Ask engaged couples what they think of wedding reception lighting, and you’ll get as many answers as there are couples, sometimes more. There is a wide range of opinions, and there is certainly no one way to provide lighting for a ceremony and reception.
When many couples think of wedding lighting, they think of a disco ball (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but ceremony and reception lighting can be so much more. If a disco ball is what you want, then let’s make it happen, but there are many kinds of wedding lighting that can add a whole new look and feel to your big day.
Please allow Elevation Live Entertainment to shed some (ahem) light on the controversial topic of wedding ceremony and reception lighting. With some help from The Knot, here are 5 kinds of ceremony and reception lighting styles that go with the overall vibe of your wedding. Of course, Elevation Live Entertainment can customize any of the following lighting styles to fit the feel of your big day:
Your Wedding Style: Classic
Many classic reception spaces are outfitted with gorgeous fixtures, like crystal chandeliers and wall sconces, that add elegant ambience to a space at no extra cost. If you’re looking to up the glitz, add silver candelabras to dining tables—they’ll give off a soft glow and serve as decoration. Keeping things more modern? Fill glass hurricanes with pillar candles for the same romantic effect. Consider adding a monogram to your dance floor with a gobo, or use a spotlight to show off a raw bar, an ice sculpture or a gorgeous cake. If you’re dining and dancing under the stars, twinkle lights are pure magic. And don’t forget to end the evening on a high note with a classic sparkler send-off, venue permitting.
Your Wedding Style: Rustic
Saying “I do” in a barn? Start with market lights. These globestyle strands add a bit of whimsy to outdoor spaces. They’re larger than twinkle or Christmas lights, so each bulb provides a generous amount of illumination while also creating a charming atmosphere. Line ceremony aisles or outdoor pathways with luminaries—the simple paper bags will make a big statement. If you’re going for a more eclectic look, opt for a unique chandelier treatment (think mason jars or Edison bulbs) or mix a few styles of lighting. Make an open space feel more intimate by designating spaces within the venue, like hanging a chandelier over the lounge area or creating a ceremony backdrop with suspended paper star lanterns.
Your Wedding Style: Romantic
Enhance your picturesque plantation home or castle with twinkle lights. Hang them vertically to create a ceremony backdrop, or drape them from a tent for a canopy or starry-sky effect. If you’re celebrating outdoors, consider suspending lanterns from trees, or use them to light pathways. (Mini lanterns could also make cute escort cards.) Chandeliers make any setting feel more intimate, while pink color-wash lighting will give your whole space a romantic, rose-colored glow. At the end of the evening, ask guests to send lanterns into the night sky with a wish for your future.
Your Wedding Style: Modern
Add a party vibe to an unfinished modern space (a gallery, a city loft) with color-wash lighting. Opt for hues that flatter skin tones, such as pinks and purples, and let them build in intensity over the course of the evening. Sleek, pre-lit tables, which literally glow from within, offer a warm but contemporary feel. Consider adding LED lights to floral arrangements for luminous stems that double as décor and mood lighting. Illuminate venue walls with a cool gobo pattern effect, or project tiny stars on the ceiling above the dance floor. A moving design or video projection of blooming florals or a bustling cityscape is another cool, techy option.
Your Wedding Style: Edgy
Planning to exchange vows in a converted warehouse or historic building? Play up your unique style with lighting that matches. Use uplighting to draw attention to architectural details or add a wash of color to the space. For table lighting, look to clusters of iron lanterns, which can double as illumination and centerpieces. Or incorporate an Edison bulb chandelier for a more retro look. Personalize your ceremony space with a custom marquee sign or strands of vertical market lights. Hosting an after-party? Have some fun with ’90s-style glow sticks, or ask your bartender to add LED cocktail stirrers into your signature sip for a festive nightcap.
Elevation Live Entertainment can customize any of these lighting styles to fit the overall feel of your big day. Contact Elevation Live Entertainment for more information today!
Courtesy of The Knot