{entertaining with style} Arranging Flowers in Outdoor Lanterns

I hope everyone is looking forward to the long holiday weekend.  I know I am!  As you plan for your 4th of July celebrations, I wanted to share a quick and easy entertaining idea that puts a new spin on an outdoor candle lanterns.

I just love candle lanterns!  They make a great addition to any outdoor space, and when the the candles are lit they add so much warmth and ambiance.  These days, there is no shortage of great lantern styles to choose from in all different shapes, sizes and colors.

A few of years back I bought five tall red lanterns from Pier 1 for our upstairs deck, and most of the time I  use them in the traditional way - with tall pillar candles that we can light in the evenings.

A while back, when co-hosting a wedding shower for a friend whose favorite color is red, I wanted to find a way to use these lanterns for the event.  Since the wedding shower was going to be a garden party brunch, there would be no need for candles, but what we did need were lots of flowers.  So I thought, why not put the flowers in the lanterns?

I purchased five tall cylindrical glass vases at Michael's and visited my favorite local flower shop - The Ruffly Rose - to have the owner, Emily, create five beautiful floral arrangements with a wide variety of red flowers.

I then removed the glass panels from my red lanterns (the glass is made to be easily removed for cleaning), and I placed a vase of flowers inside each.  Removing the glass before inserting the flowers allowed me to arrange the blooms to peek out through the lantern openings.

During the wedding shower, I used the lanterns on the gift table and the buffet table to add both color and height.  These lantern floral arrangements provided the needed pops of red to the patio decor and fit perfectly with the garden party theme.

So if you're looking for a way to cheer up your next party, indoors or out, consider repurposing your candle lanterns for a beautiful addition to your front porch, your buffet table, or your back patio.  While my lanterns are red, more traditional black, bronze, or silver lanterns would look gorgeous with bright, vibrant flowers inside!

Are you looking for more entertaining ideas? You might be interested in these posts!