Last Edited 4th November 2025
What Lighting Options Do I Have for my Event? In a Clearspan/Framed Marquee
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Let’s discuss what lighting options you have in your marquee. Marquee lighting is what would take an average looking venue to putting your guests in total amazement of what your marquee looks like. We want to make sure that your marquee looks incredible, and marquee lighting does just that. The moment your friends and family walk in, we want to make them go, “Wow! This looks fantastic. This looks amazing.” Here’s my introduction to the different types of marquee lighting that’s available to you that you may need.
LED Uplighting
First up are LED uplighters. They sit on the floor and they shine light upwards. Their light reflects off the sidewall and the roof linings. They can be either static and set to one particular colour, or they can change colour in time with the music too. The static colour set the mood and the feel of your marquee and are perfect for all events. If you’re planning on having a dance floor at one end of the marquee and you want a bit more of a lively atmosphere, setting them so they change colour in time with the music works wonders to create that sort of nightclub vibe. If you’re looking for more of a classy finish, having the uplighters even just set to a white works really well too.
Same marquee, different colour. The difference that LED uplighters can make to set the right atmosphere
LED Fairy Lighting
Next up are LED fairy lights. LED fairy lights work really well for daytime and especially for evening events. We also do have linings called starlight linings, which have these lights already built into them. If your event is in the daytime, I would suggest fairy lights over uplighters, as they do tend to stand out a little bit better.
LED Fairy Lighting is highly recommended for marquees with transparent roofs.
LED Fairy Lighting in the ceilings really help to finish off the look of a marquee
LED Fairy Lighting in marquees with clear roofs is always high up on our list of recommendations!
5 Arm Chandeliers
Next up are chandeliers. The chandeliers are timeless. They’re perfect for more formal seated events, such as weddings and Asian weddings and large-scale events. They can be turned off or dimmed should you want a bit more of a darker atmosphere later on into the event too.
12 Arm Crystal Affect Chandeliers
The 12 Arm chandeliers provide a more premium overhead lighting finish
Pin Spot Lighting
If you’d like a slightly cleaner look – pinspot lights might be a better alternative to chandeliers. These small lights shine lights directly on the tables. They tend to work better for larger hundred-plus seats events because they can look quite overpowering in small marquees.
Nightclub Lighting Systems
If you wanted more nightclub lighting, we can fit moving heads, gobo lights and the downbar lighting sets over the dance floor for a professional nightclub finish, which will recreate the ultimate nightclub vibe – perfect for birthday parties and weddings. They’re hung over the dance floor and react in time with the music. A more complex lighting rigging systems for corporate events and luxury birthday parties can go one stage further, adding in a lighting desk and a technician to focus and create the very best lighting set that we can make to make your event incredible.
Nightclub lighting systems make a real difference to the final look of your marquee
Festoon Lighting
Festoon Lighting is a fantastic way to light up external areas such as chillout areas, pathways and also help create a visual perimeter to “pen” guests in certain areas which work really work well in large areas or fields.
If you’d like more inspiration on marquee lighting head over to our lighting page right here
Sailcloth Lighting Options
We would always recommend to start with LED Fairy Lighting inside a Saillcoth, and supplement it with some LED Uplighting around the perimeter. LED Fairy Lighting isn’t enough on their own when it’s dark inside a Sailcloth.
We find in our experience this provides better lighting atmosphere compared to hanging festoon lighting overhead, which does create a harsh light during the evening time of your event.
LED Fairy Lighting inside with LED Uplighting works best for Sailcloth events
Festoon Lighting can also be hung as an alternative (cheaper cost option) however they are very bright during the evening and due to the bulbs being LED, are unable to be dimmed.
External Festoon Lighting Above Sailcloth
For a real showstopper look, adding external Festoon Lighting about the structure really finishes off the beautiful Sailcloth look well.
Get an Online Quote within 60 Seconds!
Our online quote calculator will work out what size you need for your event, you can choose your interior options and you’ll get your quote emailed & Whatsapped to you within 60 seconds.
You’d like to discuss your lighting options for your event, then please call my team at 01462 262011 now, and we can start planning your perfect event.
