InTents IDEA Book 2023 - 6

tents | lighting
" We often use a leaf-patterned projection
on a tent ceiling or on a large blank
wall to give it some interest and texture, "
she says. " Some venues just lend themselves
to that type of lighting design, and
it can help convey the tone of the evening. "
Mulrey notes she's also a fan of durable
plastic LED lights that come in multiple
shapes, sizes and colors, save on power
consumption and cost, and can mimic the
glow of traditional incandescent bulbs.
While many clients bring her photos of
TOP: Carlos Flores of The Events Co.
advises clients to customize lighting
effects in each area to suit its purpose and
mood. Photo courtesy of The Events Co.
RIGHT: Welz says pendant light
fi xtures and twinkle lights are trending
more than chandeliers in his market.
Photo courtesy of PHOS Events and
photographer Janelle Elise Photography.
high-end lighting designs taken from Pinterest
or Instagram, they're often disappointed
to ind them too expensive or too
impractical for their venue. " Large ceiling
installations can be a challenge, " Mulrey
points out. " We need days to install these
designs, and many venues have more
than one wedding per weekend. "
" We can re-create anything
given to us. " -Carlos Flores
Carlos Flores is lead production manager
of The Events Company in Houston,
Texas, a full-scale event design and production
irm that boasts a custom wood
and metal shop, an extensive audiovisual
department and a 100,000-square-foot
warehouse illed with event goods. He
says that many of his clients are asking
for twinkle lights as part of their " starry
night " themed events. And of course more
than anything, he says, clients want their
event to be unique and different.
Typically, he explains, lighting design at
The Events Co. starts with evaluation of
the natural light involved.
" Depending on the season, weather conditions
will determine what style of tent
is possible, " he notes. " With full sun and
80-degree temperatures, a clear top won't
work. If your event consists of a beautiful
night sky full of stars, you can use a clear
top to enhance the spectacular view. "
He also recommends that every area
of a tent space be structured with preset
lighting, from the walk-in to the cocktail
reception to the dinner reception to the
dance loor.
" It's pertinent to have the right lighting
tones and intensity to highlight food
stations, cake tables, loral moments, the
stage wash and, most importantly, photo
ops, " he explains.
" We don't let our lighting execution be
guided by trends, but rather by curated
design elements based on our clients'
ideas. Each design element is customized
and often displayed in a fully developed
proposal, including professional handdrawings
and sometimes 3D renderings. "
WHAT'S YOUR BEST TIP FOR BUDGET-CONSCIOUS TENT LIGHTING?
Sandy Mulrey, DesignLight Co.: Perhaps choose a
dramatic chandelier centerpiece over heavy fl oral
design. It sets the tone for the night, and there are
so many great styles out there-rustic with Edison
bulbs, twig chandeliers with little twinkle lights,
many styles of crystal ... or bamboo lanterns can be
clustered together to form their own chandeliers.
Carlos Flores, The Events Company: Pick a
focal point for your event and start from there.
You can always cut back on secondary items that
don't add any meaning to your main theme.
DJ Smith, West Coast Event Productions: Priority no. 1 is
focused lighting on the head table, stage or presentation
area, band or entertainment. Beyond that, you need to
make sure guests can see their way around. Note that
LED lights don't use as much power, so they don't require
you to rent a generator. They're more expensive to rent
than incandescent, but you'll save on power costs.
Adam Welz, PHOS Events: Do a hanging light installation,
and use it as much as you can during the day. Get
married under it, then room fl ip and put your head table
underneath. That impactful install will be in all of your
photos and will give you that big statement piece.
6 intents IDEA book 2023
InTents IDEA Book 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of InTents IDEA Book 2023
