ST. LOUIS EVENT LIGHTING & DRAPING
Event Lighting and Draping That Dramatically Transforms Any Space
The right lighting turns a room into an atmosphere. The right draping turns a blank space into a venue. Together, they’re the two details that guests feel before they can explain why — and the ones that show up in every photo. The Aries Co. has an in-house lighting and draping team serving St. Louis events since 1974, designing and installing custom lighting and drapery for weddings, corporate events, galas, and celebrations of all kinds. We don’t subcontract this work — our own team handles design, installation, and teardown, start to finish.
LIGHTING & DRAPING SERVICES
Design and Installation by Our In-House Team
Most event rental companies refer out for lighting and draping. We don’t. The Aries Co. has a dedicated in-house team that designs, installs, and strikes lighting and drapery at events across the St. Louis region, which means better coordination with your other rentals, one fewer vendor to manage, and a crew that actually understands how the full event comes together.
Our corporate event rental inventory includes:
Uplighting Uplighting is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to transform a venue. Placed along walls, columns, or architectural features, wash lights flood your space with color and instantly set the mood. We design uplighting schemes around your event’s color palette — warm and romantic for weddings, bold and branded for corporate events, dramatic and festive for galas. Our LED uplighting is wireless, battery-powered, and leaves no cords for guests to trip over.
Pin Spotting Pin spots are the detail that makes centerpieces, cake tables, head tables, and signage glow. A tightly focused beam of light draws the eye exactly where you want it — and in photos, the difference between a pinspotted table and an unlit one is night and day. If you’ve ever wondered why reception photos at some events look so much better than others, pin spotting is usually part of the answer.
Ceiling Draping Ceiling drape softens hard ceilings, adds elegance, and completely transforms the overhead plane of a room. Whether it’s a sweeping gathered drape above a wedding dance floor or a clean linear fabric treatment across a corporate ballroom, ceiling draping is one of the single highest-impact upgrades available for an event space. We design, fabricate, and install ceiling drape systems for events of all scales.
Backdrop Draping A draping backdrop creates a focal point — for head tables, ceremony altars, photo opportunities, stage setups, and branded activations. We install backdrop systems in a range of styles and fabric options, from flowing chiffon panels to structured pipe-and-drape configurations that anchor a room’s visual layout.
Pipe-and-Drape Systems Pipe-and-drape is the workhorse of event drapery — and one of the most versatile tools in the event production toolkit. We use pipe-and-drape for trade show booths, room dividers, backstage areas, buffet concealment, and full room transformations at venues across St. Louis. It’s reliable, configurable, and more impactful than most people expect when it’s done right.
Event Lighting Design For events that call for a full lighting plan — not just uplights and pin spots — our team provides complete lighting design and installation. This includes color-changing LED systems, specialty event lighting, theatrical-style wash lighting, and fully customized schemes built around your venue, your event type, and your aesthetic goals. We’ve designed lighting for everything from intimate wedding receptions to large-scale corporate productions.
Ambient & Decorative Lighting String lights, bistro lights, café lights, and decorative fixture rentals for outdoor events, tented receptions, garden weddings, and rustic or industrial venues where ambient lighting sets the entire tone. These are among our most requested items for outdoor events in St. Louis and St. Charles.
Power Generation & Distribution Outdoor venues, tented events, and spaces with limited electrical capacity need supplemental power — and we supply it. Our power generation and distribution services ensure your lighting, AV, and catering equipment all have the power they need, safely and reliably. This is a service most rental companies can’t offer in-house, and it’s a significant advantage for outdoor and non-traditional venue events.
WHO WE SERVE
For Planners, Venues, and Anyone Who Wants the Room to Feel Right
For Wedding Planners & Couples: Lighting and draping are where a wedding venue goes from “nice” to “breathtaking.” Our team works alongside couples and planners to design a lighting and draping plan that fits the venue, the aesthetic, and the budget — without the guesswork. We’ve transformed hundreds of St. Louis wedding venues, and we know how to make the most of every space.
For Corporate Event Planners & In-House Teams: Corporate events live and die by first impressions. Branded uplighting in your company’s colors, a beautifully draped stage backdrop, professional ceiling treatment — these details signal to your guests that the event was taken seriously. Our in-house team handles corporate lighting and draping at venues throughout the St. Louis metro, from Clayton boardrooms to Downtown ballrooms.
For Venues & Venue Managers: If you manage an event venue in the St. Louis area and are looking for a reliable lighting and draping partner to recommend to your clients, we’d love to talk. We’ve built long-standing relationships with St. Louis venues precisely because we show up, do excellent work, and make the venue look good in the process.
For Event Planners & Production Companies: We work seamlessly alongside other vendors and production teams. Whether you need us to handle just the draping while another AV company manages sound, or you want us to take on the full lighting and draping scope, we fit into your production workflow without friction.
EVENTS WE SUPPORT
Every Event Deserves to Look Its Best, So Let Us Do the Heavy Lifting
Weddings & Receptions — Uplighting, pin spotting, ceiling drape, backdrop installations, and ambient lighting for wedding ceremonies and receptions throughout the St. Louis region. Lighting and draping are consistently among the highest-ROI investments a wedding makes; they affect every photo, every video frame, and every guest’s memory of the room.
Corporate Events & Galas — Branded uplighting, stage and backdrop draping, and full event lighting design for corporate dinners, award ceremonies, product launches, fundraiser galas, and company events of all sizes.
Holiday Parties — Festive lighting and draping that transforms ordinary venues into seasonal experiences. From warm bistro-light atmospheres to fully themed holiday installations, we make company parties and private celebrations feel intentional.
Outdoor & Tented Events — String lights, bistro lights, uplighting, and power generation for outdoor weddings, corporate picnics, garden parties, and tented receptions — including full power distribution for venues without sufficient electrical infrastructure.
Fundraiser Galas & Nonprofit Events — Elegant, high-impact lighting and draping for charity galas, auction events, and nonprofit celebrations that need to impress without overspending. We work with nonprofit clients across St. Louis to find beautiful solutions at realistic budgets.
Trade Shows & Expos — Pipe-and-drape booth systems and exhibit lighting for trade shows, vendor expos, and professional exhibitions at convention centers and event spaces throughout St. Louis.
Private Parties & Celebrations — Milestone birthdays, anniversary parties, graduation celebrations, and any occasion where the atmosphere should feel as special as the moment.
Serving St. Louis Businesses and Venues Across the Region
The Aries Co. is based at 4940 Northrup Ave in St. Louis and installs lighting and draping at events throughout the St. Louis region, both St. Louis City and St. Louis County. Our team travels for the right event, so if your venue is outside our standard range, reach out and let’s talk.
We’ve installed lighting and draping at private residences, hotel ballrooms, museums, rooftop venues, outdoor tented spaces, warehouses, convention centers, and historic buildings across the St. Louis Metro, including Downtown St. Louis, Clayton, Chesterfield, Forest Park, Midtown, the Central West End, Kirkwood, and Maryland Heights.
WHY PLANNERS & VENUES CHOOSE ARIES FOR LIGHTING & DRAPING
In-House Expertise. Proven Results. One Team, Start to Finish.
We do it in-house. This is the single biggest differentiator. Our lighting and draping team is not a subcontractor, they’re Aries Co. employees who work alongside our rental delivery crew, understand our inventory, and are accountable to the same standard we hold everything else to. When you book lighting and draping with Aries, you’re getting one team, not two.
We do design, not just installation. We don’t just hang fabric and point lights at walls. We design lighting and draping plans around your venue, your event type, and your visual goals. There’s a meaningful difference between a thoughtful lighting design and a generic rental setup — and our clients see it every time.
We can bundle your rentals. Booking lighting and draping alongside your furniture, linens, glassware, and staging means one order, one delivery, one point of contact, and one less vendor relationship to manage. For planners especially, that consolidation has real value.
We have 50+ years of St. Louis events experience. We’ve lit and draped events at virtually every major venue in St. Louis. That experience means we know the rooms, the quirks, the rigging points, and the load-in logistics before we arrive, which means fewer surprises and a smoother installation for your event.
We have the power when you need it. We’re one of the few rental companies in the St. Louis market that offers in-house power generation and distribution. a critical capability for outdoor and non-traditional venue events.
GETTING STARTED
Ready to Talk Lighting & Draping for Your Event?
Every lighting and draping project is custom-quoted based on your venue, event type, and scope. Here’s what helps us build an accurate proposal:
- Your event date
- Venue name and address (venue photos or floor plans are helpful if you have them)
- Event type and estimated guest count
- Load-in and load-out windows
- A general sense of the look you’re going for — or examples you love
- Your name, billing address, and best contact number
We’ll take it from there. Our team will put together a custom lighting and draping proposal, no generic packages, no guesswork.
Call us at 314.664.6610 or email Sales@AriesCo.com and we’ll be in touch promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What clients ask us most about lighting and draping:
Does Aries Co. have an in-house lighting and draping team?
Yes, and that’s one of the things that sets us apart from most rental companies. Our lighting and draping team is made up of Aries Co. employees, not subcontractors. They design, install, and strike lighting and drapery at events across St. Louis, fully coordinated with our delivery and rental team. One company, one standard, one point of accountability.
What types of event lighting do you offer?
We offer uplighting, pin spotting, decorative and ambient lighting (string lights, bistro lights, café lights), full event lighting design, color-changing LED systems, and theatrical-style wash lighting. For larger productions, we provide complete custom lighting design built around your venue and event goals.
What is uplighting and does my event need it?
Uplighting uses LED fixtures placed at floor level to wash walls, columns, and architectural features in color. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to transform a venue. Because a room with well-designed uplighting looks dramatically different from one without it, and the effect shows up clearly in photos and video. Most of our clients who add uplighting say it’s one of the best decisions they made.
What draping options do you offer?
We offer ceiling draping, backdrop draping, and pipe-and-drape systems. Ceiling drape transforms overhead surfaces and adds elegance to almost any space. Backdrop drape creates focal points for head tables, ceremony altars, stages, and photo areas. Pipe-and-drape is used for room division, trade show booths, buffet concealment, and full-room transformations.
Can you provide power for outdoor events and tented venues?
Yes, we offer in-house power generation and distribution, which is a capability most rental companies don’t have. If your venue is outdoors, tented, or lacks sufficient electrical capacity for your event’s lighting, AV, and catering equipment needs, we can supply and distribute power safely and reliably.
Do you handle lighting and draping for both weddings and corporate events?
Yes. Lighting and draping are among our most requested services for both weddings and corporate events. For weddings, we focus on romance and elegance: uplighting, pin spotting, ceiling drape, and ambient light. For corporate events, we design around brand colors, stage presence, and professional polish. The approach is different; the quality standard is the same.
How far in advance should I book lighting and draping for my event?
We recommend reaching out as early as possible, especially for weddings and large corporate events during peak spring and fall season. For events with complex lighting design or large draping installations, 3–6 months lead time is ideal. For simpler uplighting or pipe-and-drape setups, 4–6 weeks is often sufficient. Don’t hesitate to reach out regardless of your timeline and we’ll let you know what we can do!
Can I bundle lighting and draping with my other rental items?
Yes, and most of our clients do. Booking your furniture, linens, glassware, staging, and lighting and draping through Aries Co. means one order, one delivery team, and one point of contact for your entire event setup. It simplifies your planning process considerably and ensures everything is coordinated on event day.
How much does event lighting and draping cost in St. Louis?
Pricing depends on your venue size, the scope of the lighting design, the type and amount of draping, and your event specifics. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer as every project is custom-quoted. The best way to get accurate pricing is to reach out with your event details and we’ll put together a proposal.
GETTING STARTED
Ready to Talk Lighting & Draping for Your Event?
Every lighting and draping project is custom-quoted based on your venue, event type, and scope. Here’s what helps us build an accurate proposal:
- Your event date
- Venue name and address (venue photos or floor plans are helpful if you have them)
- Event type and estimated guest count
- Load-in and load-out windows
- A general sense of the look you’re going for — or examples you love
- Your name, billing address, and best contact number
We’ll take it from there. Our team will put together a custom lighting and draping proposal, no generic packages, no guesswork.
Call us at 314.664.6610 or email Sales@AriesCo.com and we’ll be in touch promptly.
Setting the Standard for St. Louis Event Rentals
After having worked with this company for a well over 18 years, their professionalism always seems to impress me! They are relentlessly reliable with quality rental options that both event industry professionals and planners alike can count on to enhance their events. Additionally their Lighting and Audio Visual design team are creative experts in event room lighting and sound transformation. I know I can always count on Aries as a planner and that piece of mind is irreplaceable!
Simcha Lourie
We have partnered with The Aries Company for several years and have been extremely satisfied with their services. Their team is professional, dependable, and easy to work with, always taking the time to understand our needs and deliver excellent results. From planning through execution, the consistently exceed our expectations. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a trusted A/V partner.
Steve Burkhardt
Working with Aries is always an absolute pleasure from start to finish. They are incredibly efficient, communicative, and on top of every detail, which makes the entire process smooth and stress-free. Delivery and setup are right on time, everything is as promised (and in great condition), and their team is always professional, friendly, and experienced. What really sets Aries apart is that they don’t just show up with rentals—they act like a true partner who wants your event to succeed. Reliable, responsive, and easy to work with. We use them over and over at the Saint Louis Art Museum and highly recommend them to anyone planning an event.
Maria Kveton, PMP
LET’S SET THE SCENE
The Details That Make Every Photo and Memory More Special
Lighting and draping aren’t finishing touches. They’re the foundation of how your event feels from the moment guests walk in. The Aries Co. has been designing and installing event lighting and draping for St. Louis events for over 50 years, and we bring the same level of care to every installation, every time.
Call 314.664.6610, email Sales@AriesCo.com, or fill out the inquiry form, and our team will be in touch promptly.
How to Inquire
Call us at 314.664.6610 or fill out the form below and our team will be in touch shortly.