Candles as a lighting source

Occassionally a bride will ask me to come out to a venue with questions about nighttime lighting. This happens mostly with parks, backyards and other unique non traditional locations. During these meetings I am honest to a fault- mostly because I want there to be a clear expectation of what can and cannot be accomplished.

Hence the posting about candles- votives, pillars and floating candles will not produce enough light for anything except some grainy artsy photos of still objects.

Yes they are romantic, cost effective and can double as favors. If you plan to use a facility with poor outdoor lighting- invest in a dj that has lots of lights or check out the party rental locations for lighting options.

Twinkle lights are nice- but to have any real useful effect think Grizwold for quantity.

With the right amount of light, used creatively and effectively, you can sufficiently illuminate a nighttime reception. My biggest advice- look at nightclubs and how they do their lighting. Good Las Vegas nightclubs have creative light sources that still allow for a darkended atmosphere while allowing guests to see what they're eating and drinking.

Floodlights reflecting off ivory fabric is always a nice touch- can really class up a low key affair at little cost. So can hanging lanterns in trees, or fun lamps as centerpieces.

If you have a suggestion, or recommendation of something that you used that illustrates what I'm talking about- please leave a comment. This is to help everyone :)