3 Vintage Lighting Styles For Outdoor Weddings

Vintage lighting adds atmosphere and romance to your DIY wedding and reception. Here are 3 styles for DIY weddings.

DIY Wedding Lighting

Vintage style string lights include Edison bulbs (sometimes called filament bulbs), cage lights and strawberry bulb string lights (often considered holiday lights). Vintage style string lights add glamour to any outdoor or indoor DIY wedding. For outdoor weddings, string a few strands of Edison lights for charming accent lighting. String several strands for drama and elegance. Strawberry lights work anywhere a regular string light may be used. Hang along fences, across pergolas or outline a gazebo. Cage lights add a vintage industrial feel and create a distinct atmosphere. Pair vintage string lights with fairy lights if lighting is a central element of your décor. Read more in Get Glowing: 3 Fairy Lights for DIY Weddings.

Edison Bulbs

Edison bulbs, also known as filament bulbs, are bulbs modeled after the way lightbulbs looked before the introduction of CFL and LED lightbulbs. Vintage bulbs used a filament. Today, most Edison bulb lights use LED. The basic shapes for Edison bulbs are round or elongated. Both give a vintage and glamorous feel to any indoor or outdoor wedding and reception. Be sure you make sure you have an extension cord, if needed and double check outlet locations when deciding on light lengths. 

Add lighting to a bar or accent table with an edison bulb table lamp.

Round bulb string lights.

Elongated bulb string lights. 

Cage Lights

Vintage style cage lights are a decorative element all on their own. Originally, the metal cage protected the fragile lightbulb. Today, lightbulbs are easier to replace and made from stronger materials, making the cage purely decorative. Cage lights make an excellent addition to other string light arrangements. They can be used to accent entry tables or strung over a bar. However they are used, cage lights are sure to give your wedding vintage flair.

Vintage style cage lights

Different styles of cage lights can be mixed and matched.

Individual cages can be added to existing lamps or lighting features. 

Large Bulbs & Strawberry Bulbs

Large bulb string lights are a classic holiday style light. The bulb is a diamond shape that is pleasing to the eye and more stylized than a regular white light. These kinds of bulbs are sometimes called strawberry bulbs because some styles have dimples in the bulb that evokes the seed dimples of a strawberry. Use this kind of string light along fences, to outline a patio, around beams or posts, etc. They can easily be reused during the holidays after the wedding.

Vintage style large bulbs

Strawberry lights are larger and very vintage looking.

Single bulbs can replace bulbs in existing lighting features.

Romantic & Magical DIY Weddings

Vintage style lighting is a simple way to add atmosphere and glamour to any DIY wedding. Whether you choose vintage bulb styles, cage lights or simply bask in a thousand fairy lights, lighting can elevate any wedding and reception. For more DIY wedding décor ideas, checkout Denver DIY Bride’s Decorations posts.

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