Wedding Uplighting for Cotswold Barns and Country Houses
Uplighting is a set of small lights placed on the floor that wash light up walls, beams and stonework. I use them at weddings, private parties and corporate events. I bring 10 wireless uplighters: they come with my All-day package and can be added to an Evening booking. Once the sun goes down, they let your guests see the room you chose, not just the dance floor.
What does uplighting change in a barn after dark?
It gives the room back its shape. In daylight a barn sells itself: oak trusses, Cotswold stone, a roof that seems to go on for ever. By nine o'clock most of that has gone. Timber and stone soak up light, the house lights only reach so far, and anything outside the dance floor becomes a dark edge with people somewhere in it.
With uplighters at the foot of the walls and beside the main posts, the beams come back into view and you can feel the height of the building again. The corners where guests stand with a drink feel part of the party rather than parked next to it. Photographers tend to like it as well, because the background of an evening shot has some detail in it instead of plain black.
I've written separately about several barns, including Cripps Barn, Lapstone Barn, Old Gore Barn and Ivy Lodge, if you'd like to see how I set up in each one.
See the uplighting
How does uplighting work in a country house?
Lightly. A house already has character in its panelling, fireplaces and plasterwork, and the aim is to lift that after dark, not to turn the drawing room into a nightclub. I use the units where they count, near the dancing and on the features worth seeing, and leave the rest of the room calm. A fireplace glows a little, a run of panelling picks up some depth, and a high ceiling reads properly instead of vanishing.
If a room already looks right with its own lamps lit, I'll tell you. Foxhill Manor and Cowley Manor each have their own page with more about the rooms.
What do you actually bring?
Ten wireless uplighters, which is enough for most of the venues I work in. Because every unit is wireless, nothing runs across the floor for a guest, or someone carrying a tray, to catch a foot on. They sit alongside the rest of my evening kit: the DJ booth, programmed lighting over the dance floor and two wireless LED strips. The uplighters look after the room, and the programmed lights look after the dancing.
I don't go in for elaborate colour schemes. The point is the building.
They're for the evening only. In daylight they barely register, so there's no sense running them through the ceremony or dinner while the sun is still up. They go in as part of my evening setup, at the same time as everything else.
My lighting is programmed with SoundSwitch. Every song has its own light show, set up individually, so there are no random patterns running regardless of the music. I can also set the look of the room before the event, for example a wash of white for your first dance.
Is uplighting included in your packages?
Yes, with All-day. That package starts from £1,750 and includes the 10 uplighters. On the Evening package, from £1,150, they're an optional extra, so ask for a quote and I'll add them in.
Both packages run until midnight. If your venue's licence allows it, you can keep dancing until 1am for an added late-finish fee. My wedding DJ page sets out what each package covers, and the cost guide goes into more detail.
Uplighting isn't only for weddings. I offer it for private parties and corporate events too, so mention it when you get in touch.
When might you not need uplighting?
When the room already looks good after dark. A space lined with windows on a midsummer evening, a ceiling strung with fairy lights, or a house with strong lighting of its own may need nothing extra. I'd rather say so than bring kit for the sake of it.
Some venues also run their own production. Stone Barn and The Gillyflower at Elmore Court both have in-house lighting, so at venues like those I check with the team first and fit around what's already installed.
How do we plan the uplighting together?
Through your planning portal. Anything you'd like me to know about the room goes in there next to your music choices, so it's all in one place and sorted well before the day.
My insurance and PAT certificates are current, and I'm happy to send them to your venue if they ask.
What else do couples ask about uplighting?
Do I need uplighting for my wedding?
Not always. It earns its place in dark barns and big rooms with timber or plain walls once the sun has set. A bright room with lots of windows or fairy lights may be fine without it.
Is uplighting worth it in a barn?
Usually, yes. Timber and stone absorb light, so without uplighters everything beyond the dance floor fades into the dark. With them, the beams and walls stay visible and show up in your evening photos.
How many uplighters do I need?
For most venues, the 10 I bring are plenty. The shape of the room matters more than the headcount, and I put them where they make the biggest difference.
Are uplighters included in your packages?
Yes, with All-day, from £1,750. With the Evening package, from £1,150, they're an add-on, so ask for a quote.
Do you use uplighting during the day?
No. Uplighters make very little difference in daylight, so I use them in the evening only, and they go in with the rest of my evening setup.
Do wireless uplighters need cables?
No cables cross the floor. Each uplighter is wireless, so there's nothing trailing between them for guests to trip over.
Can you uplight any venue?
Most of them. Where a venue has its own in-house lighting, I check with the venue team first and work around what's already there.
More answers in the general FAQ.
Thinking about uplighting for your wedding, party or event?
Send me your date and venue. I'll let you know if I'm free, whether the room would benefit from uplighting, and which package makes most sense.
or use the contact page · email Hello@ARDJ.co.uk
Rated 5.0 from over 120 Google reviews · More than a decade DJing · A resident DJ at Soho Farmhouse and The Fox at Oddington