10/01/2009
paper lanterns
paper lanterns
paper lanterns 2
paper lanterns 3
paper lantersn
paper lanterns
led
3v battery
paper lanternspaper lanterns 2paper lanterns 3paper lantersnpaper lanternsled3v battery
   

Wedding Decoration
So excited about this idea!!!

I don't know about the rest of you girls but I'm so in love with the look of the paper lanterns! I plan on hanging them over the dance floor for my wedding. But the one downside to them is then lighting kits are so expensive and then you have to practically be an electrician to figure out to have it all set up correctly. And one thing I am not... is an electrician. So I’m searching for different idea’s online and I came across one of the best ideas I’ve seen so far! I found a way to light up my paper lanterns without being totally electrically savvy and it’s not going to break the bank either! I’m going to make LED throwies! This is going to be so easy and budget friendly!!! (about $.25-$.35 a throwie!)

You will need…
~ 10mm diffused led (diffused ones have a better glow instead of a spot)
~ 3v lithium battery
~ tape (something stronger than scotch tape, packing tape or strapping tape)
~ fishing line


Here’s what you do…
~ Take one of the 10mm led’s and place in on the battery. The longer led “wire” touches to the positive side of the battery and the shorter “wire touches the negative side. (It should be lighting up now. If not then try flipping it around.)
~ Tape the “wires” to the battery tightly. Go around the battery about 2-3 times. The led shouldn’t be flickering at all. That’s it… you now have a working led throwie!
(Led’s use a lot less power to light up so they last for long time! So far the one I have testing is going on 3 1/2 days now. I’m putting them up the day before my wedding so that will completely work!)
~ Use the fishing line to string the led’s inside the paper lanterns.
(I haven’t decided how many throwies I’m going to use in each lantern but I’ve read that 3-4 throwies is optimal in a 14-inch lantern. I using different size lanterns and I haven’t bought them all yet. I was just so excited when I read about the throwies I had to test it out and see if it worked. Lol)

I few of the articles that I read mentioned using an on/off switch or making a pull tab but there were many mixed reviews about them saying that it could make the lights flicker or made them unreliable. So I’m not bothering with it. They are fast and easy to make so I’m just going to be doing them the day before the wedding when we go decorate.

I hope this will benefit some of you ladies as well!!!

*********************************UPDATE**********************************
11/12/09
I purchased the led lights from ebay for $4.00 for 100 of them and the batteries were $12.89 for 100. I have tested one to see how long these last and I'm going on over 60 hours now and it's still going strong.
Ebay seller for the lights was Mckenkenken and for the batteries it was Fly-ebe.
led throwie, paper lantern, lights
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trombonechick's Pink wedding
trombonechick
 |  London, ON, Canada  |  10/01/2009  | 
Awesome!  Thanks for the idea.  Where does one pick up LED lights?
courtneykins's Black wedding
courtneykins
 |  Toronto, ON, Canada  |  10/01/2009  | 
OMG - THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!!!

I am dong paper lanters too... AND I was going to use those no flame candle lights - but they don't last very long... but if these are lasting up to 3 and a half days thats AWESOME!!

Question what type of batteries are you using???

Thank you big time for this tip I'm def going to try this!!!

BIG THANKS!!
lauren52210's Green wedding
lauren52210
 |  Hobart, IN, USA  |  10/01/2009  | 
I'm so glad that someone besides me is going to benefit from this! I was just planning on hanging the lanterns without light in them just to be cost effective. I have found a bunch of listings on ebay actually for both the batteries and the led's. I've also googled them (10mm led and 3v battery) and have found different places that sell them online besides ebay. You could go to like radio shack or somewhere like that but then you end up spending more because in the stores it's more expensive. I haven't bought all my batteries or led's yet. Once I do I'm going to test a few more out again to make sure that it's going to last as long as the "test" one has. My fiance just happened to have a battery and he was able to find a led light (I don't know how I was just excited he had one) that's how I was able to test one. I'll let you ladies know where I find the best deals at if you want?
courtneykins's Black wedding
courtneykins
 |  Toronto, ON, Canada  |  10/01/2009  | 
Ya for sure let me know! I just think this is such an awesome idea! and you know I was gonna do the same thing just not light them up! But this is an awesome tip!!
Thanks Bunches again!

: )
fierygurl's Green wedding
fierygurl
 |  Halifax, NS, Canada  |  10/01/2009  | 
I'm using paper lanterns too!

I actually found a guy by my work who was selling 13 sets of battery operated mini lights so I got all 13 sets for $26!!!
I also have a sister who works for an electrician and he has these lights that hang off this beam in a straight line and she said she is going to see if I can use them!

I'll see what works best!
smr789's Green wedding
smr789
 |  Winnipeg, MB, Canada  |  10/08/2009  | 
I bought these balloon lights that are made for the neck of a balloon. (you are supposed to insert them into the neck of a balloon and fill with helium) I was thinking of stringing them with fishing line and letting them hang down the lantern. I bought a pack of 12 for $20 and they last 6-8 hours.
doclerw's Green wedding
doclerw
 |  Cagayan de oro city, B2, Philippines  |  05/27/2013  | 
love it!
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