How Outdoor Party Lights Saved My Evening
An outdoor dinner party is not much of a party without lights and, unfortunately, mere hours before our backyard event we found ourselves without any working light in the yard. Our evening was in peril because out porch lights were out. Some vague issue with the wiring we had installed had effectively knocked our lights out.
Thankfully, the rest of the house was unaffected by the wiring debacle. Still, this was a backyard party. All of our decorations were carefully arranged in the yard along with tables, chairs and place settings. The kitchen, in all of its glory, was a staging area for the nights' festivities. In short, we were depending on a well lit outdoor venue for our party.
It was crunch time and the hunt was on for a party lighting solution. Dressed in my dinner party best, I rushed to the hardware store for an answer to my lighting woes. Whatever it was, it would not be a plug in and it had to be posh enough to suit the existing decorations. This was not a task for the faint of heart.
Up and down the isles I paced, then I left the store for another and then another. Finally, at the last store, a convenient large shopping mart in the local strip mall, I found the answer. After searching, long and hard for a lighting solution that did not need an outlet, I did what a more sensible person would have done sooner—I asked someone who worked there.
Theresa, the customer service associate, provided the answer immediately: luminaries. Then, she led me down the isle containing decorative bags with cutouts specifically designed for this purpose. Together, we loaded my cart with bags, votive candles and sand. She also helped me find some large decorative, scented candles to add to the scene.
The instructions were simple: fill each bag with roughly two inches of sand, place in desired location, set a candle inside and light it. What an excellent solution! I went home with sacks full of candles, bags and sand. I was a woman on a mission.
I set out the luminaries, made the final food preparations and set about with my trusty lighter to illuminate the yard. With minutes to go before guests would arrive, I dashed around lighting candles like a posh pyromaniac.
As I finished, I looked around the yard. It was gorgeous: simple, elegant and inviting. The dynamic light provided to the scene was perfect. Sage advice from Theresa and uncomplicated outdoor party lights had saved my evening!