Event Lighting Guide — Types, Effects and Hire

Lighting is the single element that most changes the mood of a venue. A room with harsh overhead fluorescents feels like a school hall. The same room with warm fairy lights, uplighters and candles feels intimate and special. Good event lighting does three things: it creates atmosphere, highlights focal points (head table, cake, stage), and ensures guests can see well enough to eat, socialise and move safely.

Fairy lights (also called twinkle lights or string lights) are the most popular decorative lighting for events in Zimbabwe. They work everywhere — draped across ceilings, woven through draping, wound around pillars, hung vertically as a curtain behind the head table, or strung above outdoor dining areas.

Warm white is the standard choice for weddings and most events. Cool white gives a more modern, icy feel. Coloured fairy lights are less common at formal events but can work for themed parties.

Uplighters are floor-standing LED lights placed at the base of walls, pillars or draping. They wash the surface above in colour, creating a dramatic effect with minimal equipment. A row of uplighters around a room can transform a plain hall into a colour-themed venue.

Uplighters are especially useful for corporate events where you want to light the room in brand colours. Most modern uplighters are LED, wireless and battery-powered, so they do not need cabling. See our corporate event planning guide for more on corporate styling.

A chandelier suspended over the dance floor, head table or ceremony space is a statement piece. Crystal chandeliers are the classic choice for weddings. Modern chandeliers with geometric shapes work for contemporary events. Chandeliers with candle-style bulbs give a warm, traditional look.

Hanging chandeliers requires a secure rigging point — either a beam, a truss, or a sturdy tent frame. Your hire company should handle the rigging as part of the installation. If you are setting up in a tent or marquee, read our tent and marquee hire guide for advice on frame requirements.

Festoon lights (also called bistro lights or Edison bulbs) are large-bulb string lights, usually with warm-toned exposed filament bulbs. They give a relaxed, outdoor dining feel and are popular for garden receptions, outdoor bars and covered patios.

They are typically strung above head height in parallel lines or a zigzag pattern across the dining area. Festoon lights work best in the evening and are often combined with fairy lights for variety. For more on outdoor event setup, see our outdoor event planning guide.

Before you finalise your lighting hire, check:

— Power: Does the venue have enough power outlets? Does the lighting require a generator? LED lights use very little power; older incandescent lights use more.
— Rigging points: Where will lights be hung? Tents have frame bars. Indoor venues may have beams or hooks. Your hire company needs to know this to plan the installation.
— Dimming: Can the lights be dimmed? Having the ability to lower the lighting for dancing and raise it for speeches is a big advantage.
— Safety: All electrical work should be done by competent installers. Cables should be secured and kept away from walkways.

At Delightful Events, we install all lighting as part of the hire — no need to arrange a separate electrician. Browse our catalogue or request a quote to get started.