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String Lights vs Uplighting

String lights hang overhead and create a warm, glowing ceiling, ideal for tents, patios and backyards. Uplights sit on the floor and wash walls or columns with colour, ideal for ballrooms, lofts and halls with walls worth lighting. Many events use both: string lights for the canopy, uplights for walls and the bar.

Bistro string lights hang suspended from black posts over a lavish floral table runner, illuminating laughing guests at an elegant outdoor tented wedding reception decorated with crystal chandeliers — Option A
String lights
From $82.50 per 100 ft (estimate)

A Wireless LED uplight placed on the floor illuminates a flower-draped architectural pillar, adding warm ambient glow to an elegant, chandelier-lit ballroom wedding reception — Option B
Uplights
From $38.50 each

Side by side

String lights vs Uplights

String lights compared with Uplights
Feature	String lights	Uplights
Where	Overhead: tents, patios, yards	Floor level: walls, columns, trees
Mood	Warm, cosy, bistro glow	Bold colour washes, room transformation
Colour	Usually warm white	Usually any colour
Power	Needs power at the end of each run	Battery-powered models need no cords
How many	Feet of strand for your space	About one every 6-10 ft of wall
Rental price	See the string lights price	See the uplights price

Prices are based on local rental companies' published rates plus our booking fee. Your final quote is confirmed by the rental company for your date and venue.

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Choose a string lights if…

You're outdoors or under a tent
You want a cosy, overhead glow
There's no wall to light

Choose a uplights if…

You're in a ballroom, hall or loft
You want your colours on the walls
Power outlets are scarce (battery uplights)

In detail

What to think about

How much you need

String lights are measured in feet and depend on the pattern you hang them in. Uplights depend on how much wall you want to wash. The lighting calculator works out both for your space.

Power and setup

String lights need a power source where each run ends, which affects where they can go in a tent or yard. Battery-powered uplights can sit anywhere, which makes them easy to place around a room. Tell your rental company where outlets are.

Run your numbers

String light and uplight calculator: Feet of string lights for a tent, patio or backyard canopy, and how many uplights.
Tent size calculator: Square feet for seating, dancing, bar and buffet, matched to standard tent sizes.

Questions

FAQ

Can I use uplights outdoors?

Many can light trees, walls and tent sides outdoors. Check with your rental company about weather protection.

When do lights turn on?

Plan for them to be on before sunset. Check the sunset time on your date, especially in fall and winter.

How many uplights for a ballroom?

It depends on the wall length and the look. Spacing one every 6 to 10 feet is a common approach; the calculator lets you set it.

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Guests mingle and enjoy drinks served from an elegant bar and champagne wall surrounded by lush florals inside a luxurious, chandelier-lit tented wedding reception