20 Ways to Use Neon Signs to Light Up Your Wedding

By Lauren Pardee
July 19, 2017
Lauren Scotti Photography

Modernize your ceremony and reception with a fun, colorful glow.

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Lauren Scotti Photography

Neon wedding signs are a colorful, unexpected décor option that can modernize your big-day venue. This details—which have made a major comeback from the '80s—are vibrant and playful, but they can be purposeful, too. Neon signs can be used to direct guests, label stations, tell stories, and even convey important wedding details, like the date, your hashtag, or your new monogram. They can do all of this while lighting up your party, creating a festive ambience that speaks to your event's celebratory mood.

When designing your wedding ceremony or reception, hang your neon sign in a surprising way to create an eye-catching display. Take this "Till Death Do Us Part" fixture by Echo Design Studio, for example: Vanessa Noel Events placed it above these peacock chairs to make a picturesque photo booth. As for other ways to incorporate them into your event's design landscape? Neon wedding signs can indicate a venue's main entrance, lend personality to an altar, or even light up a DJ setup.

Neon signs are customizable, too, and can work for nearly any big-day aesthetic. It's up to you to decide which color, shape, and size complements your event's style. While a white cursive design can energize a classic soirée, a pink rendition can add a feminine touch to an artful, bohemian party. Best of all, these signs make great wedding keepsakes that design-savvy couples can later hang in their homes. So, we suggest going bold and styling your fête's space (and later, your house!) with a neon sign. If you're looking for inspiration to get started, browse the following ideas from real weddings—they're absolutely electric.

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Cohesively Vibrant

Anna Turner
20 Pink Wedding Ideas That Pack a Punch

Make like Pia and Jade and complement your wedding flower selection with a neon sign—this one is by Electric Confetti—of the same hue for a vibrant, cohesive display.

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Romantic Glow

Alexandra Holt Photography
35 Altar and Aisle Decorations We Love

Elevate your altar with the warm glow of a white neon sign, like Scarlett Envy Events did here. This Brides Little Helper iteration added romantic mood lighting to this setup.

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Chair Decorations

David Campbell
20 Unique Reception Seating Ideas That Will Surprise and Delight Your Guests

Draw attention to the bride and groom's reception seats by framing them with a floral adorned wooden structure that also displays a neon sign. Ashdown + Bee did just that with a shining Sammy + Lola original that she styled with flowers by Kindred Floral.

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Customized Bar

Jana Williams
Wedding Bar Signs to Elevate Your Cocktail Hour

Customize your cocktail hour by hanging a neon sign (this one is by Echo Neon) that features your names on the front of your wedding bar.

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Champagne Tower

Sarah Falugo
20 Celebratory Champagne-Themed Wedding Ideas

This couple turned their Champagne tower pink thanks to Ilios Lighting Design's neon sign backdrop. We suggest doing the same for an elevated cocktail setup with a pop of color.

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Contemporary Altar

Lauren Nicole
39 Elegant Marbled Wedding Ideas

A neon sign with a modern phrase makes for eye-catching décor that'll add contemporary vibes to your wedding venue. This unique "Love Your Face" option by Bash Co + Events brought this altar straight into the 21st century.

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Retro Pink

Mann and Wife Photography
20 Inventive Ways to Revamp Your Wedding Photo Booth

Direct guests to your photo booth with a neon sign they won't be able to miss. We love how this cursive pink iteration by Echo Neon complemented the retro look of this Sweet Water Caravan, while still making a statement.

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Moody Aesthetic

Sally Pinera

Adding a neon sign to your reception space is a great way to enhance your moody wedding aesthetic. Take this Sketch and Etch Creative one, for example. Its pink glow added an unexpected splash of color to this dark celebration.

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Classic Cursive

Sydney Sweat of SASs Photography
36 Ways to Use Leaves Throughout Your Wedding

Neon signs may not be traditional wedding décor, but that doesn't mean they can't elevate a classic celebration. Platinum Weddings & Events used this glowing Echo Neon original, which featured a cursive font and pearl hue, to energize this green-and-white party's refined aesthetic.

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Monochromatic Glow

Victoria Gold Photography
22 Wedding Dresses That Wowed from the Back

Add dimension to any monochromatic wedding display with a neon sign in the same shade. Here, this Neon Dive Bar creation's white glow popped against the matching muted tones in the space.

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Modern Art

Laura Goldenberger Photography
20 Beautiful Sweetheart Table Ideas Any Couple Would Love

Mirror this Just Merried Events setup by placing your hanging neon sign in front of an abstract canvas painting for a modern, artful display that's also three-dimensional.

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Tropical Photo Booth

Rachel Havel Photography
Island Time: 33 Tropical Wedding Ideas We Love

Emulate this tropical photo booth for a festive reception element that celebrates your wedding's beachy setting. Not only did this Prema backdrop incorporate the locale's native greenery, but its red neon sign by Sygns also mimicked a sunset's hue. It also displayed a thematic phrase: "Love on the Rocks."

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Bohemian Contrast

Wisteria Photography
Boho-Chic Wedding Ideas for Free-Spirited Brides and Grooms

Add a colorful neon sign to your bohemian lounge to prettily contrast its softer natural features. Forrest and J used this Neon Dive Bar fixture to modernize a wood-and-wicker chair and vintage bar cart setup. The piece's pink hue also made the roses in this sea and pampas grass arch by The Bloemist pop.

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Dance Floor Glow

Benjamin Wheeler
22 Unique Ideas for Your Wedding Dance Floor

Light up your dance floor by displaying a neon sign on the front of your DJ booth. Recreate this red "Dance for You" iteration from Sonido Al Sur to add a celebratory florescent shade to your reception that'll get guests off their feet.

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Sentimental Venue

Unique Lapin Photography
Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Warehouse Wedding

If you're getting married in a venue close to your hearts, share that sentiment with a neon sign that reads "This Must Be the Place." Alex Merto designed this décor element, which Vida Graphics manufactured, to hint at the significance of this couple's venue.

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Headliner Hint

Pat Furey Photography
27 Cool Blue Wedding Ideas You'll Love

Model your neon sign after this couple's "In Pursuit of Magic" piece as a way of hinting at your event's entertainment. Rye Workshop displayed this fixture in this locale's doorway, which alluded to this wedding's magician headliner the minute guests arrived.

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Band Logo

KT Merry
24 Music-Inspired Wedding Ideas That Will Hit a High Note with Your Guests

Do you and your fiancé share a love of music? Reflect that bond throughout your reception with a neon replica of your favorite band's logo. This couple hired Marcus Poston to create a custom The Stroke's emblem that featured their new last name.

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Hashtag Sign

Jessica Oh Photography
Are Wedding Hashtags a Thing of the Past?

Take notes from this pair who displayed their wedding's hashtag with a red neon sign over their guestbook station, so guests could share photos to social media as soon as they signed in.

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Heart Marker

Mademoiselle Fiona

If your event's main entrance is hard to find, mark it with a subtle neon heart sign. This approach worked for this duo, who hosted their event at a hidden restaurant in New York City.

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By Lauren Pardee