What kind of lighting is best for my event?
Lighting can drastically change the mood of your event, so finding the right type is crucial to creating a cohesive event. Here are five types of lighting that will take your event to the next level.
Uplights | Linear Wall Washer Lights
From setting a romantic and sophisticated ambiance at a wedding to a dramatic color block for concert production, uplights are one of the most versatile lighting options. The lights are freestanding fixtures placed on or near the floor, illuminating upwards toward a wall, ceiling, or curtain. They transform a space by artistically covering windows, doors, and walls, creating seamless wall transitions and a visually clean backdrop. Not only are uplights one of the most budget-friendly ways of lighting up your venue but they also have the capability to change and transition between a diversity of colors and even rotate colors to the beat of the music, allowing for stunning light shows.
Equipment recommendations: Chauvet Slim Par 56, Chuavet Freedom Par Uplights
String Lights and Bistro Lights
String lights are a charming, classic, romantic, and reliable way of lighting up an event space. Because of their versatility, string lights are popular options for weddings, anniversary celebrations, and outdoor parties. In the case of an outdoor event, the glowing coils of rope can be cascaded overhead to create a “sky full of stars,” wrapped around trees, and even be transformed into a glistening canopy curtain/drapery.
Spot, Wash, and Beam Light Fixtures
For stage productions, there are three main types of light fixtures commonly used to project light: spot, wash, and beam. Also known as “intelligent lights,” these types of fixtures’ position, shutter, colors, and effects can be controlled remotely and used to create stunning designs for events. Spotlights are the most well-known fixture and project a sharp beam edge, allowing them to shine light on very specific areas without leaking ambient light onto surrounding space. Wash lights, on the other hand, have a softer beam edge and bathe an area with light. They are particularly suitable for lighting up larger spaces like dance floors, stages, and architecture. To add some real energy to your event, opt for beam light fixtures. Because they have extremely high-intensity bulbs and extremely narrow beam angles, beam lights can help you achieve that lightsaber-esque look that is perfect for the stage or dance floor.
Equipment recommendation: Chauvet Rouge R1 Wash Movers
Paper Lanterns
Unconventional and creative, paper lanterns are sure to impress and entrance your guests. To best accommodate your event aesthetic, the lanterns can be personalized to be as simple or elaborate as you’d like. Common lantern designs include star lanterns, snowflakes, and classic ribbed paper lanterns. Traditional Chinese paper lanterns, Vietnamese silk lanterns, and dragon cloud Japanese paper lanterns are also the perfect way to decorate for a special cultural celebration.
Personalized Gobo Lighting | Monogram
If you’d like to highlight a special event theme or corporate logo, personalized monograms (aka gobo projections) are the perfect addition to your event. They project crisp, clear, and precise imagery to illuminate visual displays on event surfaces – including floors, walls, curtains, and backdrops – through the use of sharp color filters.
