It finally feels like Spring in Chicago! The warmer temperatures, ample sunshine, and hints of tulips lining Michigan Avenue officially welcome Wedding Season for 2015! The LK Events team is so excited for these next months full of gorgeous weddings, happy couples in love, and proud families.
This time of year also means that many of our couples are putting the finishing touches on planning their weddings and social events! We asked our friend Kyle Waarich, who is the Lighting Specialist at Event Brilliance to make a guest appearance on our blog to talk about an often overlooked element of décor – Lighting!
LK Events: How did you get into the lighting industry?
Kyle Waarich: I’ve always been in the event industry. Server, bartender, captain, function director, etc. But my true passion has always been LIGHTING! I have a lot of experience in creating unique environments. The shapes, colors, and patterns make creativity limitless!
LK: Uplights, Pinspots, Washes, GoBo – there are so many lighting terms! What do couples need to know before they start talking to a lighting expert?
KW: Don’t worry about all the technical terms! They should bring a general direction towards the overall look and design. Your lighting designer will help highlight a specific plan to create your exact vision along with your floral designer. As far as all those terms that you might hear in your first meeting –
Up-lighting: Fixtures are placed on the ground to illuminate from floor to ceiling with any color of your choice. Color palettes can be customized to coordinate with linen, floral, bridesmaids dress, etc.
Pin-spots: A tight focused beam of light that shines directly onto an object, like a centerpiece or wedding cake as a highlighted effect.
Wall Wash: A wide blanket of colored light covering a wall, ceiling, or entire area.
Gobo: Is a stencil or template on a flat steel or glass disc which when placed in a lighting fixture projects the image that is on the gobo. Gobo’s can be customized to almost anything you can imagine like, monograms, scenic, portraits, patterns, etc. Gobo’s can also be in color!
LK: What is the best way to get a big lighting impact with a minimal budget?
KW: Up-lights are definitely the best bang for your buck! Up-lights will transform the entire feel of any space and can create that warm and romantic glow.
LK: What is your favorite lighting treatment you have done in the past year?
KW: At Pritzker Stage in Millennium Park, we did a STUNNING champagne VIP bubbly bar. It included artic blue wash fixtures, icy pinspots focused on bottles of sparkling wine, and a projected pattern spread across the floor.
LK: And finally, what is your favorite Chicago festival?
KW: Illumination-tree lights at Morton Arboretum. Amazing display of lighting!
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The photos below are examples of stunning events with amazing lighting details courtesy of LK Events, multiple vendors and talented photographers. We hope you enjoy these prime examples of how lighting can affect your event.
