Antique lanterns illuminated the walkway to the reception, held in Blue Hill’s intimate private dining room, with pine floors, Venetian plaster walls, and an arched ceiling.

At a garden reception in Dallas, single strings of twinkling lights created a starry sky beneath the tree branches.

Hang elegant lighting fixtures that you'd usually spot indoors in the trees at an outdoor reception to create an extra dramatic effect -- and an ideal spot for a portrait like this.

For a destination wedding in Bermuda, this couple made local palm trees a part of the decor at their alfresco reception by wrapping their trucks with lights and stringing them strategically from tree to tree.

At a laid-back Texas wedding full of rustic details, basic bistro lights were strung to create a canopy effect over dinner tables.

Outside the barn at The Fearrington House Inn in North Carolina, starry bundles of lights wrapped in and out of wicker balls provide a dreamy scape for a photo shoot.

Styled like a sidewalk cafe, the tables at this Tuscan reception were adorned with sleek lamps that were then switched on at dusk.

Luminarias (paper bags holding lit candles set in sand) created a glowing path at this eclectic Ohio wedding reception.

Need a bit of structure for your lighting but still want everything out in the open? Try a tent frame sans the tent. Here, vintage French chandeliers hang from a frame to cast a warm glow onto a garden reception.

A maypole-like structure hosted strings of lights and turned the area outside the historic Stagecoach Inn Museum into a reception-worthy space.

If you've chosen to wed during the day, your ceremony can still get a boost with a bit of added lightning. Simple string lights created a lovely ambience at this afternoon Florida fete.

For a destination wedding at the Alila Ubud resort in Indonesia, white lanterns were hung in bundles against tree trunks that seemed to mimic the look of tropical fruit.

Work with existing structures in an outdoor space, like this slatted patio roof, to hang lights and lanterns over cocktail hour tables.

The soft light of paper luminaries sets such a romantic mood. Two bags, one fitted over the other, form a box. These are strung on electric Christmas-tree lights and hung along branches, are tied with ribbon and sway gently in the evening breeze.

Simple white lanterns hung in straight lines over the dance floor at this tropical destination wedding to create the perfect window for an end-of-party fireworks display.

Classic bistro lights were coupled with a totally unique light show at this outdoor reception in Santa Monica. A pattern wash was projected on the lawn and patio to give guests something to gab about.

Looking for a new way to use the oh-so versitile white lantern? Run a string of lights up one side of bamboo stick or dowel and down the other, securing it with masking tape. Then stack paper lanterns over the stick, securing the lanterns to each other with tape. Plant these sticks securely in the ground to add a modern look to an outdoor reception area.

If you intend to place these fixtures by a swimming pool, be safe by plugging the lights into GFCI outlets and use extension cords approved for outdoor use.

As the sun set over this casual California dinner, bistro lights and paper lanterns started to give off soft lighting that would illuminate the reception space for the rest of the night.

Like the idea of candles but not the idea of mini open flames in the great outdoors? Set the mood with solar lanterns, such as the Soji Modern, that turn on automatically at dusk make alfresco dining elegant.

For a midsummer night's meal at an outdoor reception, string lanterns hanging on chains from strong low-hanging branches. Small and large, these lamps hold ivory tapers, their bases disappearing in a thick layer of fresh, fragrant rose petals.

These flowers look like the prettiest climbing vines. But they're not just sweet by day -- they're radiant by night.

To make this decoration, you'll need miniature holiday string lights for outdoor use, as well as silk poppies (one for each bulb) with removable plastic stems and centers, available at crafts stores. Pull the heads off the stems, then use scissors to enlarge the hole to about 1/4 inch to fit over the base of each light. Push the petals back, away from the bulb, so they don't touch it and overheat (for safety, be sure that each bulb is firmly connected to its base). Then hang the string of blooms just as you would any other decorative garland.

A celebration at sundown is more memorable when you supplement the waning daylight with lanterns. The tabletop ones consist of colorful sheets of vellum paper sandwiching tall votive candles in glass holders.