XP on DIY: DIY Outdoor Lighting

bbyprincesss

Okay so I know where and when i'm having my wedding. Now its the logistics of the whole thing.
 
I'm going to have lights in the trees and I plan on setting them up at least a week before, mostly because I'm getting married the Satuday after Thanksgiving. Has anyone else attempted to do this themselves. I know hiring someone to do it is totally not an option.  I can't find very many articles on DIY outdoor lighting but I could just be looking in the wrong places.

I have an airal picture of the backyard if anyone would want to see it.

medusia00

Let's see the picture so we can help you out a little more!!

bbyprincesss

And the edited version





Now this is going to be a pretty small wedding pretty much only family maybe like 5-8 friends but our familes together are like 60. And then account for the people who won't be able to make it probably looking at 50ish

medusia00

Are you planning on stringing lights from the trees? I think that might be your best bet. Or make something like this.

Do this between the dress to kind of make a "blanket" of lights.

bbyprincesss

Yes! I was also thinking paper lanterns, and I was also thinking about using something like a industrial type staple gun and running them up the tree and on the branches, if that makes any sense.

medusia00

Yeah that's what I would do, and you can just hook the lanters to the lights. I think it would work well.

kkarlene

Just be careful with any extension cords you use. Even with a small reception these can be a hassle. try to bunch them together if possible when you are running them to the yard from an outlet and only seperate the individual cords as you reach each tree. a

also spiraling the strand of lights around the trunk of the tree can be a good alternative to stapleing anything to your tree, and you wont have to worry about the bright orange extension cords being visable.

bbyprincesss

Very true, I don't think i'm going to keep them orange,  I may just spray paint them black.

kennazebrowsky

I bought some throwaway mini lights from overstock.com. 12 per pack for like 8$. they have a loop on them to add to a paper lantern and they last 8-12 hours.

We are also adding white christmas lights to all of the trees. We got them 75% off the day after Christmas. Now is the time to buy if you want a great deal on lights.

ajescheling

and lots of candles everywhere. That will help w/ the romantic ambience. 

kristiwashere

I'm doing the same for my wedding (reception is under a giant oak tree) and my Dad is in charge of the lights. He's a ham radio operator and regularly strings "antennas" from trees, and is quite good at it, lol. As for the logistics of getting them into the trees - do what he does: tie kite string on the end of the string of lights, attach a rock to the string, and throw. And repeat.

That would probably be easier than having someone climb ladders to string them - or stapling into a tree. I feel like that wouldn't be good for the tree, but I could be wrong. 

GodsQ

With Solar lights I just saw at Big Lots, you would have to worry about the extension cords at least. http://www.biglots.com/browseItem/lighting-and-solar/6056 says they charge even on cloudy days so I wonder if under shady trees that might still work.