You have a lot to worry about for your wedding, and one important item that often gets overlooked is lighting. It doesn’t matter whether you’re indoors or out, once the sun goes down, you’ll definitely need some lighting to make sure your reception stands out. You might be worried that getting a proper lighting set up will be prohibitively expensive, but there are plenty of lighting packages that are reasonably priced, if you know what to look for. Proper lighting is critical for the wedding of your dreams. And the truth is it doesn’t take anything elaborate to make your reception look like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, especially with the recent advances in LED lighting. Here are some things to keep in mind when picking out the perfect lights.
When planning out how to decorate your venue, it’s a good idea to plan a visit at the same time your reception will be. That way you’ll see exactly what it will look like on the night of, and you can make lighting arrangements accordingly.
A lot of venues will offer their own lighting packages, but they tend to be both overpriced and sub-optimal. Make sure you shop around before making a final decision. And don’t make the mistake of under lighting your reception. What might seem like plenty of light in an empty room will be woefully inadequate when it’s packed with people.
You’ve gone to a lot of trouble to pick out a color theme for your wedding. When it comes time to do your lighting set up, make sure that it complements, rather than clashes with, the colors you’ve chosen. A good rule of thumb to remember is that amber lights tend to go well with everything, creating a romantic atmosphere. If you choose a darker color for your dinner reception, like purple or red, then it could transform all of your beautiful settings to a violet or pink hue.
When it comes time to light your dance floor, you’ll want to go with something darker, helping to set the mood for later in the evening. These lights should also have the ability to bounce and move to the music.
Uplighting is a type of wall lighting the helps to accentuate a space that, as the name implies, is aimed upward. It’s likely that even if your venue has overhead lights, you’ll want to turn those off and use a mixture of spotlights and mood lights (candles, table lamps, etc.) to create a dreamier atmosphere.
By adding a few properly-placed uplights, the entire tone of the room can change. And the best part is this trick works whether you’re in a barn or a community center, or anything in between. See how we use lighting at our weddings
While you don’t want your space to be too brightly lit, there are some things you want to shine a spotlight on (pun intended). This will be especially useful during toasts and special moments like cutting the wedding cake and the first dance. Work with whomever you hire to do your lights to make sure they know what key areas need spotlighting and designate who will control them on the day of.
Another consideration that many people don’t think about is that the placement of the lights should be out of the way. You don’t want the lights themselves to become a distraction, or even worse, a tripping hazard. Finally, if you’re at an outdoor venue, make sure that all your lights are waterproof. Many LED’s are, but not all, and that’s not something you want to find out after the rain has started coming down.
At DJ Cutt Entertainment, we offer lighting packages that are tailored to your specifications. We can find the perfect lighting solution no matter what your venue. Contact us today to learn more.
We are a full-service entertainment company in Portland that provides its clients with top-quality service and leaves them feeling like they made the right decision in choosing us. With our wide range of services, we strive to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. We have extensive experience in DJing, videography, and live streaming, as well as other aspects of live events such as lighting design, sound engineering, and more!
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