So much preparation goes into a wedding that you don’t want your lighting to let you down. The use of string lighting is one way to create impressive lighting for a wedding and complement the lighting already present in the building or premises. Here are some ways of using string lights for a wedding, and some string lighting products that can be used.
- How Do You Use String Lights on Your Wedding?
- Some of the Best String Lights for Wedding
- Additional Questions
How Do You Use String Lights on Your Wedding?
String lights are versatile and commonly used for weddings. Check the uses of string lights below to ensure you haven’t missed any.
Create a string light canopy
A string light canopy can be used as part of a reception area for arriving guests, as part of the lighting for the celebrations after the ceremony, or even as part of the ceremony itself. They can be used indoors and outdoors and on both flat ceilings and vaulted ceilings.
Place string lights along the tent’s perimeter
A wedding wouldn’t be complete without a tent for housing guests, food, and dancing. String lights for a wedding tent are essential for most people. Lighting makes sure that the tent is inviting and attractive. Putting string lights around the perimeter of the tent is a good way of decorating it for a special occasion. Most tents have loopholes around the perimeter which can be used for attaching string light hooks or zip ties.
Suspend string lights above the dining tables
Dining tables at a wedding are often long and thin, making them ideal for hanging string lights above. These will brighten up the tables and encourage conversation at the event. If tables are smaller and round, string lights can be used hanging from a beam, with each light on the string being hung at different heights. Doing this will enable you to cover a smaller area by reducing the lengths of the chords.
Highlight some areas or elements with string lights
You can use string lights to highlight areas or features at a wedding. They could be used for illuminating a display such as a photo stand. If the area to be lit is small, use beams or other available structures to wrap the cord around to reduce its length. This will also enable you to hang each light on the string at different heights for a pleasing look.
Create a stunning setting for your first dance with string lights
The first dance is one of the main events at a wedding, so the lighting has to be perfect. String lights give you a lot of options for creating an unforgettable lighting display. They can be used around the edge of the dance floor to provide ambient lighting to the dancing area. These lights can be quite bright to ensure the light reaches the center of the floor. String lights of lower brightness can be used across the top of the dance floor ceiling to fill in gaps in ambient lighting in the center of the dance floor. You can then use a small number of high-brightness string lights in between the ceiling string lights to provide some highlights.
Hanging string lights above the aisle
Due to their long length, string lights can be hung above the aisle to highlight where the bride will be walking as she enters. To do this, hang at least two or three string lights side-by-side to ensure that they provide enough lighting. Make sure that the bulbs are staggered to ensure that lighting is even along the length of the aisle. Choose string lights that can allow at least three strings to be attached in series to ensure that the strings are long enough.
Hanging string lights along the wedding venue pathway
String lights can also be used to highlight the wedding venue pathway where guests are entering and leaving. The lighting here does not need to be particularly bright, but a number of bulbs may be needed to ensure that there is good coverage. Make sure to choose string lights that allow as many strings to be attached in series to ensure that the lights span the length of the pathway.
Illuminate trees with string lights
Wedding celebrations typically go on into the night, and trees can be used for supporting string lights as a source of light and for a beautiful display. String lights can be hung between trees to illuminate both trees and outside areas. They can be wrapped around the branches of evergreen trees or around the outside of tall thin conifers.
Create a light backdrop for exchanging vows with string lights
The vows at a wedding are a moment to remember and one where two people make special promises to one another. A memorable lighting display is one way of making this moment even more special. String lights can be used to create a lighting backdrop behind the couple being married. Good options for this setting are curtain string lights or fairy string lights.
Decorate tables with fairy string lights
Fairy string lights are good for use at highlights, making them ideal for decorating tables at a wedding. They can be laid onto the table itself intertwined with other table decorative elements such as artificial plants, or simply looped around candlesticks and flowers. They can also be hung from above tables if ceiling elements allow.
If tables are large, fairy lights can also be used for decorating the sides of tables. For example, they can be weaved in between different layers of tablecloths to create lighting both behind and in front of table linen for a beautiful effect along the sides. However, care should be taken not to place fairy lights on the sides of tables where people need to put chairs and their legs for eating.
Some of the Best String Lights for Wedding
Here are some string lights that are usually used for weddings.
Connectable and dimmable bistro lights
These connectable and dimmable bistro lights are a good option if you are looking for a slightly retro or fairytale aesthetic for your occasion. They can be wrapped around parasols for outdoor reception dinners, used as an indoor or outdoor lighting canopy, or even looped around branches of trees. These lights have an IP45 waterproof rating so will not suffer if the weather takes a turn for the worst at your wedding. Each string has 25 bulbs with two spare in case of breakage, and up to 19 strands can be connected in series. The lights can be dimmed to four different brightness levels and are compatible with most dimmers. They are among the best string lights for a wedding tent.
Dimmable RGB string lights
For something a bit more jazzy, these dimmable RGB string lights are ideal for creating a vibrant atmosphere for your wedding. The lights are available in 8 different colors, have four brightness levels, and six lighting modes such as fade or flash. The LED bulbs use 90% less electricity than normal bulbs and have a lifespan of 25,000 hours. These lights have an IP65 waterproof rating making them very durable, and the bulbs themselves are shatterproof. Each light has a built-in loop meaning you can install it using nails, guide wires, cup hooks, or zip ties. Up to three of these strands can be connected in series.
Curtain string lights
Curtain string lights are also popular string lights for weddings. If there are large ornate curtains at the wedding, these curtain string lights can be used for setting the curtains off. They can also be used for creating a wall of magical twinkling lights. These lights have ten strands each with 30 lights giving 300 lights in total. The materials are waterproof with a rating of IP44 meaning that can be used indoors or outdoors. The lights give a starry effect and come with eight lighting modes.
Fairy string lights
If you need a lot of lights, these fairy string lights come with 300, 600, 800, or even 1,000 fairy lights allowing a really impressive scene for your wedding to be created. The strand is 168 feet long so can be used for any kind of indoor or outdoor setting. The lights come with storage for when you want to put them away or move them around.
Additional Questions
Should I rent or purchase string lights for a wedding?
Renting string lights means you do not buy lots of lights that you may not need again. It also offers you more flexibility and options in terms of which lights you can use. On the downside, renting string lights means that you have to give the lights back on a certain day, and will have no other lights for future occasions. In addition, the price of renting string lights could be high and even higher than purchasing new string lights.
How many string lights are needed for a wedding reception?
The number of string lights at a wedding should be based on the size of the venue. The advice is to have a light every 6-12 feet. This means that for a wedding venue of 10,000 square feet, you need about 100 lights. For a string light with 30 lights, you would need three sets of lights. However, also bear in mind light coming from other sources.
