Lighting is powerful. The right outdoor lighting can intimidate, or comfort. It can turn the energy up or bring in a subdued, calm feeling. Of course, lighting is practical too: guests at any event tend to value safety, security, and being able to see what’s on their plate. With the right venue lighting designs, you can create any ambiance needed for an event. Whether playful, romantic, subdued, or anything in between, here are a few of the best venue lighting designs to make sure your guests are impressed.
Venue Lighting Design Starts at the Entrance
Whether the venue entry is humble or magnificent, it needs good lighting. This is where guests get their first impression of every event. Good outdoor lighting helps to put guests at ease, show off the venue itself, and set the mood.
Consider these types of lighting for a complete look at your venue’s entryway:
- Walkway lighting to guide guests toward the entrance.
- Spotlights that highlight nearby landscaping for visual interest.
- Uplighting across the front of the building for a polished look.
- Installed fixtures (wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted) around the doorway, columns, porch, etc.
Light up those Temporary Structures
Lighting temporary structures such as photo booths, arbors, and trellises give guests a chance for fantastic photos, videos, and memories of an event. The best effects usually come from a combination: consider spotlights, string lights, bistro lights, and color-changing lights. Permanently installed walkway lights ensure safety as guests move from one area to another. You can also use walkway lights to designate the perimeter of different areas and temporary structures.
Illuminate the Dance Floor, Stage & Head Table
Key places for important people at any event merit thoughtful lighting. You want to make these areas stand out; they should be easily noticeable for all guests. What you don’t want to do is blind the people seated in those areas or any guests who venture near. The right brightness level and the right color temperature are both important. Think through where the lights should be placed, and what angles to use, as well. (Or let us do that for you.) The lighting fixtures we recommend and use are all high-quality and adjustable, so that the intensity and the spread of the light (the area it covers) can be customized perfectly.
Wow with Lighted Water Features
Water is mesmerizing, and when lighted with colorful, programmable lights it provides interest and contrast. Whether elaborate or simple, lighting a fountain or pond is an easy way to add a wow factor.
If you want to keep it minimal and classy, opt for white lights on water features. Programmable colored lights can be set to coordinate with each event’s color palette. The lighting on water features can be programmed on a timer to start when the sun goes down. Guests will most definitely be taking photos in front of this centerpiece.
Hanging with Bistro Lights
Bistro lights are another fantastic way to bring ambient lighting to an outdoor venue. They can be strung across the corner of a patio, criss-crossed over a walkway, or used to delineate the edges of a particular area. With custom cut and installed mounting poles (that’s something we do), you can have bistro lights wherever you want them. They’re a timeless design, both comforting and classy, and work well for almost any type of event.
When creating venue lighting designs, the primary consideration is a cohesive look. Fixtures that match the venue’s color scheme and decor, and are of good quality, add a lot to the look and feel of the venue. We love helping our clients develop a venue lighting design that fits their vision and budget. Get in touch today.