// Vendors That Pop :: Shindig Lighting //
Dan the Man with Shindig Lighting out of Fairfield, CT and I met after receiving an absolutely fabulous holiday card a little over a year ago. A year and a handful of light bulbs later, Shindig Lighting & ACE have been changing the ambiance of weddings, events and photoshoots ever since. From my personal experience, working with Shindig Lighting is nothing short of phenomenal; Dan is not only professional and organized, but he provides the highest level of quality products and services and always up for a new and different challenge, which as many people should know is my mission in life. From lighting, to furniture rentals to my favorite bistro lighting and pipe and drape, Shindig Lighting's services could be incorporated into almost event! So without further ado....
ACE: How does lighting transform a space?
Shindig Lighting: Linens, florals and other decor are basic ways of making your event "yours"; they're a great way to express your individuality and creativity. An often overlooked decor element that has the biggest and most memorable impact on you and your guests is ambient lighting. Different colors, patterns and fixture styles all play a drastic role in the overall environment you're trying to create. Often bride and grooms want to create a "fun but elegant" atmosphere, which, while decor helps achieve this, event lighting is the only way to psychologically evoke emotions in guests and make them feel a certain way. The way you want them to feel!
ACE: How does lighting change a guest's experience at the wedding?
Shindig Lighting: Certain lighting effects (up-lighting in particular) have major venue-transforming abilities. When a guests walks in to a ballroom, tent, or other venue, you want them to say Wow!. Think of all the past weddings you've attended (weddings without lighting, of course!). When you first walked into the reception, how did you feel when you looked around the room (or at other guests)? Did you feel welcomed? Cold? Sluggish? Alert? Comfortable? Now imagine walking into that same room with a warm amber light around the perimeter and ceiling, creating a beautiful glow onto the linens, silverware, and guests faces. This amber lighting creates a comfortable environment and allows people to relax; the candles on the tables to blend in with the glow of the lighting. You've now created a feeling for guests. Their emotions are now tied in with the visuals of other decor and have prepared them for a great night ahead!
ACE: What type or combination of lighting provides the greatest wow factor?
Shindig Lighting: The best overall value that provides the biggest impact is up-lighting (fixtures placed on the floor around the perimeter of the room and project a narrow beam of light toward the ceiling). Fixture placement iscrucial. They can't be thrown anywhere....strategic placement around the room is key to making the effect look natural and blend in with all other decor elements. The next item we always recommend is centerpiece pinspotting. This narrow beam of white light is projected onto the floral centerpieces and makes them pop! The color and textures are brought to life and when combined with the up-lighting, helps add depth to the room. While up-lighting focuses on the perimeter of a venue, the pinspotting helps fill in the "darkness" in the center of the room.
ACE: Do you foresee any different/new lighting trends for 2014?
Shindig Lighting: While there not be any new breakthroughs in the lighting industry, I feel couples are more willing to add texture to their reception through gobo (pattern) projections. This lighting effect is an elegant way to bring in subtle color and pattern to the dancefloor, ceiling, walls, or table areas. Defined patterns (fleur de lis , leaves, stars, etc...) are ideal for dancefloors or tent ceilings while generic patterns (swirls, dots, blobs), taken out of focus, are ideal for dancefloors and dining areas. Either option is a great way to add texture and depth without being too intrusive compared to other decor elements.
Tent receptions are often overlooked when it comes to decor. You have a beautiful blank canvas (tent top) to work with but most of the time no attention is paid to it. Adding bistro lights, dimmed to see the filament, helps "lower" the ceiling and create a more intimate space. Or, similarly, strands of metal lanterns with a candle (or LED flicker-candle, which have become extremely realistic in the past year) hung at various heights are a unique way to add lighting.
Below is a great sample of Shindig Lighting's work - be sure to check out their website HERE for more info and don't forget to follow them on Instagram & Facebook!
Until next time!