What is the Difference Between All of these Lighting Companies? pt. 2

Continued from our previous post, here are some more questions to ask your potential lighting professional before considering them for your wedding.

5. Setup time

Ask how much time they take to setup. Make sure you allot enough time BEFORE YOUR GUESTS ARRIVE otherwise you may find yourself walking in while they are still setting up. A good lighting vendor will specify how much time they need and will make sure they are completely done at least 30 minutes before doors open. If one lighting vendor requests 1 hour and others request 3 hours, ask why the difference. You may be dealing with a lighting company this is not good at planning.

6. Onsite technicians

Ask your lighting vendor if a tech will be onsite all night. If not, ask what their backup plan is if something were to go wrong. Do they have someone on call? How long will it take for them to come to the rescue? Make sure you get numbers and names of on-call techs and pass on to your planner to make sure you are set! Remember it is always better to spend a little more dough and have peace of mind that your one-time event will go smoothly without interruption.

7. End time

Make sure you check on policies concerning your events end time and when your lighting company will take down. You only have the first impassion and the last impression to create your lasting memory. Don’t let your lighting company ruin it by striking (taking down) the equipment while you and your guests are in the room. This can be an embarrassing experience for you and your guests. Always plan on extra time, if your venue allows, for your guests to leave before your vendors strike (or remove the equipment).

8. What do they REALLY do?

Last, but definitely not least is one of the most important questions to ask. What ALL do you do? If you are looking for professional companies that are good at what they do, chances are, they will ONLY do one thing. If you get a florist who offers catering, you should run the other way! Pick vendors who are good at what THEY do. Your lighting company is no exception, to have the best, they must be specialized. Don’t use your DJ Company for décor lighting. DJ’s are good at music, let them do what they do best. If you make this mistake, you may find yourself regretting the decision to save a couple dollars on one of the most important days of your life.

Ask these questions and do some research and you will never regret spending money on one of the most important elements in your event; Lighting!

Until next time,

Keep it Light!

Ben Lawles

Kaleidoscope Event Lighting

 

What is the Difference Between All of These Lighting Companies?

What is the difference between lighting companies?

This question should be asked by every bride; what IS the difference? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Every company is different. From the equipment to the technicians and policies; this is a difficult decision to make to the “non-lighting-educated” person. However, you are in luck! We are going to shine some light on this difficult dark area of decision-making!

Here are some rules of thumb to go by in helping to pick just the right lighting company!

1. Personality

The most important thing to compare is your comfort with the personality of the person providing the service. If you mesh with this person, chances are, so will your vision. However, you cannot judge by this alone as there are some smooth talkers out there who will say YES to everything and provide nothing.

2. Experience/proof

Take a look at their pictures. Ask directly if these pictures were taken from events that this company produced. Take a close look at the details; colors, placement, arrangement, symmetry; these are things that will make or break your event. Ask for references of other clients that you can talk to about their experience.

3. Details

A wedding is a compilation of hundreds of details; you need someone who cares about them as much as you do! Ask them if they tape down cables, if each light will be symmetrically placed. Ask them how they would set the lights in the room, where they would set them and how many they would suggest. Ask them how they determine the amount of lights needed in a room. If they are shooting from the hip with no real formula, you may be in for a disappointing surprise.

4. Problem solving

Every event has problems. I know, no one wants to hear that, but it is true. The good news is, if you have experienced vendors at your event, you will never know anything went wrong even if the venue catches on fire! Good vendors are good problem solvers. This is one of the most important characteristics of the vendors that you need on your side. Most events are one time affairs, one mistake can ruin the experience and leave you regretting your decisions. You can find out how your desired lighting vendor fares with change by asking planners that they work with. Don’t let your event be the guinea pig!…

We will continue this discussion in the next blog. Check back to see the final 3 things to look at when choosing your lighting professionals!

Until next time,

Keep it light!

Ben Lawles

Kaleidoscope Event Lighting

 

Why do I need lighting at my wedding?

This is the common question among brides looking at their budgets and comparing it to the picture they clipped from a magazine the day before. A wedding is a complex event of organized desires and wants. It is a compilation of emotions, desires and hopes of a dream that one has in the mind. Catered food, imported flowers, specially designed colors; all of this combined creates the day we call the wedding. But where does the lighting come in? The common misconception is the look translated in the picture. Lighting is the very essence of mood. Colors and intensities, placement and texture; this is what makes amazing events memorable; this is what you see in the picture!

If you want to set a mood, if you want to create an atmosphere that your guests will remember, lighting is a must! This is usually very affordable in the grand picture of the wedding budget. A good lighting package generally costs about 7% of the overall budget. When this amount is planned for, it is not a shock. I encourage all of my clients to start by setting aside their lighting budget. Every element of the wedding is important, but a flower without lighting is an expensive shadow, and a cake in a dark corner smells great, but no one knows it’s there! Take time to look through your mind’s eye and ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to set a mood at my wedding reception?
• Do I want to create a memory that no one will forget?
• Am I willing to adjust other budgeted items to make room for lighting?

Once you define what you want to accomplish in your reception look, we can help you envision just where lighting fits in your wedding reception!

Until next time,

Keep it Light!

-Ben Lawles

 

The Beginning Blog

Well, it has finally begun! The Kaleidoscope Blog!

For those of you who are new to Kaleidoscope, we are not just another name you can’t spell. We are a company devoted to quality and focused in on what we do best; Lighting!

Our business model is simply this- Pick one thing, and do it right! We network with great companies like Atlantis 9 to offer the best video to you, but this is simply because they are best at what they do as well!

Word to the wise, don’t pick “multi-tasking” vendors, you will always be disappointed. Choose vendors who pick one thing and are the best at it. Just as Taco Bell would go under if they tried to sell hamburgers, and Ruth’s Chris would surely disappear if they tried to offer Gourmet Greek food, so will a wedding vendor offer low quality if they multi- task too much! (that knowledge is for free this time! lol)

Check out our website if you get a chance and see what we are all about! I will be back updating this soon and hopefully sharing some valuable information for you to use.

Keep it light!

-Ben Lawles

www.Keventlighting.com

 

Hello World, First Post!

Big changes are ahead for Kaleidoscope!

In this blog we will share some of our custom lighting designs and offer some advice to help you create the perfect look that leaves guests raving.

Check back soon for more content!