Lighting, Draping & Dancefloor Wraps, Oh My!

Yes these are “expensive” additions to the wedding and no they’re not necessarily a “necessity” but they are very trendy. It’s all about wants versus needs and if the vendor is seeming too good to be true then they most probably are so don’t waste the money. “Too good to be true” meaning they’re quoting a quarter of the price compared to other vendors and they have less than 10 reviews online. There’s a high risk of hiring these types of vendors, and it’s not always a complete poop show but it usually is so do not place all of your eggs into that one basket.

Lighting

 The “elevate your space” category is what I like to call them.

Basically you booked your venue but you want to add a little dazzle to the room. The best way to add dazzle is lighting. Lighting, lighting, lighting, that’s what it all comes down to. If you have an outdoor venue, look into string lights or pixie lights. If any portion of your wedding is outdoor and it’s dark out, think about the string light option (if you have room in the budget for it). It’s a want not a “need” but it’s so pretty. Always make sure to have sufficient lighting in areas that guests walk around aka the bar, the walkway to the bathroom, the dance floor, the walkway to the car and any pathways. Outdoor weddings tend to get really dark at night so intelligent lighting and landscape lighting might be a factor needed especially with a drinking crowd or older crowd. Also if you want to illuminate your centerpieces, pin spot lighting is where it’s at. If you have no idea what I’m talking about? Well definitely speak to your florist and/or venue for the necessary lighting, it really does matter at the end of the day.

 And no matter where the wedding is located, uplights are essential. I always recommend adding uplights to the budget and the most budget friendly way would be through your DJ...but if it’s possible to go through a lighting company or your florist then definitely consider that option since it’s most likely to match your wedding florals/style.

 Uplights really create the ambiance to the room and can really detractthe eyes from the carpet if that is a concern. ONE ITEM TO REMEMBER IS TO MAKE SURE THE UPLIGHTS ARE WIRELESS. If they charge you extra for the uplights to be wireless, try to negotiate, you don’t want all of these wires in the room and potential falling hazards. And don’t forget to suggest a walk through with your lighting person or florist so they can recommend lighting suggestions accordingly.

 FUN VENUE FACT: If your venue has lights on dimmers, ask them to dim the lights initially then completely black them out once the dancing really begins, it really creates the vibe.

 Draping

 Draping looks amazing in tents or even ballrooms that want to basically detract the wedding guests’ eyes from the venue walls or even the carpets. We drape the whole ballroom if we don’t like the walls and we add some “swagged” draping to create some depth. Some venues are really strict about the draping and require the drape to be flame-retardant just in case a fire marshal shows up (meaning that’s a lot more $$) so please be sure to clarify with your venue coordinator. Also don’t forget to drape any types of stages you might have...aka the arch/ chuppah or band stage or any types of stages. If you have draping in the room, you should have draping on your stage to go with the overall aesthetics of the room. This whole category is based on if you have it in the budget, if you don’t then don’t worry about it, it will all look great because any background is perfect when you marry your best friend.

Dancefloor Wraps

 Oh man what a big trend right now. Dancefloor wraps have grown exponentially in popularity over the past ten years and let me assure you that it costs quite high to put sticky vinyl over the dancefloor. Be mentally prepared for this cost if you really want it and if you have a room flip for the ceremony (changing ceremony room into reception room), it might cost even more because dancefloor wraps typically take about 3-4 hours to set up. Also, please be sure to use a reputable dancefloor wrap company because there are companies out there that ruin dancefloors and thus you are financially liable for the damage! Lastly, if you are having your wedding at an outdoor venue and the flooring is not leveled (on the same level usually because it’s outside), then you might have to look into a dancefloor and flooring for the grass but if it’s out of budget, then see what your options are to avoid not leveled floors.

Items to Confirm on Your Lighting, Draping and Dancefloor Wrap Contracts

• Date, locations
• Lighting style/color and area dimensions
• Draping style/color and room/stage dimensions
• Dance floor wrap style/color and dance floor size
• Timing for delivery/setup and breakdown and that fees associated are included in the price (including early/late setup/breakdown fees if applicable)
• Name of person who will be present during setup.
• If you want them to stay throughout the day/night to ensure the safety of their items, be sure fee is included in contact
• Note that they carry liability insurance
• Latest date to make changes
• What occurs if any items are damaged
• Payment schedule
• Cancellation policy

Fun Fact, This Is A Portion Of Our Wedding Planning Ebook! To Learn About The Ebook Please Click Here and To Download The First Three Preview Chapters, Please CLICK HERE