How Many Up Lights Is Enough?

By far, one of the most popular questions I get about up lighting is “how many up lights is enough for my event?”. This can be a very difficult question to answer because there is no right or wrong answer.

My recommendation is to space each light approximately 6′ to 12′ feet apart. Each light is going to illuminate roughly a 3-4 foot area of wall (width). The more lights you use means the closer you can put them together and the more color, light, and brightness you’ll get.

 

A guide for some common uses:

An “up lighting” effect can really set the mood at weddings and other special events! Light up the whole room for a dramatic and elegant effect. For a 100-300 person wedding, you’re looking at 16-30 lights.

Lighting stages for dance recitals, music performances, bands, comedy shows, and small concerts is very popular. If you’re looking to light a small to average sized stage, Somewhere in the range of 4-12 lights should do the trick.

Another common use for LED lighting is businesses who want to showcase their area at trade shows. A business may get a 6 or 8 foot table sized area to showcase at an event. 2-4 lights would add a nice attention-grabbing effect for a very affordable cost.

 
Questions to ask yourself to help determine how many to use:

1) Do you want to light the whole room or just a specific area?
If you’re trying to stick to a budget, keep in mind that you don’t have to light the entire room to get a cool effect. Maybe focus your lighting on just 1 wall? Or just specific areas? Or just use a couple as a nice accent effect. Lots of possibilities – get creative! 🙂

2) How big is the room?
You don’t have to break out the tape measure or figure out the exact square footage, just take into consideration what you are lighting. Is it a high school gym that can pack in 2,000 students? Is it a banquet room hosting a wedding for 200-300 guests? One room at a private residence where you plan to have a dinner for 10-20 of your closest friends? The bigger the room – the more lights you’ll need.

3) Are you looking to wash the entire room with color, or are you envisioning more of an accent effect?
Again, more lights means you can put them closer together which gives off more glow.