FAQs

We recommend reserving your party lights as soon as possible, but at least one month in advance, or more during peak seasons, to ensure availability. Last minute rentals may be possible depending on our schedule, so please do get in touch with your requirements and we’ll try our utmost to accommodate you.

All booking cancellations are considered on an individual basis, so if you need to cancel your party light hire, please let us know as soon as possible.

Party Lights are based in Reading, Berkshire, RG5 4LY. For full details on our address and how to get in touch, please visit our contact page.

For lighting hire, we cover most of the south of England. We regularly hire lighting across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Greater London, and work with established venues like Loseley Park, Great Fosters Hotel, Wasing Park and Norton Park Hotel, as well as many Harper Weddings venues. 

Initially we need to know what date you want and where the venue is located.

For venues where we are a recommended supplier we usually have a price list of the popular items we supply there and we can send this over to you. However if you have seen something that you like the look of, just send us that picture and ask, how much to do this!

For other venues we need to see a picture of the room/area concerned along with a brief description of what you would like to achieve.

We can do if we feel it’s needed, or if you want us to.

We do charge for site visits, this cost will depend on the location, but all the costs incurred by site visits are deducted from the overall cost, if a booking goes ahead.

We do offer some of our more robust items on a diy basis.

We offer a wide range of indoor and outdoor party lights to suit any event, from weddings to corporate functions. Whether you’re looking for a fairy light canopy, festoons lights, paper lanterns, flambeaux or anything in between, we’ve got you covered. In particular, we have an extensive range of wedding lighting to add magic, sparkle and romance to your special day.

If you’d like to hire lighting for a venue we haven’t worked with before, we may need to see some pictures of the space before quoting. This is simply so we can begin planning and suggest which lighting would work best. For our regular venues, we know them well, so we can suggest ideas and quote a price without pictures. 

To give you a price, we need to know the venue of your event and what date you’re planning.

If your event is at one of our regular venues where we are a recommended supplier, we usually have a price list of popular lighting that works well in the space. However, if you have any special requests or new ideas you’d like to try, just send us a picture. We’ll endeavour to make it happen and give you a price. 

For other venues, it’s helpful to see pictures of the room/area concerned along with a brief description of what you would like to achieve. We can then put together some ideas and a price.

The cost of lights for a wedding varies significantly. Some wedding planners choose cheaper options, while others may want something more luxurious, so the cost can range from hundreds to thousands

We can offer wedding lighting for all budgets and every quotation is specially prepared for your special day. No matter what you decide, we have options to create a stunning backdrop for a unique and unforgettable wedding.

Yes, we require you to pay a deposit of 50% to secure your lighting on the required date.

We can supply a copy VAT invoice whenever required, please just let us know.

With some of our more robust items like Festoon or Fairy lights, installation is optional. If you would like to set up and take down the lighting yourself, please let us know when you enquire.

Alternatively, we can come to your venue to set up all the lighting for you, ensuring your venue looks fantastic and that you have one less thing to worry about! 

Lighting can take between 20 minutes and 4 hours to set up, depending on which options you choose. The size of the venue, the type of fixtures and the number of lights will all influence how long set up takes. Once we have finalised your lighting choice, we can give an estimate of set up time to help with planning. 

We would normally come back to take the lighting down the following morning. However, if you need it taken down that same evening, we would be happy to arrange this for you also.

Ideally, we would install the lighting the day before your event to ensure that everything is in place and ready for you. However, we appreciate that this isn’t always possible, especially during peak season. We will liaise with the venue on a booking-by-booking basis to arrange access and keep you updated with the details.

Yes, our lights come with a 6-12 month warranty depending on the item.

In the unlikely event that any of the item(s) you receive are faulty or damaged, please notify us within 14 days of receiving the goods and we will rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Please find full details of our returns policy here.

Our delivery policy is to dispatch all orders within 2 working days of the order being placed. Orders are sent via Royal Mail First Class. Please note that this refers to shipments to mainland UK only.

We’re happy to arrange next day collection from our site in Berkshire, however, despatching by courier takes 2 days to deliver.

Here at Party Lights, we do our utmost to ensure that the lights you receive are in perfect working condition. However, if any of the item(s) you receive are faulty, damaged or incorrect, please notify us within 14 days of receiving the goods and we will rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Please find full details of our returns policy here.

If any of the item(s) you receive are faulty, please notify us within 14 days of receiving the goods and we will rectify the situation as quickly as possible. Please find full details of our returns policy here.

LED lights last long and are more energy efficient, so almost all lighting is now LED, including fairy lights.

There’s no difference between fairy lights and string lights, they are simply different terms for the same type of lighting.

It’s difficult to say which type of fairy lights are best as it comes down to personal choice. Functionally, all fairy lights use LEDs and therefore, perform equally. Aesthetically, you have options to choose from to create the best fairy lights for your event or venue. For example, fairy lights come in warm white or bright white light with different coloured strings for different applications. They can also be standard string fairy lights or you can team them with drapes and create canopies or curtains – the choice is yours.

When we install our lighting, we ensure all bulbs are working correctly and it’s extremely rare for LED bulbs to ‘fail’.

How you light up events and wedding receptions depends on the venue and the atmosphere you’d like to create. We have a wide range of lights to choose from, whether you’re looking for traditional fairy lights or something more dramatic like a fairy light curtain. Our team will work with you to create the perfect look, whether you’re after a subtle ambient glow or want to wow your guests with an extravagant display.

Please get in touch and we’d be happy to suggest a package that’ll work best for you.

We have a range of IP-rated outdoor lighting that’s designed for long-term use outside. Our outdoor lighting range includes fairy lights, festoon lights, tree lights and moon floods. 

IP stands for Ingress Protection. Lights that are rated IP67 or above can be used outdoors and left outside in all weathers. 

The difference between IP44 and IP65 rating is how waterproof a light is. IP44 lighting is splashproof, withstanding light rain or water splashes from any direction. IP65, on the other hand, is partially waterproof, withstanding heavy rain and direct jets of water, but not complete submersion.

LED lights are more cost effective than standard bulbs, they use 90% less power and last up to 10 times longer. Given the distinctive advantages, almost all new lighting is LED, whether it’s decorative or functional.

Yes, you can replace a bulb. Most of our fairy lights are in sections, so these can easily be replaced. 

If your lights appear dim, the first question you should ask yourself is how old they are. LEDs will dim over time but this normally takes many years.

In the short term, the controller can be left outside. However, the plug cannot.

For long-term usage outside, we suggest purchasing a ‘dry box’. These are readily available online.

The black box on the end of the power code is an AC/DC rectifier which stabilises the LEDs, preventing the lights from flickering.

Most of our string lights can be connected together. You’ll find advice on how many sets you can connect on the relevant page of our website.

Yes, the connectable lights can be plugged into an outdoor socket as long as the socket is correctly rated and installed.

Hardwiring the outdoor lights into a circuit box is not recommended. Removing the plug from any of our lighting products will void all warranty.