Do It Yourself Wedding Uplighting

Do It Yourself Wedding Uplighting

Do It Yourself Wedding Uplighting
Uplighting is a great way to create depth, interest, and drama for your event by literally painting your event space with light. You can turn an ordinary boxy event space into a truly unique and vibrant entertaining space.
Uplighting is one of the most cost effective ways to decorate for your special event.
Often it makes sense to hire a company to do this for you, but if you have a do-it-yourself streak, here is a basic guide, list of materials, and places to buy the lights required to create do it yourself uplighting.

Do It Yourself Uplighting is Great For...

If you have a smaller event, know the specific effect you are going for, have a lot of friends to help, and don't mind buying and storing bulky equipment, doing it yourself might be a great option. The biggest costs associated with most uplighting jobs are equipment, labor, and insurance. Doing it yourself can cut down on those costs.

Do It Yourself Uplighting is Not a Good Idea For...

If you have a large room (greater than 30x30), don't have a place to store all the equipment, don't have the time or patience to learn about lighting, or need any more variables on a very hectic day of your life where everything needs to be perfect:) While it may seem easy enough, the unknown, things breaking and not functioning correctly is almost a given for any event. If you aren't ok dealing with that, it might make sense to hire a special event lighting company.



Types of Lights
There are basically two types of uplights, PAR cans and LED lights. This article we'll focus on traditional PAR cans.

PAR Cans

"PAR Cans" have been the standard to create uplighting. PAR stands for Parabolic Aluminized Reflector, each light has a high powered light bulb in front of a reflector or mirror that concentrates the light. They are sold in various sizes indicated by their opening size. Par 64, Par 56, Par 48, Par 36 are common sizes. If you take the number of the light divided by 8, you get the light diameter.
These are bright white lights. To give them color you need a "gel' or colored plastic film placed over the light, held in a frame.
Traditional PAR Can lighting Pros:

• Cheap
• Easy setup
• Basic knowledge required to setup and use, just plug in
• Easy to find, almost always in stock

Traditional PAR Can lighting Cons:

• Very hot, a burning smell generally occurs the first time you use them. If new, leave them on for a couple of hours before your event so they won't smell day of (in a well ventilated room)
• Colors limited to the gels used
• Can't control brightness dynamically without dimmer controllers (extra cost)
• Bulbs burnout, break, pop, fizzle
• Need adequate space to setup
• Need outlets nearby each fixture
• Need multiple circuits to run many lights

PAR Can Packages
We've put together a few PAR can packages for options, we've included links where you can buy each package they include just about everything you need to get started. They are listed strongest to weakest in for light output.

PAR 64 Package - The second best uplighting light. Everything you need to get started, this is suited for large rooms or where you need a lot of light.



PAR 56 Package - This is the best uplighting light. A great uplighting package, good amount of light, not too overpowering, and a good size.



PAR 36 Package - Good for targeted, focused lighting, does not provide large washes but is very compact. Think of a high powered flashlight; a narrow, intense beam of light (not a general wash of color or light). Produces a good amount of light, appropriate for small parties or highlighting parts of the room (cake, plants, ice sculpture lighting.)

 


 Uplighting Bases
Uplighting bases hold the light upright and keep them from tipping over. You need to have these to do any kind of uplighting, otherwise your very hot light will tip over and not stand up.
These bases can be hard to find, we've found you can buy uplighting basses through Amazon. You screw the bottom of the par can into the base using the arm that is included with PAR can light and the bases stabilize the light so it can stay adequately cooled and upright.
Another option is to make your own out of plywood, screws and bolts. It can be time consuming so it may make sense to buy these instead of creating them yourself. Depends on the amount of time you would want to put in.

Extension Cords

For each light plan on getting a 15ft-25ft extension cord. Black is the best color as it hides and blends into most carpets. Grab a few power strips and extra cords just to be safe.



Gaffers Tape
Do It Yourself Wedding Uplighting
Uplighting is a great way to create depth, interest, and drama for your event by literally painting your event space with light. You can turn an ordinary boxy event space into a truly unique and vibrant entertaining space.
Uplighting is one of the most cost effective ways to decorate for your special event.
Often it makes sense to hire a company to do this for you, but if you have a do-it-yourself streak, here is a basic guide, list of materials, and places to buy the lights required to create do it yourself uplighting.

Do It Yourself Uplighting is Great For...

If you have a smaller event, know the specific effect you are going for, have a lot of friends to help, and don't mind buying and storing bulky equipment, doing it yourself might be a great option. The biggest costs associated with most uplighting jobs are equipment, labor, and insurance. Doing it yourself can cut down on those costs.

Do It Yourself Uplighting is Not a Good Idea For...

If you have a large room (greater than 30x30), don't have a place to store all the equipment, don't have the time or patience to learn about lighting, or need any more variables on a very hectic day of your life where everything needs to be perfect:) While it may seem easy enough, the unknown, things breaking and not functioning correctly is almost a given for any event. If you aren't ok dealing with that, it might make sense to hire a special event lighting company.



Types of Lights
There are basically two types of uplights, PAR cans and LED lights. This article we'll focus on traditional PAR cans.

PAR Cans

"PAR Cans" have been the standard to create uplighting. PAR stands for Parabolic Aluminized Reflector, each light has a high powered light bulb in front of a reflector or mirror that concentrates the light. They are sold in various sizes indicated by their opening size. Par 64, Par 56, Par 48, Par 36 are common sizes. If you take the number of the light divided by 8, you get the light diameter.
These are bright white lights. To give them color you need a "gel' or colored plastic film placed over the light, held in a frame.
Traditional PAR Can lighting Pros:

• Cheap
• Easy setup
• Basic knowledge required to setup and use, just plug in
• Easy to find, almost always in stock

Traditional PAR Can lighting Cons:

• Very hot, a burning smell generally occurs the first time you use them. If new, leave them on for a couple of hours before your event so they won't smell day of (in a well ventilated room)
• Colors limited to the gels used
• Can't control brightness dynamically without dimmer controllers (extra cost)
• Bulbs burnout, break, pop, fizzle
• Need adequate space to setup
• Need outlets nearby each fixture
• Need multiple circuits to run many lights

PAR Can Packages
We've put together a few PAR can packages for options, we've included links where you can buy each package they include just about everything you need to get started. They are listed strongest to weakest in for light output.

PAR 64 Package - The second best uplighting light. Everything you need to get started, this is suited for large rooms or where you need a lot of light.



PAR 56 Package - This is the best uplighting light. A great uplighting package, good amount of light, not too overpowering, and a good size.



PAR 36 Package - Good for targeted, focused lighting, does not provide large washes but is very compact. Think of a high powered flashlight; a narrow, intense beam of light (not a general wash of color or light). Produces a good amount of light, appropriate for small parties or highlighting parts of the room (cake, plants, ice sculpture lighting.)

 


 Uplighting Bases
Uplighting bases hold the light upright and keep them from tipping over. You need to have these to do any kind of uplighting, otherwise your very hot light will tip over and not stand up.
These bases can be hard to find, we've found you can buy uplighting basses through Amazon. You screw the bottom of the par can into the base using the arm that is included with PAR can light and the bases stabilize the light so it can stay adequately cooled and upright.
Another option is to make your own out of plywood, screws and bolts. It can be time consuming so it may make sense to buy these instead of creating them yourself. Depends on the amount of time you would want to put in.

Extension Cords

For each light plan on getting a 15ft-25ft extension cord. Black is the best color as it hides and blends into most carpets. Grab a few power strips and extra cords just to be safe.