Your dreams are about to come true. You have finally found the love of your life, and after a sweet proposal, you just don’t want to leave their sight. But first, you have a wedding to plan and enjoy!
You want to go all out on your wedding…make it the town talk and give your friends and family a good time with good vibes. As such, one of the things that you have to get right is the wedding lighting.
Wedding lighting contributes to the general mood. It sets the tone for your wedding and helps you to show off the tiny details in your decor. You can match the color of your lights to the wedding colors to create an exquisite finish.
Lighting also allows your guests to see well. They can enjoy their meals peacefully or find their way to the dance floor. Of course, your lighting will also play a huge part in producing those stunning wedding photographs you want.
If you are looking for wedding lighting ideas or inspiration, this wedding lighting guide is for you. We will go through wedding lighting language, techniques, and wedding lighting costs.
Let’s get started!
Common Wedding Lighting Ideas
When you reach out to a professional for wedding lighting rentals, they will use terms that are unfamiliar to you. Below we look at the best wedding lighting ideas for your special wedding day.
Color Wash
Color wash is a wedding lighting term that refers to an overall color fill used to light an area without highlighting a particular area or item. Instead, the color of the lighting of your choice harmoniously covers the area or “washes” the room.
Color wash is the perfect light setting for setting the mood for your wedding. For example, if you are going for a romantic wedding, you can use red or go for bright colors that evoke joy and happiness.
Talk to your wedding lighting expert to get a setup that allows your chosen color to flow seamlessly throughout the room.
Gobo Lighting or Monogram Lighting
Gobo lighting is a wedding lighting technique featuring a custom template through which light is shone. The light forms a pattern, monogram, or motif on the predestined surface like a wall, floor, or ceiling.
You can use the lighting to showcase various things on walls during your wedding. In other words, it is the best way to personalize your wedding.
Display monograms, words, phrases, names, logos, and other unique messages on the walls, ceiling, and floor. Get creative and use the lights for an incredible experience.
Setting the monogram lighting is simple: place the lights on a surface near your preferred wall and position it facing the light to the wall, plug them in, and switch the lights on.
LED Light
If you want to make your wedding venue calm, LED light is the best wedding lighting option for you. LED is not a lighting technique but a bulb. It is an improvement to traditional bulbs that gives a more vibrant color.
LED lights are available in various shapes, sizes, and colors. You can also use them to spell out names and phrases. So it will be a good option for a phrase like ‘Jane weds John’ or ‘welcome to our nuptial’.
These bulbs are also energy-saving and last longer than regular bulbs.
Set them up by placing them in a preferred position and plugging them into the socket. These fabulous lights are the best for your wedding signs.
Pendants Lights
Pendant lights look like the name suggests. They are single fixtures that hang from the ceiling like a pendant. They are a favorite decor piece for some top wedding designers and add elegance to the wedding space.
Pendant lights vary in shape and size, and Curated Events has many, many unique styles that you guests will be wow’ed by!
Pinspot or Centrepiece Spotlights
Pinspot or centerpiece spotlights are small, illuminating centerpieces or small areas like a table. They can have various shapes and designs, like illuminating flowers, a piece of decor, or a wedding album.
Some pinspots are computerized to change color, patterns, and position. So you can use them to add extra color and vibe to your elegant wedding decor for that extra wow.
The setup will depend on the type but usually involves placing the light next to the centerpiece.
Spotlight
You must have seen a spotlight somewhere, even if you may not know the word’s meaning. These are lamps used in events to illuminate or highlight a particular area. They produce a narrow beam of light and are usually fixed somewhere high.
For example, you will usually see them in music and theater concerts where they are shown upon the performer while the surrounding remains black.
These lights are awe-inspiring on the dancefloor and can make the father-daughter and spouse-first dances unique and outstanding.
Spotlights are mounted on the ceiling or raised platform making the process dangerous. If you have no expertise in that field, our experienced team of wedding lighting experts will help.
String Lights or Market Lights
String lights are lights positioned in a sequence that looks like a string. They are decorative lights that were most common during Christmas hence the street name of Christmas lights.
These lights are usually tiny and cover an extended area. You’ll often see them hanging on walls and poles, emitting calm and friendly light. You can use them around a wedding area. For example, this could be the bride’s team area that should look heavenly.
String lights are easy to set up: all you need to do is hang them along or around the desired area, plug them in, and switch them on.
They are also called bistro lighting, cafe lights, or twinkle lights.
Texture Lighting/Pattern Lights
Texture lighting resembles Gobo lighting but features a preset pattern. It is usually referred to as painting with light since you project preset patterns like leaves, flowers, vines, or abstract shapes.
You’ll use pattern lights to dress up bare surfaces and the venue. It adds dimension to a room and adds a glow.
Set up your texture lighting by plugging them in, pointing them to the wall, dancefloor, or ceiling, and switching them on. The lights will project the patterns.
Uplighting
Uplighting is precisely what the name refers to; it is lighting that points up. The lights are placed at the bottom of architectural details or points of interest to draw attention to specific details. They are also used to shine up walls and decor.
These popular wedding decors add a mode and vibe to the jubilant wedding vibe. You’ll use it to add a splash of color to the wall, floor, and ceiling. You can choose whatever color you want through a single switch.
Alternatively, you can link all the uplights and control them or use wireless ones featuring an in-built power source.
Cake Spotlights
Cake spotlights are pinspotting lights created for the wedding cake. They are useful if the cake is part of your decor or carries an important message. With these lights, you are sure everyone will talk about your cake before cutting time.
Cake spotlights are small in size and operate on batteries. They are placed next to the cake, at the base, or above the cake and will illuminate it.
Setting up cake spotlights involves placing the light on the cake table or mounting it on the wall or ceiling, pointing at the cake.
Water Effect Lights
Are you a fan of gently flowing water and waves? How would you feel if you could incorporate that into your wedding? If you are excited, then the water effect lights are perfect for you.
Water effect lights project flowing water and waves to any surface. You can go with the color blue for the authentic water fill, but you have a catalog of colors from which to choose. Get your creativity going and awe your guests with something unique.
Setting up the water effect lights is as simple as plugging them in, setting them on a stable surface, or mounting them to a ceiling and pointing them to the surface of your choosing.
Wedding Lighting Costs
Each wedding is unique in many ways. For example, the venue sizes and wedding themes vary, time of the wedding is different, among other things. As such, the lighting needs will also vary, meaning that the cost of lighting will also vary.
The venue size dictates the lighting needed, while the wedding style dictates the type of lighting you need. As such, giving a specific price for wedding lighting isn’t easy. Also, remember that your wedding lighting needs must fall within your wedding budget.
If you use a professional wedding lighting expert, you will incur more costs than doing it yourself.
Your Curated Events Sales Consultant will be able to quickly get you a quote for whatever type of lighting you are looking to use for your event!
Top Wedding Lighting Resources
Are you looking for wedding lighting inspirations and ideas? Here are some of the top wedding lighting resources on the internet.
- Wedding Lighting in Charleston, SC
- Wedding Lighting in Charlotte, NC
- Wedding Lighting in Chesapeake, VA
- Wedding Lighting in D.C., VA
- Wedding Lighting in Raleigh, NC
Get your Wedding Lighting Right with Curated Events
Lighting is one of the most important parts of your wedding decor. You want the area well-lit to enable your guests to move unhindered. You want them to eat comfortably and dance without worrying about knocking each other.
Should we even mention the wedding photographs? Great lighting is needed for those bomb photos.
At Curated Events, we have everything you need. Our collection of wedding lighting ideas will help you customize your wedding and create a cheerful ambiance. Whatever you want, we have.
Give us a call, and we will give you the best wedding lighting ideas!