Although February generally isn’t a busy month for weddings, the exception every year is the weekend of Valentine’s Day.  Since we don’t have any Valentine’s weddings at Wish this year, I thought I’d offer up some WishCandy that makes me think of the day!

A gorgeous bouquet in pink or red is a great way to give a nod to Valentine’s Day!

These red tulips from Branch Floral Design look so elegant!

Love the little hint of purple in this one, photographed by Erin Hearts Court:

I died over this bouquet in our “Pink is My Signature Color” post — these are coral peonies:

Olivia Leigh Photographie:

Love the touch of orange in this bouquet from the Flower Girls:

Real Simple:

The Knot:

Another from The Knot:

Of course, bouquets are the only place you can highlight the theme of your Valentine’s Day wedding.  Centerpieces are also a great way to incorporate color.  I LOVE this gorgeous carnation (I KNOW!  Carnations!!) centerpieces from Carolyne Roehm:

Speaking of carnations, they’ve made a big resurgence in the last couple of years as not only a money saver, but a really cute flower when you bunch a ton of them tightly together.

Oh, Martha…always with the trends…

Branch Floral Design:

Okay, last carnation one, I promise…from In Style Weddings:

Of course, there are lots of other flowers to use in your centerpieces, not just carnations, like the following two beauties from Dandelion Ranch:

Hostess with the Mostess:

Olivia Leigh Photographie:

Once Wed:

And the adorable centerpiece inspiration for Mrs. Green Tea of Wedding Bee:

There are other aspects of decor for your wedding, though.  Use pinks and reds to decorate your ceremony space, like Nancy Liu Chin:

Your guests:

Your stationery:

Or your feet!

A few more great hits of red and pink…how about these awesome pink lanterns, from Habitually Chic:

Eye Spy Photography:

You could also use one of our favorite ways to add a HUGE pop to your wedding decor, uplighting, photographed by Jeff Greenough:

Or what about adding some color to your food and drinks, like the girls at Hostess with the Mostess?!

Red Punch, on Inspired by This:

Cake, from Martha Stewart:

Macarons, photographed by Our Labor of Love (nice rings too!):

“Lollipops” make a great addition to a dessert table.  These are from Parents magazine, but the girls at Sweet Ladies Bakery in the DC area make amazing brownie, truffle and cheesecake lollipops!

Speaking of desserts…and my favorite DC vendors…I had THE MOST AMAZING Red Velvet Cake from Lara at Fluffy Thoughts.  And Red Velvet is, of course, perfect for a Valentine’s wedding!  (Note, this is not Fluffy Thoughts’ cake…Lara’s cake went WAY too fast for anyone to get a picture of it!  This is just an insanely delicious looking picture of red velvet cake that makes me want to eat my computer screen…)

How about some red drinks — red is one of the easiest colors to make a signature drink with!  (Have you tried finding inspiration for purple drinks?  Not easy!)  These are from Real Simple:

How about the amazing poppy on this gorgeous cake featured on Style Me Pretty?

And finally, some great pink and red clothing details.  For the bridesmaids:

Lara Swanson:

Dress from Etsy seller Parsimony:

The boys, photographed by Eye Spy Photography:

Or even the bride!

Joel Flory Photo:

The Sweetest Occasion:

What Junebug Loves:

Are you getting married on Valentine’s Day?  Will you be using pink and red?

I LOVE Winter Weddings.  The temperature is perfect for those of us (aka me) that hate the heat, it gets dark early, allowing for tons of candlelight, and if you’re lucky enough to get snow, it makes for AMAZING pictures!  Today we’re going to look at some great ideas for winter weddings.

The first question, of course, is what are you going to wear?  Well, if you’re the bride, there are lots of great options, including some gorgeous long sleeved dresses out there.  My sister wore this amazing dress, which is strapless, but has a beautiful long sleeved overcoat, from David’s Bridal, for her December wedding:

(Hmm…I wonder if she’ll let me wear it if I ever get married??)

There are also lots of gorgeous shrugs, wraps, and sweaters out there.

(Gorgeous bouquet too, right?!)

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Life on Prints via The Knot

(Yet another gorgeous winter bouquet!)

Grazier Photography:

And how cute are this bride and her bridesmaids in matching fur wraps?

I love the color of the bridesmaids dresses for winter as well.  Grey can be SO pretty!

Speaking of bridesmaids, there are some great options out there for winter weddings.  Ice blue, a pretty green, red, black, or the aforementioned grey are all great colors for winter.

Michael Bambino Photography:

Jennifer Lindberg Weddings:

Altura Studio:

Perfect Bound:

(How much do I LOVE the grey tights?!)

Shelby Leigh Photography:

Of course, guests need to stay warm too — here’s my friend Coralie and I at a friend’s winter wedding.  I LOVE that green wrap!!

Speaking of Karen’s wedding, look at the gorgeous centerpieces she and her mom came up with:

Centerpieces are a great way to bring the season into your wedding.

Amy Martin Photography:

Can you tell how much I love cranberries as decor?  LOVE this centerpiece photographed by the Weibners:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

And how cute would this be as a centerpiece, from Paper Source!?

Yes, that’s made of PAPER!!!

Centerpieces aren’t the only decor at your wedding, though.  Here are some other great winter touches:

Martha:

More Martha:

(I love the idea of blankets used as decor!)

More cranberries!

Erik Ekroth Photography:

Snippet and Ink:

OMG, how GORGEOUS is this curtain of HAND FREAKING MADE snowflakes from Bugs and Fishes?  How beautiful would this be over windows at your reception venue?

Of course, having your wedding right before Christmas is great if you’re looking to save on decor — a lot of places, such as churches, hotels, and historic venues, are already decorated for you!  (Again, my friend Karen’s wedding):

And finally, we can’t forget about gorgeous winter bouquets, like this one photographed by our friend Kate Headley:

LOVE this bouquet from the Carolina Herrera Spring show:

Jeff Reeder Photography:

A Bryan Photo:

Are you having a winter wedding?  What colors are you using for the season?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Red, to me, is just one of those colors that works year-round.  Of course it’s perfect in Winter, for Christmas and Valentine’s Day weddings, but it’s also perfect paired with brown for the fall, paired with other bright colors for the summer or red tulips for the spring!  Here are some great red bouquets that are suitable for all seasons!

Amity Mason Photography:

Amy Squires Photography:

April Joy Events:

Here are some reds that would work well for fall…

Halo Photographic:

Better Homes and Gardens:

Brides Magazine:

Winter…

Love Life Images:

Better Homes and Gardens:

Spring…

Better Homes and Gardens:

Emilie Photography:

And Summer…

Better Homes and Gardens:

In Style Weddings:

Kimberly Brooke Photography:

Cake and Pictures:

One of the things I like about red is how it can be paired with different colors to give off a completely different feel for different settings, seasons, and feelings.  For example, red and purple seem regal together…

Jasmine Star Photography:

Red and Pink equal playful and fun (and are perfect for a Valentine’s Day wedding)

Both pictures from Better Homes and Gardens:

and Red and White are sweet and romantic…

Of course, no discussion of red bouquets can be had without discussing the ultimate in romantic red flowers, the rose.  Roses are traditional, but they’re also great because they come in so many different varieties, giving your floral designer a great deal of flexibility.

Are you having a red bouquet?  What kinds of flowers are you using?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

These days, brides aren’t just limited to white or red roses for their bouquets (okay, not that they ever were, but stick with me here…)  Not only can you get flowers from all over the world, but you don’t even have to use flowers for your bouquet at all if you don’t want to!  You can do whatever you want, whether it’s having each bridesmaid carry a bouquet that matches her personality or favorite color, or even not having them carry a bouquet at all.

At my sister’s wedding, rather than have her bridesmaids carry bouquets, we carried beautiful lanterns down the aisle — it was SO pretty!  Well, until one of them dripped wax on my dad’s tux.  But still…the point is, do whatever you want — have fun with it!  Here are a few of my favorite “unusual” bouquets.

Millie Holloman Photography:

David Stark Design:

In Style Weddings:

A New Leaf:

How cute are these bouquets?!  The bride’s is made of Christmas ornaments, and the bridesmaids are…felt?

O.M.G.  I LOVE these flowers! I want a candy striped wedding, now!

Feathers are very popular in bouquets right now — in fact, I just did a peacock themed wedding that I’ll be blogging as soon as I get the pictures!

Kate Triano:

The Knot:

Another popular trend in flowers is adding unusual items like succulents, fruits or vegetables.

LOVE this cabbage and peacock bouquet, photographed by Olivia Leigh:

How adorable would this strawberry bouquet be for a summer picnic wedding?

Like I mentioned before, a cute idea can be to have different bouquets for your bridesmaids — your girls aren’t all the same, why give them the same bouquet?!

In addition to their different bouquets, how totally rock star are these ladies?!

Are you having a traditional bouquet?  Or will you do something unusual?

Some couples have “their song,” whether it’s the first song they danced to, a song that particularly speaks to them, or a song they’ve always dreamed of having for their first dance.  This post is for, you know…everyone else.

“Crazy Love,” by Van Morrison, has been covered by tons of artists.  One of my favorites is this version from the tearjerker, Phenomenon, sung by Aaron Neville.

Al Green made many a woman swoon back in the day…Lord knows his songs still do it for me, especially “Let’s Stay Together.”

Country music seems to be a love it or hate it kind of music — I personally love it.  (People always seem surprised when they hear that about me…I have no idea why?)  The one thing you can’t deny about country music artists is that they can do a GREAT first dance song.

“When You Say Nothing At All”, Alison Krauss:

“Then”, Brad Paisley (Colleen and Ali used this as their first dance…there were definitely tears!)

“When I Said I Do”, Clint Black

Of course, if you’re not a country fan, you could always go to your favorite decade for a great song.

80’s: “More Than This” Roxy Music:

70’s: “You Are My Shining Star,” The Manhattans:

60’s: “For Once In My Life,” Stevie Wonder:

Or you could go with one of the true classics, either sung by an early, classic artist, such as Tony Bennett:

Sarah Vaughn:

or Sam Cooke:

Or you can go with a great remake of a classic tune.

“Love Me Tender,” a beautiful remake by Norah Jones and Adam Levine:

Michael Buble, “Quando, Quando, Quando” (This was Rama and Neel’s first dance song):

Or even Smash Mouth, who covered the Monkee’s “I’m a Believer,” which I think is an adorable first dance song!  (Plus the little kids at your wedding will go crazy for it if they’ve seen Shrek!)

Speaking of upbeat songs, if you would rather dance to a fast song, there are some great options out there.

“All I Want is You,” by Barry Louis Polisar (from the Juno soundtrack)

“1,2,3,4″, The Plain White T’s (This is my favorite song right now.  I’m dying for one of my couples to use it!)

Of course, you could go for something a little silly, like a song from my favorite movie, The Little Mermaid:

Or Robert and Amy’s first dance song, from Everybody Loves Raymond:

There are also some great indie and popular songs that are just perfect for a first dance.

One of my favorites is “The Luckiest,” by Ben Folds:

Jack Johnson’s “Better Together”

“Lucky,” by Jason Mraz and Cobie Callait, which was Rob and Maya’s first dance song:

“Yellow,” by Coldplay (this song is also great if you have a string quartet for your ceremony!)

Or, from Meredith and Howard’s wedding (and one of my favorite singers), “You Are The Best Thing,” Ray LaMontagne:

Finally, my favorite first dance song, one that doesn’t often get used because people hear the first few words and think “I may not always love you?  That’s not a good first dance song!”  But trust me, listen to the rest of the lyrics and you’ll agree with Paul McCartney, who has often called it the greatest love song ever written.

God Only Knows, The Beach Boys:

Have you picked your first dance song yet?  What are you using?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

I am in love.   And given my proven love of all things ’80s, it’s no surprise that the object of my affection arrived into this world in 1982.   Ladies, and gentlemen, I introduce you to… the Holga Camera.

Up until a few weeks ago, holga was nothing more than a strange name that I would expect to hear in a chant at a college football game with some sort of barbaric team mascot.   “Hol-ga… hol-ga… hol-ga!”  But then it happened…. I found this Holga photo on Blink Photography’s wedding blog:

(Pause for swoon.)  A vintage looking photograph…taken earlier this summer!  Love it!

First things first:  What is a Holga?   It is a minimal and inexpensive camera using medium format 120 film. It contains only the bare necessities for photo mechanisms and although it looks like a Fisher Price toy I might have once owned, it’s photos provide a stipped-down perspective that’s far more beautiful and unique than any children’s toy.  Although it debuted in 1982, I love that the photos look like vintage photos from a far earlier decade, due to the simple camera mechanics.

Since I am not a photographer or Holga expert, I reached out to local DC photographer Sarah Hodzic at Blink Photography who has an affinity – and quite a talent – for her Holga (as evidenced by the above photo).  I love love LOVE her work..Holga or otherwise.   You can read more about her Holga relationship here and here.   Here are a few examples of her Holga work:

Here’s another double-exposure from local DC holga artist Erin Antognoli at Halo Photo:

And a few more to get lost in….   This abstract version of the National Cathedral is from Juxtaexposed.com:

Here’s a triple exposure shot from JB Smith Photography:

These shots are  from an entire wedding shot in Holga by Leo Patrone Photography:

And one last one from Mary McHenry Photography.  Swoonworthy, no?

So…. are you as in love with the Holga as I am?   Interested in some Holga shots for your wedding….or maybe an e-session?   “Hol-ga…hol-ga… hol-ga! ”

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated (except where noted with links to ‘real weddings’).  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Okay, so we’ve covered chocolate cakes, we’ve covered “traditional cakes,” and we’ve even talked about non cakes! Now let’s talk about…well, unusual cakes.  Gone are the days that you have to have a five tiered wedding cake with plastic columns and a Precious Moments cake topper.  (Wait…were those ever the days?)  These days you can have cupcakes, layer cakes, mini cakes…whatever you want!

One of my favorite trends is, rather than having one cake, having a group of lots of different types of cakes!  I mean, not everyone likes the same kind of cake, right?  I have to think this way is cheaper too, don’t you think?  And oh, the possibilities for awesome cake stands!

Here’s Kelly & Jason’s cake table from their wedding in May:

I especially love Nicole & Matt’s cake centerpieces!  :::shhh::: this is a sneak peek.  Their wedding hasn’t even been blogged yet:

(How perfect do these cakes look – yum!)

Another trend that SO many people love is cupcakes!  Laura told you about a new cupcake store in Fair Lakes recently, but there are TONS of amazing cupcake shops in our area!

I love that idea of having a little mini cake for the bride and groom to cut on top of a tower of cupcakes!

Or even a cute GIANT cupcake for them to feed each other!

Of course, there are plenty of options for those couples who still want a wedding cake, but want it to be different.

How completely preppy is this cake?

Take the Cake:

Rebecca McAlfin Photography:

Michelle’s Custom Cakes:

Gabriel’s Desserts:

Of course, you can’t have a post on unusual cakes without featuring semi-local favorite, Charm City Cakes:

I also love the idea of a bunch of mini cakes…too cute! 

Or what about a tower of mini cheesecakes!  (My sister had cheesecake instead of wedding cake…I remember fondly my cousins in my hotel room at 2 in the morning, eating leftover cheesecake!)

Speaking of cheesecake, some couples have decided to go COMPLETELY out of the box and have a Cheese. Cake.  As in a cake, made of wheels of cheese!!! (ed. note: In addition to working at Wish, I also work part time at a shop in Del Ray called Cheesetique.  I’m DYING for someone to ask us to do one of these!!!)

Are you going the non-traditional route for your wedding cake?

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated (except where noted with links to ‘real weddings’).  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Remember that episode of Friends where Joey was auditioning for a commercial, and the line was “Mmm…soup” except Joey kept saying “Mmm…noodle soup” and messing it up?  That’s how I felt when writing this blog post.  I kept looking at certain cakes and thinking “Mmm…chocolate cake” instead of just “mmm…cake.”  I realized the only way to resolve this issue was to write a separate blog post on more “traditional” cakes. You can read that one here.  This one is for you chocoholics out there.

I remember a few years ago when my friends Brian and Kristine got married.  I set them up on a date at Maggiano’s and the rest was history.  Yes, I’m not only a wedding planner, I’m a matchmaker too!  Kristine wanted a chocolate cake but her mother was appalled — “You have to have a REAL wedding cake!”  Well, what she meant was that they had to have a white cake.  Oh, how the times have changed!  Yes, of course, a white cake still says “Wedding Cake,” but there are SO many other amazing options out there, and not just the crazy ones you see on Ace of Cakes.  Even a simple chocolate cake with chocolate icing can still look very ‘bridal:’

I am in lovewith this next one.  Buttercream is my favorite type of icing.  You just can’t beat the taste!  This cake just looks SO delicious, but also beautiful.  The swirls just seem rustic and homemade to me, like my mom made it or something (granted, if my mom made it, it would be falling over, but you know what I mean!)

I’m not sure why chocolate cakes just seem so fall-like to me?  Maybe because the color brown is associate with fall?  This cake, photographed by Laura Novak, will explain what I mean:

Or this one from Martha’s magazine:

Or these, also from Martha:

Photos Unscripted:

Then again, look at this beauty — raspberries aren’t very fall-like, are they?

And let’s take a look inside, shall we??  In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “Hello, Lover“:

I like the idea of three layers, like a dark chocolate bottom, milk chocolate middle and white chocolate top?

And more Martha Stewart goodness:

I love the glossy ganache-look of this cake, by Jeffrey Miller Catering:

Here’s another gorgeous, glossy, ganache one from Heather & Geoffrey’s wedding in 2006:

I sometimes feel like cakes as gorgeous as this one, baked by Natasha Goellner of Natasha’s Mulberry and Mott, are too beautiful to cut into!

Will you be serving chocolate cake at your wedding?  Is your mom okay with that?!

::Disclaimer!  The photos in this post are purely inspirational and not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Ah, wedding favors.  How can something so small cause so much stress?!  I’ve had WAY too many brides stress out over this small notion that, up until several years ago, wasn’t even a part of weddings!  For once and for all, you DO NOT need to give favors at your wedding.  Sure, they’re nice and cute, but will people be in shock if they don’t get pear-shaped salt and pepper shakers or a candle at the end of the night?  No.  Their lives will go on, and no one will think less of you.  In fact, I would venture to say 99% of the people at your wedding won’t even notice that there wasn’t a favor!

That being said, if you WANT to do a favor and have room in your budget, there are tons of adorable things you can do.  If you’re a great baker, homemade cookies are a great favor.  Your mom makes a mean banana bread?  Make some mini loaves, put them in the freezer, and wrap them up for a cute take home gift.  (Can you tell I’m a big fan of the edible favor?)  Here are some pictures of cool favors.

At First Sight Photography:

Agnes Lopez Photography:

(Mmm…mini pies to take home…) Lauren Clark Photography:

(Like I said, I’m a big fan of the edible favor!)

There are so many ways to pick a favor.  You could give a nod to the season, like with these leaf-shaped chocolates for the fall:

Or these Halloween-themed Favors:

Or how about these GORGEOUS tomatoes, offered up with cute boxes for guests to take home (perfect if you have a big garden or a great farmer’s market nearby):

For a winter wedding, ornaments or wreaths are a great option.  I wish I had a picture but at my friend’s wedding, the bride’s mom HAND PAINTED ornaments for every guest!  Not only were they GORGEOUS, but it was a very sweet and touching favor.  These ornaments aren’t from that wedding…they’re from a company called St. Nick Studios:

And in the spring, what about a cute potted plant or flower to take home (these flowers, from Martha Stewart, can also double as your centerpiece — what a great money saver!)

A great, heartfelt favor option is to do something homemade.  What are your talents (or your groom, or your Maid of Honor, or your dad?)

How flippin cute are these mini cakes, in little mason jars?!?  (Angry Chicken)

Cranberry Orange Marmalade, from Cooking Light:

Also from Cooking Light, these Mini Fruit and Sunflower Loaves of bread would make a great favor — and you can bake them in advance and store them in the freezer until a few days before the wedding.

Having a picnic themed wedding?  How about some homemade BBQ Sauce?!  (This one, from Southern Living, looks DELICIOUS — it’s called Sweet Mustard BBQ Sauce)

A great place to get packaging for homemade items like these is The Container Store.   They seriously have EVERYTHING — whether you’re making a homemade liqueur, a spice rub, or a 10 gallon batch of spaghetti sauce, they’ll have something for you to put it in.

You can also give guests a favor that doubles as something they can use during the wedding.  For those who want to dance the night away without getting sore tootsies, what about a basket or bucket of flip flops? (This cute bucket from Room Service Home):

Or for a fall outdoor wedding that might take on a chill in the air, how about wraps or pashminas for the ladies?

Or, as guests are dancing the night away, what about having your servers pass a little late night snack that doubles as a favor, like the milk and cookies here from The Knot?

Another cute way to choose your favors is by going with a regional treat.  If you’re from Ohio or Western Pennsylvania (like me), you’re probably familiar with Buckeyes, these AMAZING peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate.

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Or if you’re having a destination wedding in Maine, how about these lobster lollipops, also featured by Martha?

A Vermont wedding?  This maple candy (of course, from Martha) looks DELICIOUS!

A lot of you are probably locals (or, at least having a local wedding) in the DC/MD/VA area.  So what about…

A White House Christmas Ornament?

Some Virginia-made cider or wine?

Some Maryland crab cake mix:

Speaking of Maryland crabs, how cute would these crab mallets be — especially if you’re having a crab feast!  You could even personalize them if you’re crafty:

There are some great products made right here in Virginia — like one of my favorites, Route 11 Potato Chips (the Sweet Potato are my favorite):

Or, of course, Virginia peanuts!

What about a favor that speaks to your hobbies?  If you’re into gardening, there are some great favors out there from these personalized seed packets from Beau Coup:

To a spider plant with a hand-painted pot:

Is the groom a fisherman?  What about these lures, from The Knot?

I love these fresh potted herbs, for the couple that loves to cook together (Picture by Evoke Photography):

Family recipes are also a great, heartfelt option, whether it’s Grandma’s cocoa mix:

Honey from a family farm:

Or the groom’s favorite cookie recipe:

Beau Coup is one of my favorite sources for unique favors.  They have some of the cutest stuff, including these mini gumball machines and mini cocktail shakers.

And who doesn’t love Girl Scout Cookies?!

How gorgeous is this mini flower market at one couple’s wedding?  Guests were encouraged to create their own bouquet to take home.  I LOVE it!

I like that idea of guests choosing their favor — it was also used in this mini “jams and jellies” market.

Or for a cute twist on the popular candy bar, what about a popcorn bar?

And finally, a few last favor ideas:

Martha Stewart Weddings:

Etsy (a great source for homemade favors!)

Are you having favors at your wedding?  If so, what are you doing?

::Disclaimer!  Except where noted, the photos in this post are not from events that Wish Special Events has planned or coordinated.  We can re-create what you see below for your event but these are not a part of our portfolio::

Oh, that Laura just thinks she’s SO clever, doesn’t she?  She goes and posts a WishCandy on Paper Lanterns, when I have been collecting pictures for AGES!  Well, I’ll fix her wagon!

Miss Laura may have offered you tons of amazing photos, but did she have this one?  No, no she didn’t:

Of course, paper lanterns aren’t the only lanterns out there.  You can do beautiful things with all types of lanterns:

Little White Dress Photography:

Jasmine Star Photography:

Jennifer S. Rau Photography:

I love these hanging mason jars by Paloma Images, especially how they’re all different shapes and sizes:

Erlina Kim Photography:

Lauren Rutten Photography:

I like the idea of lanterns in place of pew bows:

Sometimes you don’t have a handy pew, tent, or tree to hang your lanterns from.  That’s when things like Shepherd’s Hooks come in handy.

Amanda Phillips Photography:

Nina Sutherland Photography:

Silverbox Photographers photographed these cute lanterns from CB2, Crate and Barrel’s “little sister” company.

Of course, you don’t have to hang your lanterns at all — there are tons of ways you can place them throughout your ceremony or reception:

Ashley Brockinton Photography:

Marie Clark Photography:

Silk Studio Weddings:

Amanda Bevington Photography:

I love lanterns as centerpieces, or to decorate an escort card or gift table:

One of our couples, Trish and Justin, used these adorable lanterns for their centerpieces:

Amanda Kraft Photography:

And, just because I LOVE them, a few more amazing photos of paper lanterns!

Rebecca Thuss designed this “lantern chandelier,” which many brides, including one of mine that you’ll see in a few weeks, used for inspiration:

I love the intimate feeling these low hanging lanterns create, found on Blue Orchid Designs Blog (of course, I’m short…I wonder if they would be frustrating if you weren’t a total midget, like me?)

How cool is the use of the paper lanterns in this natural history museum, photographed by Serene Image Photography? A great idea to add some lighting to a venue that doesn’t allow candles!

Love these round bulb lights mixed in with the lanterns, from Paul Johnson Photography (plus, a bluegrass band at your wedding?  AWESOME!)

Star lanterns, decorated tent poles, AND sunflowers?!  I LOVE IT!

Will you be using lanterns at your wedding?  Where do you find them, and how do you use them?