Special Effects Ideas for Weddings

For a wedding unlike any other, with falling snow in summertime, spectacular lighting or explosions of brilliance, you need special effects. Get ready to be inspired by some real magic for the ultimate wedding experience and photos.
If you thought large or colourful special effects ideas for weddings would cost the earth then you could be pleasantly surprised. Hiring in the experts or even doing it yourself can be easily affordable, and your effects will be remembered for years to come.

Light Projectors

     

Lighting makes such a difference to your wedding, particularly once evening falls. Special lighting effects can be created indoors or outdoors with colours, shapes and movement of magic starlight or rainbow designs.

Fireworks Displays

 

Fireworks make a show-stopping finale to any wedding, and when it comes to a display it’s well worth hiring the experts in. Light up your venue and its grounds as well as the night sky for colourful special effects young and old will love.

Snow Machines

 

Create a winter wedding wonderland of falling snow flurries and pretty white trees with a snow machine, whatever the weather. A snowy landscape certainly adds to a magical fairytale theme and your guests will delight in the brilliance of pretty snow that’s not even cold! Snow machines with realistic snowing effects, like the ones below, are lots of fun and this is a great special effect for your wedding, whatever the time of year.

Bubble Machines

Bubbles are a pretty alternative to throwing confetti at most modern weddings. Create thousands of bubbles at the touch of a button with a bubble machine to blow perfect rainbow tinted bubbles across the aisle for the entrance of the bride, or fill the dance floor or outdoor grounds with delicate, floating beauty.
A useful and silent distraction for small children during the ceremony, tiny decorative bottles of bubble mix can also be left on reception tables as favours for every guest.

Confetti Cannons

Create an explosion of colour at your wedding, indoors or outside, with confetti cannons. Just check that you’re allowed to at your venue before firing.

Smoke Machines

 

Smoke machines and dry ice add a romantic feel to your late evening reception and the effect is actually very easy to achieve. Misty, foggy smoke with clever back lighting can also create amazing wedding photography – the kind of artistic images you would have blown up to adorn the walls of your home for years to come.

Written by Kate Thompson
 Kate Thompson is an editor and wedding expert, and has worked in the wedding industry for 15 years. A widely published lifestyle writer, she has made BBC television and radio appearances discussing wedding trends in the UK.