Elvis and Tina met with me many months before their day and described what they had in mind for the lighting at their wedding. As a Lighting Designer, the picture in your mind starts to form and you immediately begin to envision what it can look like. From that vision you now have to rely on experience and knowledge to choose the right lights, as well as know how to utilize those lights to achieve exactly the look and feel you want.
Lighting design is complex. How many lights that are used is much less important than how the lights are used. Understanding this allows you to look beyond the basics of simply ”setting up” some lights for a party, and you start to look at what the lights are actually doing when turned on. This is when the entire “look” actually comes together, and this is also the moment it becomes obvious (when done right) that someone is actually in control of this “look”.
Beautiful designs don’t just happen on their own. Sure, if you throw enough lights at something, sometimes it may look cool, but the real question is how does it “feel”. How does it blend with the rest of the design of the event and the architecture of the building? If the lights are just “on” at full intensity at all times, then I can absolutely say for sure it does not blend well. So what is the secret to being able to create the exact ”feel” we know the client wants? To start… To be a Lighting Designer we need to first understand light! How light is projected, how it reflects off of surrounding elements, how it blends with other lights sources, and most importantly, what is generating the light you see so you get a chance to take control of it.
Now, back to Elvis and Tina….
It’s not as if Elvis and Tina came to me and said… Paul, “we want you to blend these three colors to create the exact color we need”. That does not happen. What happens in reality is that with very broad visual strokes Elvis and Tina attempted to describe what they wanted for a look and feel, and in-return they hoped I could interpret what they were saying and create that “look” with light and color. Sounds fairly simple right? Well, on the surface it seems simple, especially when you see every DJ in America suddenly offering lighting, but in reality it gets more complex. Without lighting knowledge it’s just a hit or miss, but with experience and expertise it is always a planned and calcuated perfect design. For events that happen at night, lighting is the design “backbone” of the event. Without light, nothing, and I mean “nothing” can happen! So it is easy to understand how much influence lighting can have on the feel, flow, and outcome of your wedding reception.
———————————
Boston Uplights “Perspective” Break
Unlike the concert industry, most weddings have a relatively tiny budget. Lets compare for a moment… The average concert will utilize between 100-400 lighting fixtures on their small stage. The average Theatre that you may see a show like “Cats” will use well into the hundreds of lights as well. But their stage is no larger then a tiny ballroom of 40′ x 30′ in size. In the wedding industry we are attempting to effectively light a ballroom that is 85′ x 50′ with 12 uplights. That’s right… 12 lights! Maybe 15-18 lights depending on budget.
Knowing this, it’s easy to visualize the difference some knowledge in lighting may have in the outcome of your wedding. When you only have 12 lights to work with, you better understand what those lights do best so you can make the most of them. It is also critical you have “full” control over those lights. Simply plugging them in is almost useless if you expect any type of specific “look” to be created.
———————————–
So here we have it… Elvis and Tina describe what they want, I make my choices on what lights to use and how to use them (we have more then one fixture style to choose from) and their day is finally here. Let’s take a look at the results….
Being a Lighting Designer has a specific expertise related to it. As you know, it is extremely difficult to be great at anything you do in life. It takes an incredible amount of thought and care, as well as pure drive and determination to stay at the top of your game. That is why we specialize in one area… lighting. Imagine having to be responsible for playing the music, taking the photos, and driving the limo, along side being a great lighting company? Not possible if you expect excellence, beautiful looks and consistent high quality designs.
We are focused, experienced and dedicated to lighting your wedding, and proud of what we can offer to help each couple achieve the high-end beautiful look they deserve, while being priced at a point that many can afford.
Paul Therrien ( Owner/Designer )
no comments