wOne of the first things that got our creative juices flowing for this shindig was when our cute bride told us she liked paper lanterns. Then, I had a crazy wild idea to string lighted lanterns across the backyard. Some people (I’m not saying who but it starts with A and ends with shleigh) looked at me like I had officially lost all my marbles. It’s true, I didn’t know if it would work, exactly, but if you’ve known me for long you know that when I get a “bee in my bonnet,” you just better get out of my way. 🙂

And guess what people…. It worked!

(photo by shandi marie photography)

I found 50 foot strands of lights at the paperlanternstore.com By some miracle, the width of our hosts backyard was 50 feet. And by another miraculous/electrical event there were outlets running along the fence. Someone is living right! (that would be the family that owns this beautiful backyard, the nicest people on the planet)

(photo by shandi marie photography)

That company happened to be out of stock on the 10 inch white paper lanterns so I ordered them at asianideas.com. I used 80 white and 20 turqoise thrown in there for fun, all 10 inch. I think they could have actually been bigger, but I’m a go big or go home kind of gal.

(photo by shandi marie photography)

The lanterns were a perfect backdrop for some fun pictures (of my cute girlie that will hate that I used this picture)

(photo by shandi marie photography)

And when it got dark….paper lantern paradise!

(photos by shandi marie photography)

Even the pool cooperated with the color scheme. And reflected the lanterns which was an unexpected perk.

(photo by shandi marie photography)

I would like to thank our hosts who let us put holes in their patio cover, Dad for buying these babies, going along with my vision and putting them up in the heat, my hubby for standing inside trees for long periods of time, Mark for turning all the lights the same direction, and Ashleigh for not committing me to the looney bin quite yet.