What Kind of Lighting Do You Need for a Wedding?

There's no question that lighting is one of the most crucial elements of your wedding production. Just a few carefully placed lights can set the mood, illuminate your venue's noteworthy features, and create an uncompromisingly spectacular event. 

However, with so many event lighting options to choose from, it can be challenging to decide which is best for your special days. With that in mind, let's outline some of the most popular types of wedding lighting and describe how and when they should be used.

Festoon Lighting (Fairy Lighting / String Lighting)

The fixtures, generally speaking, are stringed together by a wire and can give you a bright white light or a soft, warm glow, depending on your wedding decor requirements. These romantic lights can add a fairytale vibe to your ceremony or reception, and they are incredibly cost-effective. 

Popular uses for these lighting include creating a "canopy" of lights that overhang the wedding venue and wrapping them around prominent objects such as trees, wooden beams, and supporting poles.

Festoon lights are increasingly being used to create intimate outdoor seating areas or to light up pathways in garden weddings, adding a cozy, magical touch as guests move between spaces. If you're going for a rustic or bohemian vibe, festoon lighting is a perfect match.

Spotlights / Pin Spots

You don't have to be a wedding lighting aficionado to know what a spotlight is. As you are probably aware, these lighting fixtures focus a beam of light on a specific object, such as the happy couple as they take to the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple.  

There are miniature versions of spotlights, known as pin spots, that are very adept at lighting specific features of your wedding production, such as the wedding cake, dessert table, or table centrepieces.

Pin spots can be customised with color filters, allowing you to match the spotlight to your wedding theme or add an extra layer of visual interest. This is especially helpful if you're highlighting elements like floral arrangements or the wedding cake in the right light.

Colour Washes 

Colour wash lights are relatively self-explanatory. They are coloured lights that wash any given room in any given colour. They are perfect if you have a blank canvas of a wedding venue and want to alter the mood and ambience of the room to better match your overall wedding theme. 

For instance, you might want to take a white-walled room and turn it into a deep purple to match the chic venue dressing style you have opted for. 

Wireless LED Uplighting

Wireless LED uplighters are often used at weddings. As the name suggests, they beam light upwards and are usually placed against a wall for maximum impact. In many ways, you can think of them as floor-based colour washes, and they represent a more stylish way to alter the mood and ambience of your wedding event space. 

You can also use them to draw attention to a specific area within your wedding venue. For instance, two banks of LED uplighters on either side of the dance floor can add a real touch of exclusivity and intrigue. Better still, these fixtures are available in wireless options, meaning you won't have to worry about running unsightly cables along the floor of your chosen venue. 

Gobo Lighting

Gobos are stencils that project a personalised image onto the walls, floors, or ceilings (or any other suitable surface). If you've ever attended a wedding with a couple's name beamed onto the dance floor, the chances are they used a gobo. 

Gobos also effectively project patterns onto surfaces, such as leaves or snowflakes, rendering them perfect for wedding decor themes that reflect the seasons.

Custom gobo designs are more affordable and accessible than ever. You can now project unique designs like your initials, wedding date, or even themed graphics (e.g., floral patterns, geometric shapes) to enhance your decor. You can also combine gobos with motion effects to create dynamic visuals throughout the night.

Disco Lighting

Wedding receptions are usually one of the biggest parties of the year, which means there will be an inevitable use of disco lights to accompany the live entertainment or DJ. They also make the dance floor a far more enticing prospect.

These days, most disco lighting fixtures are LEDs, and many of them are programmed to move in time to the music. While not lighting fixtures per se, your disco lighting ensemble may also include special effects devices such as laser and smoke machines.

Some venues have specific rules or limitations on the use of certain lighting effects, especially things like smoke or lasers. Be sure to check with your venue to confirm what is allowed and plan accordingly.

Your Wedding Lighting Choices Will Depend on Your Preferences

In the end, the lighting fixtures you decide to incorporate into your wedding will come down to your personal taste and vision. The above-mentioned lighting options are undoubtedly some of the most popular choices.

However, your celebration is unique to you, meaning you will need to work with your wedding planner and event supplier to create the perfect selection for your special day. 

Whatever wedding lighting lineup you decide upon, be sure to understand that your choices will have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of your venue, so it's important not to rush these decisions.
When planning your wedding lighting, don’t forget to test your lights before the big day.

Check how they look in your venue and make adjustments as needed. Good lighting can be the difference between a great event and a stunning one!

Whatever wedding lighting setup you decide upon, be sure to understand that your choices will have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of your venue, so it's important not to rush these decisions.

Fête24 offers a range of lighting services, so if you're looking for a professional and reliable company in France, click the Event Lighting Page link for more infomation about our lighting equipment & services.