I remember seeing flying wish lanterns in the animated film “Tangled.” I’ve never seen flying wish lanterns in person, but the film was so great, I felt like I’d seen them close up. Then I saw someone had pinned a flying wish lantern on Pinterest, and it was over. It’s my wish that they become one of 2013’s hot wedding trends.
Flickr photo by elizaIO
Flying wish lanterns, also known as sky lanterns, are Chinese in origin, according to Wikipedia. They work kind of like mini hot air balloons, with the hot air from the flame lifting up the entire lantern to the sky, like a balloon. When used singly, it is quick to disappear. But when you light dozens into a dark sky, the effect is breathtaking.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a video from the Floating Lanterns Festival in Thailand.
Like I said, I’ve never seen it in person myself. Maybe its something I can request when I renew my vows, but seeing as how I don’t plan on having a huge party, that may not work. But I wanted to offer it here as an idea for your wedding.
Flickr photo by Kamil Porembiński
I think this would be a great option for a wedding with little to no alcohol. I know, those are rare, but I grew up in a church that frowned upon both drinking and dancing, and lighting lanterns and letting them go would have been a perfect activity for all the guests.
Flickr photo by BurnAway
Anyway, these aren’t hard to find online. If this is something that piques your interest, remember a few things. First, these work best at a venue near open water because these types of lanterns have been known to spark fires. Second, look for lanterns that are fire resistant and biodegradable, because they do eventually sink back to Earth.
Skylanterns.us has them in a variety of colors, although at night, I honestly believe white works best. Wishlantern.com has several wedding packages, including a sampler package for under $10. You can even find them on sale on Amazon.com — a dozen for under $20 ain’t half bad!
What do you think of my 2013 wedding trends list so far? For an idea of what’s coming next on the list, check out my 2013 Wedding board on Pinterest. Think you know what flower, color scheme or detail will be hot in 2013? Leave me a comment!