What Size Generator Do You Need for a Wedding?

The big four loads

Almost every wedding's power goes to four things:

• Sound and DJ setup — 2,000 to 5,000W
• Decorative and functional lighting — 1,500 to 5,000W depending on scale
• Catering (warmers, tandoors, coffee machines) — 3,000 to 8,000W
• Air conditioning / coolers for halls — the single biggest item, often 5,000W+

Typical scenarios

Why backup changes the answer

For a wedding, the cost of failure dwarfs the cost of the set. Many planners hire a primary set sized to the load plus a smaller backup — or at minimum, confirm the vendor's breakdown response time in writing before the event.

Practical tips

• Do a venue walk-through with the vendor a week before
• Confirm silent/canopied sets for residential venues
• Agree fuel, operator and overtime terms in writing
• Test the full load — sound check included — before guests arrive