Light Up Your World
Undoubtedly, lighting has the biggest influence when creating the visual appeal of an event. Despite the importance of lighting, it is often overlooked or under-budgeted, as it is not typically considered a primary component in influencing the success of an event. But nothing beats the feeling of glamour and elegance that candlelight brings to a room.
“There are two kinds of light~
the glow that illumines and the glare that obscures”
You may think to yourself, “There are plenty of overhead lights here. Why spend more money where we don’t have to?” But the thing is ... you do. Your guests arrive at your event wanting to look and feel their best, and lighting is a great way to compliment that. A moderately dim room tends to make one’s skin look better, outfit more flattering and instills a more intimate feeling to the room. Your guests want attention ... so give it to them!
Whether you choose to use votives or tapers for your candlelight, its best to use them in clusters or bunches. White candles are always the most elegant, but make sure they are unscented so they don’t compete with the aroma of your food.
Lighting can often determine your experience, as it brings color and movement to the room, while creating a dimensional illusion for your guests to enjoy. This dimension imparts a feeling of romanticism to the environment and encourages an emotional response from your guests. In addition, the lighting will form layers of atmosphere that seemingly enhance the visual experience of the event.
The conceptual purpose of lighting is to alter or determine the way your guests look at the room. This of course affects every other aspect of your event, including ambiance, decorations, centerpieces, brightness, temperature and overall color.
When considering the importance of lighting for your next event, you’ll notice that there is much more to lighting than you might have originally thought. For me, ambient lighting is often the most important part of transforming a space in the most dramatic way possible.
First, consider that there are always extremes. You never want the room to be too dark, and you especially want to avoid the room being too bright. When an event is too dark, guests won’t be able to fully appreciate the colors and details you’ve so carefully planned. However, when an event is too brightly lit, guests may feel like they are being asked, “Where were you on the night of the 14th?”
As you create the environment of your event, begin by filling it with a warm glow. Use colors like amber, red, and yellow when trying to emulate a visual and energetic heat. Although candlelight is important, uplighting is very flattering when dealing with warmer temperatures. It tends to soften the walls and points emphasis towards the architectural foundation of the venue. These lights are rather inexpensive and are very easy to set up, as they can be plugged into an everyday wall socket. Moving in the opposite direction, you will want to use variations of blues and lavenders for a cooler evening, embodying a colder hue. Remember, the perfect lighting can make any space feel more intimate, elegant, or grand.
Lifestyle Editor Michelle Peranich
Lighting Provided by The Lighter Side
