What Is Uplighting?
Uplighting is often overlooked when planning an event, but the truth is that it has the ability to transform an event space. This is not an element you’ll want to disregard.
Uplights highlight focal points to bring to light certain aspects of your decor, while also hiding parts of the venue that you might not want guests to see.
Although uplighting isn’t a stand-alone approach for making an event memorable, it is an important aspect that can truly bring out the beauty of any venue. If you are planning an event and wondering how to incorporate uplighting you’ve come to the right place.
Below we’ll provide several examples of what uplighting is and how it can be used.
What Are Uplights?
Uplights are essentially light fixtures that are set on the floor. They shine upwards, accentuating the elements of a room. These lights are usually positioned around the perimeter of a room and can be adjusted to a variety of colors.
By positioning lights on the ground, you create a certain ambiance and set the tone for an event. Many uplights are battery-operated and can be adjusted remotely to change colors during the night. You can also use uplights to create accent walls to highlight the beauty of your venue.
Wedding uplighting is often used to achieve a couple’s vision by adding romance and elegance to a space.
Why Is Uplighting an Important Part of the Decor?
Incorporating uplighting into your event design can instantly transform the atmosphere. It can change your space by showcasing the grandeur of a venue, emphasizing a head table, or jazzing up a dance floor if placed correctly.
Event venues can grow dark as the sun goes down. When you add lighting, you can reduce reliance on the venue’s ceiling lights, which are sometimes bright and non-dimmable. There is also a significant difference between photographs with and without uplighting, so you can add uplighting to enhance your wedding day photos.
Ways to Uplight Your Event Space
If you are wondering what you can use uplighting for at an event, here are some examples.
1. Add Uplighting to Enhance Your Wedding Decor Vision
The lighting at an event attracts people’s attention without them even realizing it. Uplighting can be used to create a magnificent background, highlight key features, or create an ambiance. Lighting has the power to bring your vision of your wedding day to life!
2. Highlight a Focal Point
If you want to draw your guests’ attention away from the food display during a wedding reception, you can use uplighting to highlight focal points. If your lighting lights up the entire room evenly, the chances are that your guests will be distracted by the other elements around the room and not give you their undivided attention.
3. Create a Romantic Atmosphere at a Wedding Ceremony
The perfect way to set the mood at an indoor wedding ceremony is to add uplighting. You can showcase the architectural elements of the room and bring out structural details to set the scene for your ceremony.
This lighting effect will also add depth to your wedding photos, ensuring that you have beautiful reminders of the day. The best lighting to go for if you want to create a romantic ambiance is amber lighting. It is a flattering shade that brings out skin tones, adding a romantic but formal glow, which is perfect for a ceremony.
Should You DIY Your Uplighting?
Although it may be tempting to DIY your uplighting, it’s not always recommended.
A professional lighting designer will take the time to understand your concept and then apply the various alternatives correctly.
The Benefits of Leaving Your Uplighting to a Professional
When adding uplighting, it’s helpful working with a professional lighting company that will understand your vision and is well equipped to execute the job without any hiccups. A professional lighting designer will take the time to understand your concept and then apply the various alternatives correctly.
Most uplighting companies offer a number of uplighting packages, which often include other lighting effects like string lighting or dance floor lighting, so be sure to discuss which options would be best for your event. Here are some of the benefits of leaving your lighting to the professionals.
1. There’s Less Work for You
Planning an event can be incredibly stressful. There’s so much that you have to take care of, and the last thing you need is to worry about is installing lighting.
Since you’ll also have to worry about cables and positioning the lights so they add value to the decor, hiring a professional to take care of the lighting can give you a lot more time to enjoy the event or take care of more pressing issues.
Additionally, professionals don’t just take care of the setup, but they also remove the lighting once the event is over.
2. A Professional Will Help You Get the Perfect Look
You should think about the kind of lighting your event needs during the planning stage. The lighting should match the vibe you’re going for, which can be challenging to accomplish on your own. A professional can assist you in determining the appropriate type of lighting to achieve the desired effect.
3. Your Event Will Look Good on Camera
Guests at your party will, of course, want to snap pictures. However, we all know how bad photos seem when the lighting is dreadful. To ensure that the pictures your guests take look great, contact a professional lighting expert to guarantee that you have good lighting, not just for the atmosphere but also for the photographs.
Elements to Be Mindful of When Selecting an Uplighting Package for Your Event
When choosing your uplighting package, there are two main elements you will need to be mindful of: the color of the lights and their quality.
Color
The best lights that you can use for uplighting are LED lights. These lights generally have three diodes, namely blue, red, and green. Some LED lights will also have amber and white. It is essential to pay special attention to the color of the light, as it can either add value to your decor or make things look off or out of place.
Experts advise steering clear of green lighting, as it can make your food look unappetizing. If you are planning a wedding, we recommend using blue and purple lighting sparingly, as they will give more of a nightclub vibe, which is not something you want during your ceremony.
However, these colors would be great for a reception when it is time to get the party started! A lighting expert at LIV Technical will guide you through the various options and advise you on the best colors for your venue.
Quality
Many DJs also offer uplights as part of their packages. However, we advise going with a lighting company, as these companies have advanced, high-quality lights. A professional will also use advanced technology and ensure that there is a backup plan should anything go wrong on the day.
It is essential to choose quality lighting because the last thing you want is for lights to flicker or turn off during the day. It is essential to ask your service provider what lights they will be using and whether they have a backup plan.
Is Uplighting a Necessary for an Event?
Most people think that lighting isn’t necessary for outdoor weddings. However, this isn’t always true. The amount of lighting you will need ultimately has a lot to do with how much natural lighting is available.
Lighting For Ambience and Elegance
It can add the drama and elegance that your venue needs and highlight the areas your guests will be interacting with, such as a buffet area or photo booth. During a daytime event or in an event in a simple square room that has white walls with very little to draw attention to, uplighting may not be as important.
Outdoor weddings will not need uplighting because there is nothing for the light to bounce off of. However, that doesn’t rule out other types of outdoor weddings.
Outdoor Events
When planning a tented outdoor event, don’t forget about lighting! You will need to think about whether you have enough light at restrooms and stairwells and as part of your decor, especially if the event takes place at night.
Uplighting can be an important element of your outdoor event to highlight spaces in your tented area that your guests will interact with.
Need Uplighting, Dance Floor Lighting, or Other Lighting Options?
If you are looking for a professional company to handle your event or wedding uplighting needs, look no further. LIV Technical is specialized in event production and serves clients throughout California.
Whether you need lighting to keep your guests dancing all night long, warm lighting for cocktail hour, or a romantic setting as you recite your vows, we can help! To find out more about the services and lighting options we offer, contact us today!