Light it up!

As I read through Martha Stewart's "50 Tips for the Perfect Reception" tip number 2 "Get Glowing" really caught my eye. I simply do not have the budget for a professional to do my lighting, while I would love to have that sort of major major impact at the reception, it's just not one of my priorities. But it would be very nice to come up with a budget friendly way to create cool effects with lighting. The editors at Martha suggested laminaria and I was off to the hunt...
How about the very traditional and very inexpensive paper laminaria?

How about the very traditional and very inexpensive paper luminaria?

Curtesy of Pineapple Girl complete with step by step directions on how to create them (not that you'll need them they're pretty easy)

Another inexpensive option (and green if you recycle) is the tin can luminary

These pics are from the DIY network with the cool idea of freezing water in the cans before you punch holes so the can keeps it's shape.

And my favorite...the very cute and unique hardware cloth luminaria

From HGTV. I like them because i've never seen them before (I'm all about being an individual in subtle ways)

Now imagine any of these three options lining a pathway into your reception venue. The last two could easily be hung from trees to create a sparkling fairy effect. Oh the possibilities!