Wedding Reception Lighting

Wedding reception lighting is continuing to become a popular trend as brides and grooms strive to create a unique experience for their guests. As with everything, it's what you get for your money that counts.

When it comes to uplights there are quite a range of lighting instruments available. They can vary greatly in their appearance and cost. How can you compare one against another? One way to tell is to ask for "lux" measurements. Lux is a standard by which lights are measured. It is a rating of their intensity or total "amount" of visible light produced.

Pink LED Uplights

Some uplights are rated below 1500 lux (at 1 meter), while others are closer to 10,000! The cheaper lights may not even provide a lux measurement which can be a red flag.

Another concern is color mixing. Can the lights mix the color you want evenly without halos or blotches? Many LEDs have a hard time with ambers or other pastels. If you want a purple, violet, salmon, light green, orange or some other blended color, it is a good idea to see the lights in person first! Is the color even and uniform all the way up the wall?

I've actually seen "professional" lighting companies set up lights like THIS:

"Fugly" Uplight

See the splotches of color? And where is the beam? Unfortunately someone paid good money to have this at their special event.

Other ideas include pin spots which are narrow, focused fixtures that light up specific areas such as wedding cakes or head tables. A pin spot can make a cake table really pop out from it's surroundings. They are also good for desert tables, the guest book, buffet tables or anything else that you want noticed.

A Cake This Pretty Deserves To Be Seen!

Custom Gobos can put your name, monogram or special message in light on the wall or dance floor. Gobo is short for "go between"- a patterned plate is placed between the lamp and lense to project an image. Gobos have become a very popular addition to wedding reception lighting packages.

Custom Gobo

Usually, a gobo fixture needs to be securely mounted on an elevated tripod or extension pole so it can't be obscured by guests or other foot traffic.

Lighting adds a dramatic element and can help make even plain looking rooms look more attractive. When in doubt, SEE the lights in person if possible before you agree to use them. And try to be humble when your guests tell you how spectacular your room looks!

All pictures courtesy DJCraig.Net