2025 Wedding Season Lighting
Between aesthetics and functionality
As the 2025 wedding season is here, there’s never been a better time to explore trends and tips that will guide your lighting choices.
Lighting isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also a functional aspect that ensures your celebration runs smoothly as the day transitions into night. Below, you’ll find practical advice and creative ideas to help you make informed decisions for your big day.
How Lighting Sets the Mood
Lighting is, quite literally, what illuminates your wedding day. However, it’s more than just a necessity with endless creative potential for enhancing your venue’s décor. The right placement, design, and choice of lighting can turn an ordinary venue into something spectacular. Fairy lights strung among the trees, festoons hanging from a barn ceiling, or a spotlight on the first dance aren’t just practical; they’re ways to make memories shine—quite literally.
The goal is to pinpoint a look that complements your theme and space. While the sheer number of options might feel overwhelming, thoughtfully narrowing down choices to reflect your vision will bring a harmonious balance to your décor.
Lighting plays a crucial role in establishing the “overall look and vibe”—which ranks as the fifth most important consideration for couples planning their weddings.
The reality is that even the most beautifully decorated venue can fail to create the desired atmosphere without proper lighting.
Consider this: your venue and decor investments only achieve their full potential when properly illuminated. The right lighting doesn’t just brighten a space—it creates mood, highlights architectural features, and guides your guests’ focus throughout different parts of your celebration.
Creating an immersive atmosphere that works for larger gatherings becomes even more important. Professional lighting helps create intimate zones within larger spaces, ensuring your increased guest count doesn’t diminish the personal feel of your celebration.
Hotels have reclaimed their position as the most popular wedding venue type (26% of weddings), followed closely by barns (22%). Both these venue styles particularly benefit from professional lighting to enhance their architectural features.
How to Allocate Your Wedding Lighting Budget
In practical terms, how should you approach budgeting for wedding lighting? From our experience, we recommend these guidelines:
Start early: Include lighting in your initial planning rather than treating it as an afterthought. The average couple spends 14 months planning their wedding, which gives ample time to research lighting options.
Allocate 5-8% of your total budget: This typically provides enough to create a comprehensive lighting design that truly enhances your venue.
Prioritize key areas: If working with a limited budget, focus on lighting the spaces where guests will spend most time and where photos will be taken.
Consider the season: Winter weddings generally require more lighting than summer celebrations, so budget accordingly.
Book well in advance: With a quarter of weddings now lasting two days, quality lighting providers become booked quickly, especially during peak season.
Making Smart Lighting Choices for Your Wedding
We noticed some interesting shifts in wedding preferences. For instance, 25% of weddings now prioritize sustainable details. This aligns perfectly with our LED lighting solutions, which consume significantly less energy than traditional options while providing superior illumination.
We’ve also observed the trend of couples changing outfits during their wedding day (23% of couples now do this). Lighting transitions can complement these outfit changes beautifully, shifting the mood from formal ceremony to relaxed reception to energetic evening celebration.
The decline in certain traditions (only 10% of weddings now include a bouquet toss) means couples are creating more personalized celebrations. Bespoke lighting allows you to highlight the traditions you choose to keep while creating new, meaningful moments unique to your relationship.
Planning Your Wedding Lighting
To make the most of your lighting budget, we suggest:
Visit your venue at the same time of day as your wedding: Notice the natural light patterns to understand where additional lighting will have the most impact.
Discuss lighting with your photographer: They can advise on how different lighting will affect your photos and videos.
Consider your venue’s restrictions: Some venues have limitations on fixing lights to walls or ceilings, so portable options may be necessary.
Think about power requirements: Outdoor areas may need generators, which should be factored into your budget.
Create a lighting timeline: Plan when lights should be adjusted, dimmed, or changed color throughout your celebration.
By taking a strategic approach to your wedding lighting budget, you’ll create an atmosphere that enhances every aspect of your celebration while managing costs effectively.
Combining Creativity with Functionality
The key to memorable wedding lighting is ensuring your setup is as practical as it is beautiful. Here are some tips to guarantee both form and function on the big day:
Understand Your Venue: Whether indoors or outdoors, the type of venue sets the stage for your lighting plan. High ceilings may require hanging installations for drama, whereas intimate indoor spaces benefit from simpler options like fairy lights or uplighting
Consider Timing: If your ceremony extends into the evening, choose options like dimmable lights. This flexibility ensures you can alter the mood as the evening progresses—from late dinners to lively dancing.
Mix and Match Styles: No rule says you must stick to just one type. Fairy lights, festoons, lanterns, chandeliers, and even candles can coexist beautifully in a thoughtfully designed space.
Plan Photo Opportunities: Talk with your photographer in advance to ensure your lighting will enhance their shots. From brightness levels to backdrop decisions, lighting makes a world of difference in capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments.
Seek Professional Advice: Whether you want intricate installations or a sleek, minimalist look, consulting an expert in wedding lighting will make the entire process simpler.
