How to create a starry sky with LED lights

The evening wedding is becoming increasingly popular and many dream of an outdoor reception and dinner lit by a starry sky of LED lights. It is certainly very romantic but how is it created and how much can it cost? We'll tell you.

Yes, because we are often asked for a quote for a starry sky without being provided with the necessary data to design the set-up and define the total amount.

1. Starry sky for wedding: where to start?

MISURE

It is important to know the width and length of the starry sky to be realised: the wider it is, the more complex the installation will be.

In this case, it would be better to choose a product with greater extensibility and modularity, which therefore allows the pieces to be assembled at will and with ease.

HEIGHT

A very high ceiling of lights can be realised with fewer LEDs, because the naked eye's perception of the light density changes depending on the distance between us and the starry sky.

CONTEXT

Understanding where the wedding will take place is crucial to selecting the best product from an aesthetic and quality point of view.

Let us consider the colour of the cable, for example: if the starry sky will be realised outdoors in green, it will be preferable to use dark cables, if on the contrary it will be under a white wall or in a light-coloured interior, it will be better to use white or clear cables.

Better steady light or flash? On hearing the flash name many people are horrified because they fear it will be unpleasant. This is because they think of Christmas flashing lights.

Actually, flashes give an even more magical and realistic touch to the wedding setting. In fact, they consist of very few LEDs - the majority have a fixed light - that emit a light shimmer like stars.

Depending on the context, we can then favour or exclude certain types of products on the basis of their technical characteristics: there are locations where it is necessary to use professional lights: for example in marine areas, where saltiness is highly corrosive to cables and LEDs.

It should also be borne in mind that in general, clear cable is more difficult to keep clean and beautiful over time. If left outside for a long time, it can become dirty due to smog, while clear cable tends to yellow.

FUTURE PRODUCT USE

Are you looking for a product for a single event or would you, as a professional, like to invest in a product that you will use frequently for years to come?

In the first case you can choose cheaper series, in the second case we suggest you opt for professional quality series: they are more reliable, resistant and practical to install. Moreover, it is easier to intervene in the event of a defect in an LED or segment by replacing only a small section of cable.

PURPOSE: ILLUMINATE OR DECORATE?

Starry skies made of strings of lights have great decorative impact but are not enough to illuminate a large room. Therefore, use LED strings only when you want atmospheric light and can depend on other light sources designed to illuminate the area effectively.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a product that illuminates and decorates, opt for strings of bulbs with E27 lampholders to which you can connect bulbs of the desired wattage.

Choose for dimmable bulbs if you want to vary the intensity of the starry sky lighting during marriage.

2. Wedding lights for a starry sky effect

STARRY SKY WITH STRINGS OF VINTAGE BULBS

If you want an economical solution and the roof of lights is small, you can consider installing LED light strings of the non-professional series Party Light & Party Light Pro.

These light strings are not suitable for lighting but create a beautiful party atmosphere. They are only suitable for temporary and frequent set-ups: they are made of plastic and are therefore more durable and easier to handle.

The best choice, if you want to illuminate the location, is the professional series VINTAGE LED PRO operating at 230V because it gives you the possibility to create your decoration as you wish: choose metering, bulb and strings model, add multiconnectors, cables and extensions as desired.

If a bulb burns out or breaks, you can replace it without any problems. In addition, it is a modular product that can be extended up to 100 metres and is practical to install.

If low voltage is required, you can use the series of 36v vintage bulbs. Again, you can compose your decoration as you see fit, but the extendibility is less and the bulbs are only replaceable with 36V bulbs (available on our website).

STARRY SKY WITH LED LIGHT STRINGS

If the starry sky for a wedding is very large, it is preferable to use the professional lights for their modularity, extendability and wide range of accessories. The same applies if you anticipate that the light roof will be installed outside for an entire season: choose quality strings that will withstand the weather well.

Among these series we suggest the PML light strings with maxiled and rubber cables: they are professional and can be extended up to 100 m. They operate at 230V, so they should be placed high up and out of reach of people and animals.

A good alternative operating at low voltage is represented by the 24V Professional modular lights  with maxiled and clear or black cable: they are professional, do not have a rubber cable but are resistant to low temperatures and saltiness, and are also cheaper than PML lights.

These too can be extended up to 50 metres, are safe and can be used anywhere without danger. They may, however, be inconvenient to install because each power cable has an integrated transformer.

If the installation is temporary and the size of the starry sky allows it, you may opt for non-professional, non-extendable, but cheaper series.

The most beautiful are undoubtedly the Cluster and Minicluster Lights, unique because they have a huge amount of LEDs concentrated in a small space. The LEDs are almost attached and look in both directions, forming a ribbon of light.

They are really very decorative, you can use them to decorate different spots in the location that you want to highlight.

Miniled strings can be an alternative: the LEDs are small but are approx. 5/6 centimetres apart, they are not extendable but reach considerable lengths. They are good for small to medium-sized skies.

For the starry sky lighting of a wedding these light strings are not always the best option: being very rich in LEDs it is not possible to distribute the lights evenly. It is preferable in this case to use strings with fewer lights and to keep the best distance between them in relation to the height of the starry sky.

As seen above, the height of the starry sky influences our perception of its light density: the higher the height at which it is realised, the smaller the distance between the strings seems to be.

Following this principle we can say that for a roof of lights from 5 to 7 metres in height we can leave an inter-space of about 40/50 centimetres between the LEDs while for a roof of lights from 2.5 to 4 metres in height we should reduce the inter-space to about 20/30 centimetres.

STARRY SKY WITH LIGHT NETS

We are often asked for a quotation for a large starry sky with light nets, and our response generally tends to dissuade the customer from adopting this solution.

Except for a few occasions when it may make sense to use it, creating a starry sky for a wedding with the net lights is not a good solution.

Light Nets are not made customised, they have standard dimensions. This means - in the set-up phase - that you have to adapt to the product. The opposite would be better.

For this we always prefer to use the string lights for outdoor use: we choose them in the necessary length and install them easily because we decide where and how to fix them, how much space to leave between them. In conclusion, they allow for more freedom and are the most versatile.

The roof of lights with light nets loses in beauty as well as practicality: when several nets are connected together, one can perceive the gap between the decorations and the sky looks non-uniform.

An alternative to strings, without resorting to nets, is offered by the Curtain Lights but only if the supporting structure allows it. The tents have downcasts very close together - and it is not possible to distance them - so they are best suited for small starry skies at a height of about 2 metres.

3. How to build a starry sky

Let us imagine that we have to create a starry sky measuring 15 x 20 metres. Ideally, it is best to start with the installation from the shortest side because fewer connections are made that way. It makes sense to use an extendable light string (like a PML string extendable up to 100 metres) with which we can move back and forth.

We recommend never overstretching the strings but to hang them on a nylon lanyard if the set-up is temporary, or steel lanyard if it will last until the end of the season.

We also suggest using multiconnectors, which are very useful when installing lights. Professional series have many of them, we recommend you make the short side with T-connectors.

4. Starry sky cost

It is not possible to predict a cost per metre when it comes to selling because, as you have seen, there are so many factors to evaluate and relate to when drawing up an offer.

The price can vary from a thousand to several thousand euros, depending on the total square metres required and the product chosen.

With regard to the product, we must emphasise that not all light strings are the same. Their price is determined by the length, number and size of the LEDs, the material of the cable and lamp holders, the modularity of the cable, and many other parameters...

5. Starry sky ideas

There are several ways in which you can create a starry sky: remember that you are the one who shapes your idea and that LEDs do not produce excessive heat or burn, so there is nothing to stop you from combining them with tulle and other fine materials to create an even more refined and romantic setting. Click here to discover many more ideas of starry sky for wedding from which you can get inspiration for your next event.