Lighting is one of the most important elements of your wedding prep. From the ceremony to the reception, having the right lighting for your venue is essential. Unfortunately, it often gets overlooked. Today I’ll share with you an example of what a professional lighting set up looks like. The good news is that even without a huge budget, you can still use simple lighting equipment and techniques to make sure your venue is looking Instagram-ready. This example is taken from a recent wedding at the Water Oasis, a beautiful venue in Newberg, Oregon. It’s important to note that this lighting solution was created specifically for this wedding, and took into consideration the fact it was partially indoors and partially outdoors. Every venue has its own special requirements and you need to work with a vendor who has the flexibility to create solutions tailored specifically for your needs.
For this particular wedding, we needed to light a large, open air space with one primary wall as a backdrop. To make this scenario extra challenging, there was a lack of power outlets. Traditional plug in lights just wouldn’t have worked in this case, so we used battery powered LEDs. Thankfully, these lights can easily stay charged for 12+ hours and they come with many color options.
Next, we used a textured lighting projector to cast an elegant pattern on the wall. This, combined with the LED lighting, creates a subtle but effective lighting effect for your reception. There are a number standard design options to choose from, such as floral patterns, snowflakes, starry skies, and more. It’s even possible to create a custom design, for example with the name of the bride and groom.
One final touch we used was a piece of equipment known as a moving head. These are compact rotating spotlights that can be programmed to project patterns (like the textured lighting already mentioned) or shine a spotlight on specific areas, such as during the first dance or toasts. Because they are programmable, we have a lot of flexibility in the type of lighting effects we can create.
Another element that we included in the Water Oasis wedding was television screens on which we played customized slide shows. These were a fun addition that allowed the new couple to share a variety of meaningful moments documenting their relationship.
Even better, we were able to connect the TVs to the photo booth during the reception. This meant that as soon as new photos were taken, they got sent to the screens for everyone to see. This definitely added to the fun of the evening.
Lighting is important, of course, but having professional sound is also necessary. Setting up speakers for such a large space (more than 150 feet across) is not simple. We place speakers throughout the room to ensure even sound coverage, so none of the guests have to suffer through sound that’s either too loud or too soft.
We also provide wireless lav mics for the officiant and the groom. We’ll usually don’t mic up the bride, because there’s no good place to do so on her dress. Instead, we place the mic on the groom’s lapel in a way that it’s able to pick up the sound from both of them. We’ll also provide wireless microphones that can be used for any speeches or readings that take place during the ceremony.
At DJ Cutt Entertainment, we use only professional gear and strive to always have the right equipment for the right scenario, while remaining committed to offering affordable prices. Contact us today to learn more.
We are a full-service entertainment company in Portland that provides its clients with top-quality service and leaves them feeling like they made the right decision in choosing us. With our wide range of services, we strive to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. We have extensive experience in DJing, videography, and live streaming, as well as other aspects of live events such as lighting design, sound engineering, and more!
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