With the soirée coming up, I finally had lights put in the garden. The boxwood and bluestone looked lovely during the day, but after dinner I could barely see them from the house.
Marcus, the electrician, asked whether I wanted restaurant height or proposal height. The difference was eleven inches. Restaurant height left more room for servers' trays; proposal height put the light closer to people's faces.
I chose proposal height. I did tell the caterer.
There are four runs on steel cables, and Jonathan can dim them through the same app as the music. Marcus set up an Evening Standard schedule: on at civil dusk, down to forty percent at ten, off at midnight. I rather like being able to say civil dusk when someone asks what time to come over.
The first night we stayed outside with our wine until 11:40. We could see the neighbors' upstairs window the whole time, so I assume they could see us as well. It is a prettier view than we were giving them before.
Margot has inspected the lights around the bar station and approves. I am beginning to look forward to this party instead of just ordering things for it.
— Ash