Parity design's Blog

Paper lantern arrangement I did for a wedding reception.

This is how I did this arrangement.  For each grouping used a 16 ‘ long 1/4 round trim that I cut into one 8′ piece and two 4′  pieces.  (Home Depot, about $10.oo per 16′).  I used zip ties to secure the two 4′ pieces in a crossbar fashion to the underside of the 8′ main bar.    At the reception site there were metal bars suspended from the ceiling in a grid type pattern so I attached the main bar of my contraption to the metal bar with 3 zip ties.  There were a couple of areas without the handy metal grid so I used hooks in the ceiling and zip ties to suspend the contraptions at the same height as the others.

To make set up easier I pre-cut the fishing line that I used to hang the lanterns from the contraption.   I transported everything unassembled and assembled it on site.  First I zip tied one of the crossbars into place.  Then I assembled the 36″ paper lantern and slid it onto the bar (because the fishing line was pre-tied) and then zip tied the other crossbar into place.  Then I took it up the ladder (very light) and zip tied the center of the main bar onto the metal bar.  From there I added a 30″ lantern to each end and zip tied the ends to the metal bar (now the lanterns can’t slide off).  I added the smaller lanterns to the crossbars (to prevent them from sliding off it is good to either make a cut in the wood that the fishing line can catch on or to use clear tape).