Uplighting

Haha I love it thanks for sharing!

What's the purpose of uplighting anyway? It's all I hear about, but I don't really understand it.

SunshineJenn ... you are not the only one.

Haha THANK GOD.

Pics please!!! Sounds like an awesome idea.

I wish I could get lighting like that. Even if I could get lights from a pro shop at cost my venue won't let me use them. Make sure to check with your venue to make sure they let you bring in your own up lighting because if they offer it they may not let you bring your own in.

For those who asked, uplighting basically lights a streak up a wall, adding color and drama. Here is some of our DIY uplighting, behind our singer.

Instructions on how we did our DIY uplighting can be found at:

http://sites.google.com/site/2dbride/decor/lighting#TOC-Uplighting

The wall behind the singer was actually black. The pink color all came from the uplighting.

Uplighting just helps create a mood for your room. This does work and is cheap and simple to DIY. There are a lot of other DYI options out there. I saw one bride use a shop light and her lighting turned out very pretty. People will say it wont work, usually because they are in the business to sell or rent uplights. My venue lucky enough is letting me do whatever I want. The only rule for them was no nails in the wall or anything that when I left it would leave a mark. I am lucky there. My advise to a DYI bride is to look around at all venues. I looked into tons and the place I decided on was a simple meeting space at a condo building. The meeting room is in the very from as soon as you pull into the building. Very similar to a hotel meeting space. Nothing fancy to look at right now. Basic neutral walls and ceilings. I got the space for $200 a day. YES, $200 a day. I rented it for 2 days because I plan to do all the reception décor myself.

Below is the room and what I plan to do.

Uplighting just helps create a mood for your room. This does work and is cheap and simple to DIY. There are a lot of other DYI options out there. I saw one bride use a shop light and her lighting turned out very pretty. People will say it wont work, usually because they are in the business to sell or rent uplights. My venue lucky enough is letting me do whatever I want. The only rule for them was no nails in the wall or anything that when I left it would leave a mark. I am lucky there. My advise to a DYI bride is to look around at all venues. I looked into tons and the place I decided on was a simple meeting space at a condo building. The meeting room is in the very from as soon as you pull into the building. Very similar to a hotel meeting space. Nothing fancy to look at right now. Basic neutral walls and ceilings. I got the space for $200 a day. YES, $200 a day. I rented it for 2 days because I plan to do all the reception décor myself.

Below is the room and what I plan to do.

My uplighting will be 5 on the head table wall and 2 on each side wall and 3 on the back wall. I think...lol I will see how that looks and adjust it from there.

Thanks for the info, I never knew!

No problem Sunshine! I am a DIY bride on a very tight budget. My husband and I are renewing our vows because we never had our "big" wedding. Not that its going to be "big" now. I just knew there were certain things I wanted and I made the decision to research everything until I could do them.

IF I go with the reception hall I am looking at, it is included at no extra charge. She can even change the colors to match the wedding. Not needed in the chapel venue, natural light and stained glass makes it naturally beautiful.

Thank goodness my venue has all the lighting and should equipment!!! that sounds like a hassle!

It could be a hassle and had I had the extra funds to book something else I may have but with my budget this is what worked for me. We have 2 teenagers that take up a lot of funds..lol My daughter may be getting engaged soon so have to save for her as well. She will expect much more..

Uplighting does make a difference. Sunshine I was like you and thought whats the big deal and then FH & I went to a tasting event at our venue when it was all done up with uplighting and we both looked at each other and said we had to get it. Thankfully it fits in out budget.

Those lights do look good...but the desk light shown isn't done correctly for one and for two by blurring the people out you can not even see the lighting. All you have to do if you want to see what you can get from my method is to get the color bulb from the store put in a desk lamp you already have go into a dark room and set it up. That's the only way you'll see what it will really look like and if its your personal taste. For us, it works..

DIY or professional, make sure you use LED uplights. They are cool to the touch, and since they are mounted on the floor, it's very easy for young children to touch them.

Dan

On the cost of DIY uplighting: We bought a lot of the equipment used, and resold all of it after the wedding. So the net cost was about $30 total for the 8 uplights, plus the bulbs, gels, stands, extension cords, gaffer tape, etc. That was a lot lower than the cost of renting them.

On the other hand, you do have to be careful. Some venues do not allow DIY uplighting at all. If you use non-LED lights (as we did, because they are a lot less expensive than LED), you also have to make sure that the electrical capacity of the venue will support them. And you have to make sure to place them where drunk guests or small children will not run into them, because they do get hot.

And DIY uplighting will not do everything a professional can do. It works for static lights in one color. But a professional can have lights that move, that change color during the evening, etc., which is something you can't accomplish with DIY.

I'm gonna uplight some palm trees.