Embodiments of an illumination structure are provided. The illumination structure has a flexible light guide with an improved light coupling to a light source. According to one embodiment, the light source is mounted on a substrate, and the flexible light guide is optically coupled with the light source such that the light guide receives light output by the light source and emits at least a portion of the received light. A housing is also mounted on the substrate at least partially enclosing the light source and mechanically securing the flexible light guide in a desired alignment with the light source.