Lighting Trends & Misperceptions

What are the latest lighting trends?

LED up-lighting is new and very common for events. Bay Stage Lighting has been recognized as LED innovators due to their expertise with the fixtures. Here are 4 reasons why LEDs are perfect for any event:

1.)          Each fixture uses the combination of three colors, red, green and blue (RGB) to produce over 16 million different colors. 

2.)          Cost and energy efficient as well as safe, generating little to no heat.

3.)          Small and compact while illuminating high intensity light (keep in mind this doesn’t always mean “bright” light)

4.)          Fixtures can constantly be controlled, changing lights throughout an     event, with a click of a button

Are there any misperceptions with lighting?

Many people don’t consider lighting as a necessity for event design, but it is. Even the simplest lighting can transform any space. No other décor element can evoke guests’ emotions or create dramatic ambiences like lighting can.

We also hear “I don’t have a large enough budget to incorporate lighting,” when in reality, funds just 

need to be reallocated. Top event planners around the nation are advising their clients to forgo expensive accessories and spend on lighting, which is cheaper, since lighting has a larger impact. With good lighting, no one will think twice about where the expensive linens or centerpieces went.

These pictures from the 2010 Sun Coast Hospice Ball, showcase the LED trend and that no matter what, a room doesn't look complete without lighting. 

Ballroom complete before LEDs

Ballroom transforms with LEDs. 

Different colors create different ambiances

Event Lighting 101: Budget & Common Mistakes

Okay, so now that you know lighting is important (at least we hope you do after reading our past blog posts), you will need a strong foundation/ knowledge base when consulting lighting providers.  

Budget and quality are two important aspects to consider when shopping for event lighting. To get a better grasp on the two, we have provided answers to common questions regarding budget and quality. 

What should a client budget for lighting?

Good, professional lighting doesn’t come packaged (or at least it doesn’t at Bay Stage Lighting) so there are rarely “set” prices to go off of.  We say to commit at least 30% of your event budget to lighting. When sitting down with a lighting designer, they can develop a custom design to maximize your budget.

What are the most common mistakes clients make with lighting?

Going off the topic of LEDs, we want to give you a word of advice when choosing a LED provider. Many event entertainers will offer their own lighting as a part of their entertainment package for a cheaper price, but like they say… you get what you pay for. There are good quality LEDs and bad quality LEDs out there. Think of it like using a camera vs. a camera phone. At the time using your camera phone to “capture that moment,” will do just fine, but when looking back at the quality of the photo, it’s nothing but disappointing and that “moment” wasn’t captured like you wished. The same goes for LED lighting, stick with lighting professionals for best results because if you don’t, you are going to wish you had.  

We demonstrate the "camera phone mistake" here, when we were setting-up for the 2011 Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Coronation Ball and tried to capture the magnitude of this event.   

Camera phone snap-shot 

Actual camera captures the magnitude of the Ball

The Event Planning Process and Lighting

At what point in the planning process should lighting be introduced?

Preferably, as soon as the event’s overall décor theme is determined. When meeting with a lighting designer, you really need to have some idea as to what you want the design to accomplish. Details like venue and entertainment should already be decided upon, so a LD can ensure the design covers event specifics.

However, we know event planning is notorious for last minute add-ons. Find a well-established lighting company equipped with a large inventory of lighting equipment, and last minute orders shouldn’t be a problem. For example, Bay Stage Lighting’s Customer Service Counter located within the 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse provides professional, face-to-face assistance to customers.

Unique design tools like Bay Stage Lighting’s Dream Theater, has the technology to digitally walk clients through a 3D rendering of their event design. Not only is the event design seen with realism and accuracy, but design changes can be made with a click of a button and seen instantly; making last minute event design changes easy as pie. 

Dream Theater at within Bay Stage Lighting's Tampa warehouse

 A Dream Theater digital rendering 

The actual event

Event Lighting Basics: Spots & Washes

What kind of lighting should a client consider when designing their event?

Here are simple explanations of some fixtures commonly used for event design. Keep in mind, that most lighting designers will know what to use to best accomplish a client’s desires.

If you want the room to change colors throughout the event, consider LEDs as they can be pre-programmed to automatically change. LEDs are great for up-lighting a room, don’t use much energy and generate little/to no heat. They are also small and compact making them easy to hide.

Lekos and Parnels are static lights, meaning they don’t move and can only change colors by placing gel sheets over the lamp. So if you want to project an image in the same spot, Lekos are the way to go. If a single color is desired for the event space, Parnels can accomplish such.

Lekos (spots) can be used to project a static image, like a logo or  pattern on a wall. A metal or glass Gobo (stencil) is made to create the image that will be projected and is placed inside a Leko fixture.   

Parnels (washes) create a solid “wash” of color on a surface. This is another way to up-light or down-light a room; however, they are larger than LEDs and cannot change color.   

Here you see Lekos projecting a static pattern. LEDs are up-lighting the area.

Venue: St. Pete Museum of Fine Art
Wedding Design: Sandy Rule
Photo: Lockwood Studios
There are also moving fixtures (called moving-heads) spots and washes.

Moving-Head Spots also use Gobos to project an image but has the ability to move it around the room. They can also interchange between different images, patterns, etc. with a click of a button. This fixture can produce many different kinds of special effects; all of which can be programmed to synch with music.   

Moving-Head Washes do the same thing as Parnels but are able to change the wash color and control the movement of the wash, with a click of a button. These fixtures are mostly used for stage design (the moving beams of light).

Here is an example of the effects moving-head spots and washes can create.

Tampa Bay NACE meeting
Photo: Pezz Photo

Moving-head washes are great for stages, as seen here.

2011 Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Coronation Ball
Stage design: Greg Utley, Bay Stage Lighting
Photo: Amber Wolcott, Bay Stage Lighting

Reinventing the Disco Ball

If something is good then don’t change it, just make it better…like we did with the infamous disco ball. I’m sure you’re probably thinking “with all the lighting technology out there, you’re talking about disco balls?” But think about it…disco balls, a staple in the 70s, combined with today’s LED technology, can create effects like never before.

Bay Stage Lighting offers 4 different size Mirror Balls (today’s term for disco balls) to rent, a 12”, 16” 21” and 36”; the larger the ball the larger magnitude of effects.

We have used mirror balls for a lot of recent events and when guests realize that it’s not some high-tech piece of equipment, they are blown away.

Our Colorblast 12 LEDs illuminate the Mirror Balls with high-intensity, producing a dramatic effect projected all over an event space.

Here at the Florida Aquarium’s 2011 Sea Grapes Festival, the 36” Mirror Ball created a fun, yet elegant ambiance.

Media Servers: An Event Decor Secret

For many brides and grooms, the purpose of having a wedding is to:

a.) express and commit their love to one another

 b.) celebrate with loved ones

 c.) create a night they will never forget.

Tying in personal elements and paying tribute to those close to the newlyweds is a way to achieve such a purpose; but how is this done in a unique and fun way, you ask? Well, by completely submersing guests into an interactive and personal environment with a push of a button.

 I’m not talking about just lights here; Bay Stage Lighting utilizes what is called a “Media Server” to project static or moving images, as well as videos (pre-recorded or live). Whatever you can image, can be programmed and projected by a media server and go throughout an entire venue space. Don’t think “typical” projection and screen…think IMAX Theater and the feature presentation being whatever you desire.

Here are some ways media servers can create a personal, memorable and interactive wedding.

1.)    Pay tribute to loved ones or show special home videos by projecting them onto every wall, as if the entire venue space was one big IMAX screen. Guests would literally be the center of the video, giving the sense they are the ones taping it.

2.)    Stream live videos or photos with added special effects onto a surface framed by one of Bay Stage Lighting’s custom décor frames. Bay Stage Lighting can work with a videographer or photographer to showcase live photos and videos; to create one massive photo-booth for everyone to see.

3.)    Decorate furniture and other elements by completely wrapping them with projections. Make lounge chair look like moving water while having the bar “on fire.” Guests won’t believe their eyes and will be entertained like never before.

4.)    Enhance any theme by using projections to wrap the room from floor to ceiling (floor and ceiling included) creating a realistic environment.

Three simultaneous projections, 2 showcased in our small silver decor frames

Large gold-leaf decor frame projecting event seating chart

Media Server projection on dace floor to create illusion

Trying to explain Media Server technology, its anatomy and effects is almost next to impossible. Hopefully the pictures due some it justice (even those don’t capture the full essence of the Media Server).  But what I can tell you is that its possibilities and impacts are endless and priceless. Media Servers are on the horizon for today’s weddings due to the high demand of wanting the “special day” to be interactive and entertaining for guests.