28 Amazing Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas You Can Steal

Share via

Create the most incredible wedding reception lighting ideas with lanterns, candles, LED and string lights, hanging light bulbs, neon marquis and lighted arches.

Delight your guests with a spellbound romantic evening or let them bask in the warm glow of a fairytale ambiance.

Twinkle, twinkle little star… nothing casts a more magical spell on an evening affair than properly and purposely installed lighting. But if you ever tried to decorate your house with lights for the Holidays then you know it’s not so simple a task.

These wedding reception lighting ideas range from the simplest to the most elaborate for both indoor or outdoor events. Simply pick the one that suits you best or get inspired by all of them!

Related: How To Make Giant Wedding Wreaths (The New Decor Trend) On A Budget

Creating the appropriate lighting mood can make or break your wedding reception. Check out these original ideas to illuminate your wedding!

1Romantic Bistro Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas

Add glam to your reception decor with a mixture of lamps, votives and bistro lights. Notice how the clear tent that covers this patio reflects the market lights’ gleam thus creating a festive and cozy mood. Love how the gold of the candelabra centerpieces and chairs add even more warmth to this romantic bistro wedding reception lightning idea.

As above, so below, the centerpieces and votives match as well. An extremely well orchestrated wedding reception lighting idea. Are you up to the task?

Romantic bistro wedding reception lightning idea.

2Market Lights and Draped Fabric Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas

For a beautifully illuminated decor, hang string lights and draped tulle off the venue’s beams forming an entryway. This is an easy wedding reception lighting idea to implement at any venue with exposed poles, pipes or beams. So, don’t limit yourself to a barn, it could be the perfect idea for the raw space of an industrial venue! Photo by Amy Horn photography.

Market lights and draped fabric wedding reception lighting ideas.

3Candlelight and Chandeliers for Ultra Glam Romance

Yes, your venue has the coolest chandeliers. Then rock your ceremony photography and ambiance by lining up electric candles with the pews. An ultra romantic industrial wedding theme very much on trend.

Candlelight and chandeliers for ultra glam industrial romance.

Check out these 24 Ingenious Ways To Make Candle & Lighted Centerpieces for Wedding Receptions

4Awe-Struck Wedding Reception Tree Lighting Ideas

Swoon-worthy outdoor wedding lighting ideas with romantic fairy lights on trees. Feel like decorating a tree for your wedding reception? How about a couple of them? These inexpensive and gorgeous wedding reception lighting decor ideas will amaze your guests. Remember that you will need a ladder or climbing equipment depending on the tree height. Choose your battles carefully.

Awe-struck wedding reception tree lighting ideas.

5Tented Outdoor Beach Wedding Reception Lighting

If you already have the tented space, hanging some flame retardant fairy-lights will turn your evening into a dream come true. Imagine this setting at any outdoor wedding reception. No main centerpieces are needed if you go for an arrangement of candles and votives.

Tented outdoor beach wedding reception lighting.

6Cheerful Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas

These string lights add happiness and warmth to the space. No need to worry about the heat of the lights against the draped fabric. For a more wintery or foresty feel, mix in some evergreens. This is a wonderful idea to cheer up even the most seriously impressive reception venues.

Cheerful wedding reception lighting ideas for a Virginia wedding. Nessa K Photography.

Ivy and fairylights wedding reception at Great Fosters, Surrey, UK.

7Bring Nature Indoors and Play with Christmas Lights

A tree lined salon wrapped in Christmas lights is an easy and out of the ordinary way to decorate your wedding reception. For an added touch of fun, hang bistro lights and balloons across the room.

Bring nature indoors and play with Christmas lights!

8Creative Ways to Light Your Wedding Reception

This wedding lighting idea is more complex and difficult to execute properly. Many elements need to be setup and complement each other for the perfect lighting mood. Round light balls over the tables, hanging streams of light over the dance floor, lighted centerpieces and bistro lights that tie up the concept.

Creative ways to light your wedding reception.

9Cozy Outdoor Wedding Lighting for a Summer Night

The warm summer breeze and, hopefully, a clear view of the night sky filled with stars, are part of this idyllic landscape. To decorate this almost perfect scenario with lights, use the surrounding trees to hang cable extensions with bulbs and hanging paper balloons. This craft is very economical and easy to do.

Cozy outdoor wedding lighting for a summer night.

10Winter Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas

Cover some branches with string lights to mimic the winter scenery outside. A perfect idea for a lodge wedding. Score additional rustic elegance points with a fireplace. Brinton Studios photography.

Winter wedding reception lighting ideas.

11Cheery and Affordable Wedding Decor Ideas

Does your wedding venue have an upstairs you’d rather cover up? Complement your wedding decoration with lights, hanging paper lanterns and a mixture of natural elements. Quite simple to make, cheery and adorable.

Cheery and affordable wedding decor ideas.

12Beam-y Up, Scottie

Do you have an uncle who has hoarded lights and wires all through his life? Now is the time to tap onto his treasure. Go crazy mixing and matching different size and shape light bulbs around the venue’s beams.

Loft on Lake Weddings.

13Open Flame ok? Candle Lighting Ideas

Groups of glittery candles, an extravagant centerpiece of encased tall candles, or hanging votives are some of the unique and stunning wedding reception lightning ideas you can craft.