Start with the throw distance
The first number to fix is the throw. A wedding monogram light rated for 2–10 m covers a very different wall at the near end than at the far end, and the image width roughly triples across that range on a typical zoom lens. Measure from the realistic mounting point — the one the site will actually let you use — and write it down before you look at any product page.
- Throw distance from the mounting point the site will allow
- Required image width at that distance
- Surface material and colour
- Whether the beam can be square to the surface
Match output to the ambient light
The wattage question is really an ambient light question. Daylight starts around 10,000 lux, a lit retail interior runs 300–500 lux, and a dim restaurant may sit under 100 lux. A wedding monogram light has to beat whatever is already falling on that surface, which is why the same model can look brilliant in a feature wall behind the head table and invisible in an entrance arch.
- Existing illumination at the working hour
- Surface colour and finish
- Image size versus available output
- Hours of operation and duty cycle
Lens, zoom and focus
The optics decide what you can correct later. A fixed lens wedding monogram light has to be positioned correctly the first time; a zoom lens lets you frame the image after the bracket is up. In practice that difference is worth more than an extra 20 W, because the most common install problem is not brightness — it is an image that lands slightly off the intended surface with no way to adjust it.
What your artwork forces you to buy
Choose the gobo from the artwork file. Solid block logos survive etching into stainless steel and will outlast the projector, but anything with hairlines, grey levels or a photographic element has to go on glass. This is the decision that most often gets made backwards — the buyer orders a cheap metal gobo, sees the result on the wall, and reorders in glass two weeks later.
Ingress rating and mounting environment
The ingress rating is a statement about where the unit can live, not how good it is. IP20 on a wedding monogram light means it will cope with the conditions it was tested for — driving rain, dust, or in the case of indoor ratings, nothing more than a wipe-down. If the install is under a soffit that only sees wind-blown rain, an indoor-rated unit may be fine; if it is exposed on a dance floor centre, IP20 is the floor, not the target.
- Is the position exposed to driving rain or only wind-blown moisture
- Whether the cable gland is rated with the housing
- UV exposure on painted finishes and plastic parts
- Salt or pollutant load in the air
The five lines that get an accurate quote
Before you send the enquiry, walk the site once with a tape measure and a phone camera. Throw distance, surface colour, the position of power, and a photo of the ambient light at the relevant hour will get you an accurate wedding monogram light recommendation on the first reply — and they are all things you will need on install day anyway.
- Throw distance and mounting height
- Required image width
- Surface description and colour
- Ambient light at the hour of use
- Artwork file, vector if available
