Buy vs Hire Light Up Letters for Weddings | What Couples Should Know

Alana's Love
Jan 26
5 min read

Updated: 7 days ago

“But I Can Buy Light Up Letters Cheaper…” – Why Hiring Is the Smarter Wedding Choice!

"Bride and groom dancing in front of MR & MRS light up letters at a Gloucestershire wedding"

“I’ve seen light up letters online cheaper than your hire price.”

This is what someone has said to me recently after we quoted for their wedding. And honestly? They were not wrong!

A quick Google search will show all sorts of cheap light up letters for weddings and events, and that sent me down a very deep rabbit hole.

Because while buying letters looks cheaper, it rarely is… and it almost never gives you the same result.

Bride and groom standing infront of S&B light up letters at their wedding reception.

So let’s talk about what’s really going on behind those bargain prices, and why hiring professional wedding light up letters is usually the smarter, stress-free choice.

Why Light Up Letters Look Cheaper Online (But Usually Aren’t)

That “Price” Is Often Just the Deposit

One of the biggest tricks we see is pricing that looks amazing, until you read the small print.

Most online listings are:

A deposit only
Followed by a mock-up fee
Then a custom quote

By the time you’ve added everything up, the final cost is often very similar to hiring if not more and without any of the service like delivery and installation.

Prices Are Almost Always Per Letter

That cheap price? Double check that its not per letter. I came across this alot and its not always noticable at first.

So suddenly, LOVE, MR&MRS or SURNAMES can suddenly get very expensive, very quickly.

Cheap Wedding Letters Are Usually Made from Foam Board

This one’s a big red flag. Many cheap light up letters are:

Made from foam board
Lightweight
Not designed for real wedding venues

They fall over, look tatty and have gaps where YOU have to put them together. We’ve even seen letters priced lower than the cost of the wood alone, which tells you everything you need to know about the quality. Check out our beauties here!

Battery-Powered Doesn’t Mean Better

Cheap letters often use:

Low-quality LED bulbs
Bulbs that overheat
Bulbs that often go out
Bulbs that flicker on camera

And flickering bulbs mean:

Bad photos
Awkward videos
Annoyed photographers

Professional wedding light up letters use high-quality bulbs designed to glow consistently all night, no flashing, no failures, no panic.

Large light up letters outside at a tipi wedding in the cotswolds with the bride and groom standing next to them.

The Hidden Costs Brides & Grooms Don’t Expect

Buying letters yourself or even making your own, also means factoring in:

Delivery costs (often huge for large items)
PAT testing
Public liability insurance
(More and more venues now require this)
Transporting them to the venue
Setting them up safely
Taking them home again, storage and hassel of what to do with them next.

None of this is included in that tempting online price, but its all inculding in our hire price.

The Stress Factor (Your Wedding Morning Matters)

Let’s be honest, your wedding morning should not include:

Assembling letters
Testing bulbs
Carrying giant props
Googling “why won’t this light turn on”
Worrying, is it unsafe, will it fall over.

Hiring wedding light up letters means:

We deliver
We set up
We test everything
We take them away

Bride and groom standing infront of LOVE light up letters at their wedding reception in Gloucestershire wedding venue.

Zero stress. Zero drama. (If you want a laugh — and a reality check — have a look at our behind-the-scenes blog on DIY wedding décor )

Hiring Is Also the More Sustainable Choice

Buying letters for one day means they often:

Get used once
Stored badly
Then thrown away

Hiring is far more sustainable:

Our letters are built to last
Used again and again and again. Our original LOVE letters made in 2015 and been hired out since 2018 are still in use today 2026 and looking sharp as ever!
Maintained and repaired properly

Fake Listings

I can't believe this one but yes there are alot of fake sellers out there. On a number of occasions i have seen my own letters being used to sell light up letters. This is on selling sights and social media platforms too.

Whether you are hiring or purchasing make sure you vet your sellers and suppliers. Check reviews, preivous work and other suppliers they have worked with.

Business owner in front of large light up LOVE letters in Tetbury wedding venue.

Final Thoughts: Think Beyond the Price

If It’s Cheap, There’s Usually a Reason... we completely understand wanting to save money, weddings are expensive! But when it comes to statement pieces like light up letters for weddings, hiring gives you:

No hidden costs
No DIY stress
No quality compromises

Just beautiful, glowing letters, perfectly set up, ready to shine!

All our love from this small family business, Alana’s Love and Penelope’s Parties,

Charlotte, Chris, Alana, Penelope, Rory and Madison XXxxxx

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Light Up Letters for Weddings

Got questions? We've got answers. Here are the most common things couples ask about hiring wedding light up letters.

Is it cheaper to buy or hire light up letters for a wedding?

Buying light up letters can look cheaper at first, but once you factor in delivery, setup, storage, insurance, PAT testing, and the risk of low-quality materials, hiring often works out the same, or better. Hiring also includes professional setup and zero stress on your wedding day.

What’s included when you hire wedding light up letters?

When you hire professional wedding light up letters, you’re not just getting the letters. Hire typically includes delivery, full setup, safety checks, high-quality LED bulbs, public liability insurance, PAT testing, and collection after your event, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Do wedding venues require PAT testing and insurance for light up letters?

Yes, many wedding venues now require light up letters to be PAT tested and covered by public liability insurance. These are often not included when you buy cheap letters online, but they’re always part of a professional hire, giving both you and your venue peace of mind.

Are hired light up letters better for photos and videos?

Absolutely. Professionally, especially ours, hired wedding light up letters use high-quality bulbs designed to glow consistently without flickering. This means better photos, smoother videos, and no distracting flashing lights during your first dance or evening reception. Bear in mine if your hiring cheap though you will get cheap.