Fall weddings come with warm colors, cooler nights and an earlier sunset, which means the reception is often dark well before dessert. That makes lighting one of the easiest ways to set the mood. These fall wedding lighting ideas cover color, candlelit-style details, a starry ceiling and your names in light, all with rentals you can set up yourself.

Start with the season and the venue

Autumn brings rich colors and early evenings. In much of the country, the sun sets earlier in autumn, so a 5:00 or 6:00 PM reception may already be in the dark. Plan the lighting for the room after sunset, not for how it looks on your afternoon walk-through.

Think about the venue, too:

• Barns and rustic halls have wood beams, pillars and plank walls that look warm with color washed up them.
• Ballrooms have plain walls and high ceilings, which are a blank canvas for color and a starry sky.
• Restaurants and wineries often have dark wood and low light, so a few focused beams go a long way.

If any part of your celebration is outdoors, ask the team about your setup before you order.

Fall wedding lighting ideas for the walls

Uplights sit on the floor and aim upward, so they highlight walls, backdrops and pillars. Choose any color with the push of a button on a standard uplight, or use the remote that comes with wireless uplights.

For a fall palette, try one of these:

• Amber or soft gold for a candlelit feel that flatters skin tones in photos.
• Deep orange for a harvest look, especially on wood or brick.
• Burgundy or plum for a moody, elegant reception.
• Two colors on alternating lights, such as gold and burgundy, to echo your flowers.

The uplighting page suggests placing uplights 10 feet apart for a beautiful look, or 5 feet apart for a dramatic look. Its cheat sheet suggests 10 uplights for up to 75 guests, 16 for 76 – 150 guests, 24 for 151 – 225 guests, 32 for 226 – 300 guests and 40 for 300+ guests. Our guide to wedding uplighting colors explains how each color changes a room and your photos.

Make the tables glow

Candles are a fall favorite, but many venues limit open flames. Pin spots are small lights that put a focused beam on one thing. The spotlights page suggests them for floral centerpieces, cakes, welcome signs, seating charts and guest books, and recommends 1-2 pin spots for each area that you want to highlight.

A few fall ideas for pin spots:

• Light a centerpiece of sunflowers, dahlias or dried grasses on each table.
• Aim one at the cake. All you need is 1 cake spotlight to make your cake “pop”, and our wedding cake lighting guide covers placement.
• Highlight a welcome sign with pumpkins or gourds at its base, so guests see it as they walk in.

A night sky for an autumn evening

Starry night lighting turns a dark ceiling into a star-filled sky with one compact projector. The special effects page says it is particularly popular for evening events, which makes it a natural fit for a fall reception. Most customers use 2-3 starry night projectors, and the farther away the light is from the wall or ceiling, the larger the area it will cover.

For a harvest moon, add the moon effect light. It creates a realistic, glowing moon on your ceiling or wall and pairs with starry night lighting. Our starry night theme guide has more ideas for a celestial look.

Your names in light

A monogram light uses a gobo projector to shine custom designs, like names, initials, logos or patterns, onto walls, floors, ceilings or backdrops. A monogram on the dance floor or above the head table works well with a fall theme, and you can pick from the catalog or request a custom design. The team emails a preview before shipping, and the light arrives pre-loaded with your design.

The monogram page says the light works with a full lit room, but use it in a dim lit room for best results, which suits a fall evening.

Bundles, delivery and returns

If you would rather order one bundle, the Ultimate Lighting Package on the packages page includes uplighting, a custom monogram light and spotlights. The small size, for up to 75 guests, has 10 uplights, 1 monogram and 1 spotlight. There is no minimum rental order, so you can also rent a few pin spots on their own.

Your rental package will arrive at least two days before your event, and the standard rental period is 5 days. Each rental includes complete setup instructions, and 24/7 phone support is available. Shipping is free both ways within the continental U.S.

After the wedding, repack everything in the boxes it came in, attach the prepaid return labels and take them to a physical FedEx location within two days. Never leave them in a FedEx drop box. You can find more answers on the FAQs page.

The best fall wedding lighting ideas start with warm color on the walls, add a soft glow on the tables and finish with stars overhead. Pick two or three of these ideas, and your reception will feel as cozy as the season.

FAQ

Can we change the uplight colors during the reception?

Yes. Standard uplights change color with a button on the light, and wireless uplights with a remote, so you can move from a dinner color to something brighter for dancing.

How many pin spots should each centerpiece get?

The spotlights page recommends 1-2 pin spots for each area that you want to highlight. For a cake, all you need is 1 cake spotlight.

Can uplights light the beams and pillars in a rustic venue?

Yes. Uplights are placed on the floor and aimed upward, which highlights walls, backdrops and pillars. Wood beams and plank walls take color well.

People Also Ask

What are fall colors for a wedding?

Popular fall wedding palettes use warm tones such as burnt orange, rust and mustard, often with deep green or plum as an accent. Many couples echo the palette in their flowers and repeat one or two of the colors in the uplighting.

What are good fall wedding decor ideas?

Use seasonal flowers like sunflowers and dahlias, add pumpkins or gourds to the welcome table, choose warm uplight colors and light the centerpieces with pin spots so they glow after sunset.