A good lighting set up can set the mood and tone for any situation. Bright lights and overexposed settings can kill a mood or wash out photos on what should be your perfect day.  To make sure that all aspects of the wedding day look as flawless as you will, here are some lighting tips to consider when planning your ceremony and reception.

Let Fun DMC know if you are interested in additional lighting options such as up lighting, gobos, or monograms for your wedding reception!  We work with a variety of vendors to offer heavily-discounted pricing on a number of affordable lighting options.

Up Lighting

Up lighting is a setup in which lights are placed on the ground and aimed to project light off the wall.  This serves to illuminate certain elements, such as the cake area, the wedding party table, and overall enhances the entire room’s feel.  These lights are traditionally used to create a wash of color that matches the wedding color palette.  Additionally, changing the colors throughout the evening can instantly change the atmosphere.  For example, soft, warm hues can easily create a romantic mood during dinner while bright, bold colors would be appropriate during dancing.  Another great way to include up lighting in your reception is to separate the dinner area from the dance floor with different color combinations.

Gobo Lighting/Monograms

Gobo, which is short for “Goes Before Optics,” is a very popular form of lighting in weddings and events.  A gobo is a stencil that slides over a light beam and projects an image onto a surface.  Gobos are typically used to project monograms, dates, and other wedding-themed designs and patterns and are a fun way to add a personal touch to the lighting at your reception.  They can be used to easily decorate an otherwise plain wall with a unique look and show fantastically in pictures.  From a typical monogram of the bride and groom’s initials to a starry night sky on the ceiling, gobo lighting can be used in a variety of classy and tasteful ways to enhance any wedding.

Whether you choose to have a professional handle your lighting, or if you’re feeling crafty and want to do it yourself, there’s no question that lighting will affect the entire mood of your reception.  Keep in mind what kind of tone you have in mind for during each section of your wedding and choose an appropriate lighting and color scheme to match.  When in doubt, soft, dimmed lighting flatters all skin types and looks good in photos.