Tag Archive for: dj lighting

Do I really need lighting at my wedding?

Weddings are a very personal experience for many couples. The majority of couples that we meet have the same goal when it comes to their entertainment. Make my guests dance.
But in 2015, the role of wedding djs has evolved into more of an events production approach and that’s where lighting comes in to play.

If you’ve been to a wedding at The Riverview, Waterview, Aqua Turf, or Aria this year, you’ve probably seen uplighitng in the ballroom. Come to think of it, the majority of Connecticut Wedding Venues has installed uplighting as an option for couples to take advantage of and give the room a dash of color. Because these wedding venues have installed permanent uplighting, you can rest assured that the lighting that they have installed will compliment the room and enhance what is already there. Uplighting is a great option as you have many different color combinations available to create a vibrant environment.

But what about other types of lighting?

If you’ve ever been to a wedding where the room is very bright, you notice that it is more difficult to get people to let their guard down and head to the dance floor. Nobody wants to be the only one out there and especially in plain view of the other 150 guests attending the wedding. So, when the house lights are dimmed, it helps to lose those inhibitions and head to the floor to move, shake, and sing. But turning the lights down only goes so far.

Intelligent lighting is an enhancement that excites as much as it’s soothes. We’re not talking about the type of lighting that you’d see at a roller rink or bowling alley but more like a theater, concert, or nightclub. Computer controlled and motorized lights (moving heads) are the tool of choice for professional entertainment companies like Pryme Tyme Entertainment. With these very powerful lights, you can add new dimensions to your wedding. Imagine for a moment dancing in the center of the dance floor for your first dance as a soft white light follows you around the floor. It’s an intimate moment that can turn your first dance from ordinary to extraordinary. And with the same type of lighting, it can also be used to enhance an otherwise blank ceiling during dinner service by projecting patterns and colors. During dancing, these moving heads will dazzle your guests and create an exciting environment to help them to the dance floor.

Pinspotting has become a very popular option as of late. By focusing a beam of light on certain objects such as centerpieces, the wedding cake, or sweetheart table where the couple sits, it creates a tasteful contrast in the room. When uplighting is used on the walls, the middle of the room becomes dark and everything turns into a silhouette. Especially if cool colors like the very common blue and purple uplighting you see at nearly every wedding. Pinspotting centerpieces  ensures that your investment in wedding decor doesn’t get missed out on and makes them stand out.

Image projection is another very dramatic effect. From a simple monogram of the couple’s names in lights being projected to a fully patterned wall, image projection gives a 3 dimensional look to a plain wall, ceiling, or floor. Stencils or “gobos” are used in front of the light source to project just about any pattern or stencil of your choosing.

Dry ice or “Dancing on a cloud” is an old favorite. Some of the great features to using this theatrical effect are a bride’s white dress that seems to stretch to the far reaches of the dance floor during a first dance and paired with intelligent lighting makes for a very beautiful and dramatic effect. The other benefit is that the fog stays low to the ground and will not set off smoke detectors in the venue and is non-toxic.

Atmospheric haze is the best way to enhance all of these lighting effects. When a light is refracted (and reflected) off of a small amount of haze, it creates a beam. If you’ve ever driven through a fog and have seen headlights, you’ll see the beam. Although haze makes for an incredible lighting display and is safe to use, many venues do not allow this effect unless a fire marshal is hired to supervise and ensure that the venue’s smoke alarm won’t falsely alert the fire department.

When it comes to weddings, lighting is a great enhancement that can help you create an exciting and beautiful environment.

kaynor tech prom, prom dj in ct, connecticut school dance dj, grand oak villa

On Friday April 25th, over 200 students from W.F. Kaynor Technical School made their way to Aria, CT’s newest event destination in Prospect.

With a ‘Great Gatsby’ themed prom, this was the perfect setting. Lavish chandeliers lined the majestic venue complimenting the imported italian marble on every surface. With exquisite cuisine and an atmosphere that would be the envy of a Kardashian, Kaynor’s prom was nothing short of magical.

We lined the ceiling above the dance floor with stars with our Dancing Under the Stars Effect. Once the house lights were turned down, students enjoyed dancing under the midnight sky.

To add some pop, we added our COLORWASH system to the floor and showered the guests in a vibrant and rich environment. Taking things a step further, our computerized Mobile Club intelligent lighting system kept things exciting in 180 degrees around Aria’s great ballroom.

As if the lighting wasn’t enough, we pulled out the stops in our audio department with our MAXX STAXX 10,000 Watt sound system that shook Aria to it’s foundation.

The anticipation from the administration and the staff were that no prom would last all night and guests were expected to leave early. That being said, we were out to debunk that theory. At the Prom’s conclusion at 11:30pm, we still had over 150 students.

We are happy to report that Kaynor’s 2014 prom was a success. Thank you to all who attended and chose us 2 years running for Kaynor’s prom. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

 

 

wedding centerpieces, uplighting, pinspotting, lighting design

Give your wedding centerpieces some POP!

In the WeddingWire Bridal forums, Kelly writes:

“I’ve been pretty set on my colors for a while now. Purple (like a royal purple, deep but bright) and blue. Lately, though, I really like the color blush and think it would help soften things up a bit. Our wedding is rustic themed and both the ceremony and reception spaces have lots of dark wood in them so I don’t want everything to be too dark.”

Great question Kelly!
Centerpieces and floral arrangements are a big part of the decor for your reception. But, what if your favorite color is at the darker end of the spectrum? There’s a solution!

One of the great ways to get extra POP out of deeper hues is to light them up. We use a method called ‘Pinspotting’ for this very situation. By incorporating a small focused beam on your dark centerpieces, they will stand out against the darker hues of the natural woods and stone of the wedding venue. Here’s an example of what pinspotting does.