The story of our light up letter hire division – Wedding Letter Hire

Large light up letter hire has really gained popularity over the past few years. No surprise really – they look amazing! Creating a bright sparkling focal point for all sort of events; whether it’s a wedding reception, party, product launch or awards ceremony –  they are always the centre of attention. And of course, guests love them as they provide photo opportunities a-plenty!  When we at Rio Lounge started supplying light up letters, nearly six years ago, we were well established as a furniture hire company. But there were only a handful of companies in the light up letter hire market. Now, of course, the trend is well established and there are many more.  But nonetheless, we are proud to have been one of the first.  Read on to find out more….

How did it all start?

Our light up letter division, Wedding Letter Hire, was established back in early 2014, when Rio Lounge’s director, Jo Morris, spotted an exciting emerging wedding decor trend. Keen to catch this trend in its initial stages, Jo quickly established contact with a reputable UK-based lighting manufacturer.  Jo knew that in order to differentiate in the market, our product should be of premium quality and a cut above many of the other light up letters on offer.  

Hence, all of our 5-foot letters are hand-made in the UK from aluminium, and contain heat-free and glare-free LED bulbs.  Gradually adding to our stock in accordance with customer demand, we now offer a full alphabet, plus numbers and some special symbols. Being made of aluminium, as opposed to wood, means the letters are both lightweight and strong. Acrylic feet fitted to the bottom of each letter makes them freestanding ; they won’t topple over! Our own experienced and friendly in-house crew always deliver, install and collect the letters; (we don’t entrust our precious stock to couriers!).  

Wedding trends

Wedding decor trends tend to come and go – think 90’s chocolate fountains, starlit dancefloors in the 00’s, and – more recently –  flower and doughnut walls; but, compared with some short-lived fads, the trend for light up letters is one that seems to be here for the long haul. Our wedding couples typically book either their initials in lights, ‘MR & MRS’ or a ‘LOVE’ sign; we offer discount packages on all these combinations. Whether your wedding style is rustic barn, vintage, or slick and ultra modern, our letters can take on a starring role!

Not just for weddings…

Despite our business name, it quickly became apparent that these giant illuminated letters were in demand for so much more than weddings! Our large light up letters and numbers have featured at all types of events over the years.  Here are just a few examples:

The Telegraph Ski Show

A regular client for the last five years, the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Show is a 4 day extravaganza held at Battersea Evolution each October. Featuring numerous exhibitors such as ski-wear and equipment retailers, specialised travel agents, plus plenty of demos and entertainment, it really is a must for any ski enthusiast.  Our light up letters illuminate ‘The Lodge’ restaurant and the ‘Apres Ski’ bar where ticket holders can relax and enjoy alpine- themed refreshments. 

An unusual proposal…

When it comes to popping the question, most people will opt for a romantic setting; perhaps the top of the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building. Or simply over a candlelit dinner or an evening woodland stroll.  However, this incredible proposal, back in 2016, organised by high-end proposal specialist The One Romance, was something else! Featuring our huge light up letters spelling out ‘MARRY ME’ in the grounds of a stately home; how could the lucky lady possibly refuse?!

Birthday parties

As we also offer light up numbers, why not celebrate a milestone birthday in style!  Whether you’re celebrating 18, 21, 40, 50 or something a little more ‘vintage’, we can help! Pictured here, this client hired giant numbers for her daughter’s 21st birthday, alongside our sleek white faux leather hire furniture.  We think the light up numbers look absolutely fabulous, taking pride of place in the window, together with our modular Ana Mandara sofas for hire.

Celebrating sporting victories 

Local sporting heroes Luton Town FC hired our light up letters (complete with bulb covers in orange team colours) for their end of season party. They were celebrating promotion that year!  

Awards ceremonies and conferences

Our 5 foot letters also look  fabulous on stage! Ideal for an awards ceremony or as a backdrop for an inspirational speaker at a conference – stick with classic white or add a splash of gorgeous colour, as shown here. For the ‘Women of Hope’ conference, (pictured) the client alternated pink and purple bulb covers on each letter. Don’t they look lovely?

Celebrity sparkle

At Rio Lounge we do like to keep up with the celebrity gossip, so we always get quite excited when the stars choose to book with us. Over the years, we’ve hired letters and numbers  to Michelle Keegan (pictured), Kelly Brook, and more recently, Loose Women’s Andrea McLean!

Special offer – savings when you hire our light up letters alongside our boutique furniture 

Why give yourself the hassle of using  a different company for your light up letters when you could hire them from us, alongside our chill-out furniture hire? As an added incentive, we are currently offering a great saving on our letter hire when you also hire event furniture from us.  Receive £50 off when booking either our wedding initials or ‘LOVE’ letters package. Or, save one third of the letter hire price when booking bespoke combinations of letters or numbers.

Want to know more about our light up letters, or more information on our furniture hire company? Get in touch with our team by calling 01582 232332 and asking for details.

Please remember: to qualify for the special offer detailed above, you also need to be booking at least £150 of hire furniture with Rio Lounge.