37 Beautiful Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas

Weddings are full of fun and enjoyment from start to finish, but often decorating can get overwhelming. String lights of all types and sizes can make any decorating style look more beautiful and welcoming. From party lights to fairy lights to mini lights, there are some wonderful ways that you can light up your reception area, whether it is in a formal space, like a banquet hall, or a more casual space, like a barn. Take a note from these 37 wedding reception lighting ideas to inspire your own decorating.

1. Highlight the Tent

If you are using a tent for your wedding reception, it doesn’t have to just be left alone. By taking string lights and highlighting the tent, including the pitch and more, you can turn the tent into a beautiful space that will make your reception brighter and more beautiful.

2. Barn Weddings With Lights

Even a rustic barn can be enhanced and made even more spectacular with the right set of string lights. These lights are hung to show off the rafters and roof line to create a beautiful setting for your reception and dancing.

3. Formal Decorating With String Lights

The tulle and chandelier are the perfect settings for some string lights. They make the space look even more opulent and will light up the sky during the evening.

4. Create a Roof Line

Delineate your space by using string lights. This is the perfect example of making any space perfect for that outdoor wedding reception or other event.

5. Tulle and Light Curtain

Hang the tulle and then let the lights string down to the floor. They highlight the tulle and offer a beautiful backdrop for your wedding reception or even wedding.

6. Lines of Lights

The beauty of these lines of lights is unmatched. They line up perfectly with the middle of the tables to create a more elegant look without having to completely change out the whole room. This is a very simple approach that can make a huge impact.

7. Create the Illusion of a Tent

Create the illusion of a tent with some simple draping highlighted by lines of drop lights. These drop lights focus the light in specific areas to highlight the draping and add a gorgeous detail.

8. Make the Most of What You Have

I love the way that the tree is brought into the rest of the decorating plan, simply by draping it with lights around the trunk. Make the most of the details you have by hanging or draping lights, whether you use party lights, mini lights, or drop lights.

9. An Open Air Tent Effect

By using string lights, you can create the tenting effect in an amazing way without blocking off the night sky. This is a great way to enjoy nature and allow your guests to dance under the stars.

10. Draping Party Lights Indoors

A glamorous effect is found with this beautiful addition of party lights in a less than glamorous setting. Even though the ceiling is wood planked, the lights make this much more formal and perfect for a wedding reception.

11. White String Lights Add Beauty and Style

This outdoor wedding reception features bold, white tablecloths and chair cushions with bright, springy flowers. The white line string lights add more beauty and brings in the space to ensure that it feels cozy and welcoming to everyone.

12. Bathed In Light

This is an amazing backdrop for pictures, a cake cutting, or the wedding ceremony. Lights hidden behind a transparent screen can make the shine even brighter and bolder.

13. Nature At Its Best

When you are having an outdoor reception, you want to make the most of the natural details. The string lights draped on the trees highlight the candles on the table to add more light and shine.

14. Simple and Beautiful

This is a beautiful and simple look that consists of tulle and string lights simply strung from one side to the other. Even a few strings of lights and a few yards of tulle can bring great beauty in a gorgeous and romantic way.

15. Light Up the Walls

This is such an easy way to make a huge impact on the room. String lights from the ceiling down the walls to make the room even more breathtaking and welcoming.

16. Flag Down Those Lights

This rustic look that includes draping of flags are highlighted with the party lights that are hanging in the middle of the drapes. These highlight the colors in the flags and add a bit of brightness to the outdoor structure.

17. Golden Hues of Lights

The warm white of these light strings and holispheres highlight the golden tones that are used throughout the decorating. From the tablecloths to the centerpieces and more, the lights only serve to enhance the opulent feel of the rest of the decorating.

18. Hide Them under the Table

The translucent factor of the fabric that covers the table allows for the light to shine through in a very beautiful way. Make a gorgeous statement with this look for your wedding reception, whether a formal affair or a more casual one.

19. Wall of Light

This fabric and string light wall is simple to recreate and can hide an area of the room that you do not want seen or it can help delineate a large room.

20. Elegance With Lighting

This area features a beautiful chandelier that is enhanced by the string lights. It gives a grand effect that shows off the room and offers a beautiful setting for your wedding reception.

21. Outdoor Party Reception

If you are having your wedding reception outdoors, this more casual approach to decorating can give your tent light and add a bit of fun and festivity.

22. Rustic Wedding Reception

A more rustic wedding reception using branches and natural materials can be amped up a bit with the addition of string lights. These string lights are wound into the branches to give them more visual interest and appeal.

23. Party Lights and Lanterns

This barn is made even more welcoming and fun with the party lights and lanterns string from side to side and down the columns. Perfect dance floor for the newlyweds and for their guests.

24. Winter Wonderland

Pure white drop lights strung from carefully placed lines can make a big statement that brings in the beauty of winter. This look makes any space look more welcoming and makes a gorgeous statement.

25. Winter Forest

The trees are made part of the decorating with the string lights carefully placed throughout and the blue spotlights on the trees. This is a very special look that can be the beautiful setting that you are looking for in your wedding reception.

26. Draping With Light

No matter what room that you are in, you can give it more light and beauty with the draping of light strings. These beautiful G12 lights can beautify any space for your wedding party.

27. Fabric and Light Beauty

Choose fabric that will allow light to show through and then drape it from rafters. Line that drape with string lights and it will light up the fabric when the lights are dim.

28. Party Light Curtain

A curtain of party lights can be a great way to add a bit of light and shine to any wall or other area. Choose a shinier background and you will have even more sparkle and shine from the party lights.

29. Arch of Light and Branches

Make a rustic statement at the entrance of the reception location with branches and string lights. This is the perfect way to welcome your guests to your wedding reception event.

30. Festive and Fun Lighting

Clear light strings with colored lanterns can make any area more fun and festive. If you want to move away from the more formal look for your wedding reception and have a bit of color, this is a beautiful way to add in lighting and enhance the colors. You could even use colored lights.

31. White and Wonderful

The string lights that make up the “ceiling” of this beautiful wedding decorating plan only serve to make the rest of the decorating pop. With the white details and chandelier, they make a gorgeous backdrop.

32. Ribbon and Lights

Another option to add color to your wedding reception is by adding thick ribbon draping and string lights to the ceiling. This gives a more closed in feel that will make the room feel cozier and more welcoming.

33. The Magic of Fairy Lights

Add the magic of fairy lights to your wedding reception by grouping them in glass jars, vases, or other pieces. The fairy lights make a great centerpiece for your table or you can hang these pieces from trees or other structures.

34. Hula Hoop Chandelier and Party Lights

Use drop lights and a hula hoop to create a DIY chandelier and add more ambiance with the party lights that are draped from side to side.

35. Drop the Party Lights

Party lights are a great choice for most any party and these dropped party lights can be a great choice for your outdoor wedding reception. With their simple appeal, they can be used in a formal or casual decorating plan to add light and a bit of artistry to your site.

36. Wrapping the Trees

If you want to add some brilliance to the trees at your outdoor wedding reception, wrap the trees. These string lights can make a big impact to ensure that everyone enjoys the charm of the entire property.

37. Make Any Space Usable

Even a large yard can be made usable for your wedding reception with a careful application of party lights. They can line off a space for your sit down meal or for your dancing under the stars.

String lights, whether you use the mini ones or the party lights, can make a big statement for your wedding reception, whether indoors or outdoors. If you want to amp up the decorating impact, lights are the perfect way to do so.