Do you ever look at pictures of a wedding and find yourself blown away by both the details of the space and the intimate, romantic vibe of the event? You probably have uplighting to thank for that. Though uplighting isn’t a standalone solution for making a reception pop, it is an integral part of the overall lighting design package that will emphasize your décor elements and bring out the beauty of your venue. We can now offer more services to make your planning process easier and your event perfect! With our lighting, we will work with you to create and customize the atmosphere you’ve always imagined for your event, whether you’re hosting an intimate backyard gathering or a full-scale wedding!
To help you determine which type of lighting works best for your venue and your needs, we’ve given you a breakdown of some popular lighting tips below.
Is Uplighting Necessary at a Wedding?
Though nothing is truly “necessary” at a wedding other than the marrying couple, uplighting is, more often than not, a good idea. If you’re having an indoor or covered reception during the evening, uplighting will add drama and elegance, but it will also indicate points of interest in your venue and help guide guests to areas of the event they’ll be interacting with, such as the bar or photo booth.
Uplighting looks best when it is lighting something. If you’re in [a historic venue] and they have these killer columns with corners at the top and dramatic fluting, uplighting will bring that out. It puts the shadows and all the little details into relief, which makes it pop.
Uplighting is not as necessary during a daylit event, or in a basic square room with four white walls where there is little to call attention to. For that reason, an outdoor wedding in an open field will similarly not require uplighting, as there will be nothing for the light to bounce off of, but that doesn’t mean all outdoor weddings are off the hook.
Don’t forget the outside areas of a tented event. At night, if the tent is 50 feet from the house and down a set of steps, is there enough light to see the pathway? Same with the bathroom trailer – what does the walkway look like between the main tent and the trailer after it gets dark?” For that reason, Toner’s team will look for trees, bushes, and sides of buildings to uplight, so the light can bounce back into the space. This gives guests reference points and sets boundaries for an area so they can more smoothly navigate their way around.
How Much Does Uplighting Cost?
For a professional lighting design package, We estimate that costs will begin between one and three thousand dollars. Uplighting should be one part of a bigger lighting package. Because if you only have uplighting in a dark room, you’ve essentially lit all of the outsides of the room. The dance floor, tables, band, etc. will be much darker than everything else.
We suggest that the ideal lighting package should also include pin spots, splash lights on the dance floor, and lighting on the band so that in photos and video, there’s a balance between all focal points of a wedding. If you take a picture across the room while the couple is dancing, they should be lit along with the centerpieces and the wall in the back.
Uplighting Dos and Don’ts
Here, find a helpful list of dos and don’ts when it comes to uplighting at your wedding.
Don’t develop your lighting plan in a vacuum.
Approach every event from a photography and videography standpoint. The pictures last forever. If it’s not lit the right way, then forever all of your crowd is in the dark, or you won’t see the flowers. To that end, make sure to communicate with the event designer, florist, photographer, and videographer ahead of every wedding.
DO ask if your vendor uses LEDs.
Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are a better option because they don’t heat up the way traditional filament bulbs do, so there’s no risk of anyone burning themselves or a décor element such as drapery catching fire. Bonus: Most LEDs are battery-operated, which means you can eliminate the clunky look and trip hazard of cables.
DO be strategic with color choice.
Amber is the most universally flattering LED shade for wedding uplighting, as it adds a romantic yet formal glow. It also brings out the flesh tones of people. Uplighting can also be used to unify the color scheme of a wedding. For example, if you’re doing a very blue wedding, you could uplight the room in blue and tie it together!
