Uplighting, ceiling effects, light towers, monograms… There is a decorating trend that has spread among wedding receptions and you have probably never thought about it until you started planning yours. Most people think of mobile DJ companies as your wedding stop for music and emcees. However, these same companies are increasingly offering more services as your one-stop-shops for sound, lighting, and decore. We will discuss some of the lighting trends we offer at Cutmaster Music and why lighting is more than just plugging in police lights and spinners. If you ever wanted to know how to give your wedding reception some “pop” and also add great accent light to your wedding pictures, then read on and prepare to learn why you want additional lighting options for your wedding!
‘What Packages Do You Offer?’
When discussing the packages and options that we offer for our weddings with Cutmaster Music, most people will notice that we probably spend about 70%- 80% of the time talking about lighting and lighting add-ons. It is not only important for us to use club effects, party lights, and lasers, but to also have complete control of the atmosphere on the dance floor. We use Chauvet ShowXpress software with a touchscreen to fully control the gobos, color, and effect of every light. It’s not enough to only have light. It is a necessity to go the extra step and control the mood, feeling, and emotion of the evening with that light. 
The ‘Base’ Package…
Our standard wedding packages are basically ‘big’ and ‘small.’ We offer two standard shows that will fit the bill for smaller weddings and larger weddings.
- Each package includes color washes, which are the ‘foundation lights’ that project a solid color across the dance floor.
- We also include a ‘centerpiece’ effect light, that provides everything from your “mirror ball” effect to hundreds of “party beams” scanning the dance floor.
- Our larger truss package also includes additional color washes and scanners, which bring more of the dance space and room into play.
- All our lighting packages are fully controlled by our light jockeys.
Enhance Your Show & Give Your Guests Something More…
From this point, we offer several add-on lighting effects that will not only enhance your dance floor, but will take your event to the next level. We will describe each of our add-ons and show you some current lighting trends that we offer our Bride-To-Be’s.
Uplighting
Uplighting is probably the hottest lighting trend we have seen in the last 10 years and there are many ways to utilize this effect.
- Most mobile DJ’s will place the uplight fixtures against walls, pilars, or columns that can be accented with light.
- LED uplights can match any color scheme
- The lights even have the ability to be linked and can run patterns where all the lights simultaneously change colors at the same times, or create patterns of light just like those seen in high end lounges and clubs.
- A great by-product of uplighting is that not only do the uplights create a great live visual effect, but can also create life-long effects that are seen in your wedding pictures creating instantaneous “pop” to your pictures.
Light Towers
Also know as totems, columns, vertical towers, or vertical trussing, adds an effect to most receptions that most guests have never seen. For Cutmaster Music, the Light Towers provide another visual element and utilize vertical space in the room.
- The Light Towers make the overall presence of our light show larger without have to take up a lot of horizontal space.
- When used with a sleeve and an uplight, they become an elegant effect that can be used in conjunction with your room uplighting or trussing effects.
- When used with the natural truss, you get a more urban look and feel of steel.
- We add more lighting effects to the top of our towers, providing an array of club effects that transform your dance floor into an ‘Ultra Lounge.’
Starry Sky Effect
This lighting effect is exactly what it says, placing pinpoint laser stars onto the ceiling. There are many fixtures that provide this effect.
- We use the Blisslight BL-50 which actually makes the stars moves very slowly. It also provides a background haze which makes the effect more “sky-like.”
- We like to use this light for a dramatic first-dance effect, giving the illusion that the couple is dancing under the stars.
Monograms
Monograms are a great personal touch that have been trending in the Albuquerque DJ market more recently. A monogram is a steel or glass gobo that has a pattern etched in it.
- You can put your name, initials, date, etc. in light.
- We use light fixtures that allow your monogram to change colors, move around the room, and scroll through the lighting patterns.
- We also use static fixtures that keep the monogram in place for the evening.
Lighting Summary
If your DJ is not offering more than a mirror ball, some police lights, and spinners, then you might be missing out on a chance to make your dream wedding a unique experience for your guests. There are many options out there besides those that we have listed, but we find that the most popular lighting trends we have seen in the last couple of years push toward uplighting, washing walls with color, and monograms. And don’t forget, for the ultimate lighting experience, make sure your DJ is able to program and control the lights, setting the mood for every song. If done correctly, this alone can provide your guests with the ambiance and atmosphere needed to rock any party!
Article written by Chris Romero of Cutmaster Music
Check out Chris’s Google+ profile.
