Read ” Elegance Defined”, or scroll to view the Boston Harbor Hotel highlights.
Elegance Defined… In the world of wedding and event design the term “elegant” is used quite often in many ways. The word itself is a general term so when it’s used to describe something such as the atmosphere at an event it can be so overdone it becomes a useless term. After all, what is elegant? The word simply means “of high grade or quality”, but how can that be demonstrated in an image, or better yet try to verbally describe it to someone and you will soon find that one persons vision of elegance is very different then the next person.
When I was thinking of what to call this post it was very difficult to use the word elegant since I am not a person that likes anything I describe to sound outdated or confusing in any way. So to set the record straight I want to outline what it means to be “elegant”, and how this term is used by us to describe the atmospheres we created at the Boston Harbor Hotel.
“Elegance” created with the use of light happens when the perfect balance of color, intensity and placement (what the “lights” are illuminating) are all working together to achieve a very specific “feel” to the space you are in. As you can imagine, you can’t “feel” light as much as you feel the “result” of the visual atmosphere light creates… such as the warm glow of candle light reflecting off the face of the person sitting across from you. So what we as designers allow you to see, and in which way you see it, completely controls how it “feels” to be in that particular space. So in a nut shell, when I use the word “elegant” I am referring to an atmosphere that has been created due to a perfect balance of light, color and intensity allowing you to sense, see and feel the space in a very specific planned way.
So now you know why true visual elegance with the use of light is not easy to achieve, and why in the past lighting companies and Designers were utilized only for the elite events in the world. Understanding the challenges involved to create the same amazing look for every wedding and event we are part of, it is easy to see that consistent beautiful results can only be obtained when the person responsible for creating that “look” has the expertise, lighting knowledge and vision to create exactly what you want. As with all other aspects of your planning, such as your wedding dress design and floral designs, perfect lighting results do not happen by accident. Someone has to care enough to try, and know enough to get it done. As for us, we love lighting and the amazing atmosphere it creates, and that alone drives us to strive for perfection. When you love something, you want others to be affected by it in the same way you are. So in short, lighting design is about creating an atmosphere that is so amazing, so visually stunning it can emotionally move you. It will draw you into it, make you want to stay in it, and allow you to remember it forever. That for many… is the definition of true elegance.
Boston Harbor Hotel… Over the past weekend we were at the Boston Harbor Hotel and had the opportunity to light their grand ballroom. As I stood there taking in the scene in the same way guests would soon be, it made me think of the different ways people view elegance. It reminded me once again that what these guests are about to experience is a total “look” created by many elements that have to come together to be perfect. Room layout, floral designs, table linens, candle light and of course the lighting has to all mesh to achieve one cohesive design.
The Boston Harbor Hotel has all the elements I love. Tall ceilings, neutral color scheme, good built-in general lighting and last but not least… pillars. Yes pillars! Pillars change how light and color can be spread out helping to balance the space in many ways. It adds a whole different dimension to what is possible when pillars are in the middle of a space.
We would like to thank Dana Markos Events for referring us to Emerick and John. We feel our coordinated efforts to achieve the exact “elegant” high-end look and feel they hoped for was beyond successful! We hope you enjoy the finished results. Visit our website for more images located in the Boston Harbor Hotel image gallery.
First… the requested warm & inviting “theme look”.
And now the more dynamic looks…. Notice the use of slightly different hues such as dark blue/light blue or various shades of pink within the same color scheme to achieve depth. This is a powerful demonstration of how wireless programmable lighting can create instant custom looks not normally possible with more simple lighting technologies or services.
