on the rectangular shaped cap that comes with this type of light.
Next, slide another white bag over the first bag from the top down. This basically creates a closed box with a light inside. Then simply decorate the outside of the bag with anything you like – ribbons, garland, flowers, etc. No matter what you choose to decorate with, just wrap it up much like you would wrap a birthday present. Then simply rinse and repeat for each paper lantern.
As you can see, this is really easy to do, and it won’t break the bank either. You can buy 100 white bags at Walmart for $2, and the ribbon can be purchased quite inexpensively at your local craft store. And for the really budget-conscious, plan ahead and shop when these items are on sale.
So, if you’re on a budget and you’re struggling to enhance the ambiance of your outdoor wedding reception, consider paper lanterns. Methinks you will be happy that you did. Have fun and good luck!
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