Every vendor you meet with will tell you that they are the most important part of the event. The photographer will say nothing else will last after the wedding. The DJ will say no matter how good you look or the food tastes, the wedding isn’t fun if no one is dancing. We will tell you, though, that if you want to make your event look fabulous, you must use lighting. No matter where you are getting married, when you walk into the room and there is lighting you and your guests will be wowed. Lighting takes your event and adds a soft feel to it. Lighting makes everything more romantic and yet dramatic. It highlights the good and can easily hide the bad.

Unless your wedding is outdoors and during the day, here are a few lighting basics to keep in mind:

1.  Basic packages will start at $3,000 and can go all the way up, as with anything else you can find a handful of professional vendors with prices starting a little lower.

Lighting Terms to Know:

Basic Lighting – lights up the perimeter of the room with the color of your choice. You can add designs, projections, artwork and scenes on the walls or floors.

Intelligent Lighting – goes beyond the traditional, stationary lighting and creates a party vibe.

Color Wash – fills the whole room with the color of your choice.

Gobo – projects a specific design or image somewhere in the room , ie: monogram or recurring design.

Pinspotting – highlights specific items to showcase them and draw attention to it.

LED’s – uses incandescent light bulbs and can change color throughout your event.

2.  Some DJ Packages offer lighting and if you are really lucky, you have picked a venue that already has basic lighting installed. Some floral companies and designers also offer these services.

3.  Once you’ve selected a lighting company, they should go out and inspect your venue to ensure that they will have enough equipment on your wedding day (unless of course, they have worked at your venue before).

4.  Lighting can change the look of your linen color with lighting, add texture to the room with lighting design, by pin spotting the centerpieces it adds depth and if you drop a design on the dance floor you will add even more drama.

5.  If you make the room a little darker than most people think it should be, you will add a romantic/sexy mood to the event. Pinks and Ambers enhance the skin colors and tones of you and your guests. Violets and Blues are rich; Reds can warm up the environment; White is great to draw the eye to spot decor.

Thank you to Luxe Events, LLC, for the use of this great article! 

Carina Moreno and McEmsara Queseda of Luxe Events, LLC, work with NJ/NYC brides to keep them stress free throughout the planning process and more importantly, on their wedding day, so they can relax and enjoy the moment.” www.luxeeventsnj.com