Dover Hall Event & Wedding Lighting

Lighting at Dover Hall

Is it possible for this awesome venue to get any better? We may be biased, but we’d like to think so. We believe that adding popular lighting services, such as uplighting, bistro lighting, draping, or pin spotting can truly enhance an already amazing venue. Not just at Dover Hall either, but at every venue. Feeling overwhelmed about these terms? Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through it using examples from events we’ve done at Dover Hall.

Are you interested in Dover Hall or are you planning on having an event there? Talk about an exquisite venue! Dover Hall is a picturesque estate with rolling hills and beautiful views. This venue has it all – An amazing bridal suite, professional kitchens, and a ballroom that opens onto large, open terraces. If you’re looking for a venue that offers every amenity needed for an event and has the ability to wow your guests, look no further than Dover Hall; this venue will not disappoint.

Uplighting

Uplighting at Dover Hall

As you may know, uplighting is the technique of pointing a high powered light, typically an LED light fixture, at the wall in order to create a column of light. This can help to create an ambiance in the room that matches the vibe and theme you are hoping to achieve for your event.

Uplighting is a perfect complement to the ballroom at Dover Hall. The large walls, vaulted ceilings, and tall drapes lend themselves perfectly to the column effect of the uplights. Uplighting can help you set a mood or theme and can make your event one to remember.

Uplighting doesn’t have to be limited to just the ballroom either, uplights also look great on the exterior of the building, trees, and other points of interest.


Draping

Our custom 22′ drape designed and fitted specifically for the Dover Hall ballroom

Draping an event is very exciting because it can be whatever you want it to be! You can have a custom design in mind when approaching a draping company; ask their designers to come up with something that fits your style; or a little bit of both. Sometimes drape is used to cover something in a venue that you don’t wish for guests to see, separate the ceremony space from the reception space, or create a spectacle. While white drape is the most common, event drape can be any color you’d prefer.

Draping is especially interesting at Dover Hall. While the maroon drape that is in the ballroom is great, it’s not for everyone. The Lighting & Sound Company has 22′ tall white poly-premier drape made specifically for the ballroom. To use our draping, the current draping doesn’t need to be removed or modified. We bring our own supports and simply cover the existing drape in a way that makes it look like it’s been there the whole time. The white drape look can add a whole new dynamic to the beautiful ballroom.


Bistro Lighting

Bistro lighting in the great ballroom at Dover Hall

One of the most popular lighting services of the past few years has been bistro lighting. Bistro lighting, which can also go by the name of cafe lighting, festoon lighting, or string lighting not only looks great, it is also very useful for practical and functional purposes. It is often used to add design elements while at the same time allowing guest to see the facilities and all of your other design decisions. Multiple patterns can be used while hanging bistro lighting which allows it to be flexible and diverse while also allowing you to get creative with designs. It can be zig zagged, single crossed, or even festooned out from a single point.

At Dover Hall, bistro lighting can be used to add an extra flair to the large ballroom. It allows guest to enjoy those vaulted ceilings while bringing the feel of the event more inward and allowing for a more intimate environment. Using bistro lighting at Dover Hall fits right in with the stone walls and medieval-style chandeliers.


Pinspotting

Pinspotting at Dover Hall

Have you spent weeks finding the perfect centerpieces? You don’t want them blending into the background- you want them to pop! That’s where pinspotting comes in. Pinspotting allows elements of your design to stand out, no matter how you’ve decided to set your mood lighting. Just check out this example.

No matter what venue you choose, we recommend considering pinspots and Dover Hall is no exception.


You can find more information about the services listed in this post by visiting our lighting services page, or see more images of these services by visiting our gallery. You can visit the official website of Dover Hall here.

What You Should Know Before Using an In-House AV Provider

Once you’ve inked a contract to rent a venue for your event, your next thought is probably choosing the vendors that will provide services at your event. Sometimes the venue has requirements, such as, they must handle the catering.

Many times, the venue will also offer to provide your audio-visual and lighting services. Unlike the catering staff, who are likely employees of the venue, the AV provider is most commonly a contractor of the venue who they recommend to their clients. (Sometimes this is not the case, and the venue does have employees who handle AV needs)

Pros and Cons of using in-house AV

Is it a problem that your venue provides AV services for your event? Not necessarily, but consider all the aspects. Here are the details:

Hotels and even some wedding venues say that it is more convenient for you to use their in-house AV team. After all, they work at the venue regularly and they (might) keep their equipment there. In case of last-minute changes to your event, the house can just grab more gear from their closet. You have one contract for the space, food/beverage, and audio-visual. Maybe there is a required penalty you have to pay if you don’t use their AV provider.

Many times, the in-house AV provider has a commission agreement with the venue. This means they pay a percentage of your AV contract total back to the venue. If you don’t mind spending extra money then this is not a concern. But if you want to reduce your AV budget, a local lighting company can usually provide better service at a better price.

These venues might neglect to tell you that the in-house AV vendor is almost certainly paying a large commission back to the venue, charged directly to you. The venue will likely forget to mention that the “on-site equipment” has indeed been onsite for 25 years and is outdated and unreliable. And there will be no mention that the “dedicated technician” for support during your event will have to service all of the rooms at the venue. Just when you need help connecting your laptop at the start of your presentation, the technician might be fixing the sound in another room, and will come over to you when available.

Quality AV Services are Key

The lighting and AV play a key role in having a perfect event or wedding. If nobody can hear the bridal party speeches because the sound was bad, all your guests will remember. Imagine if the projector breaks and nobody can see the presentation. Your audience’s key takeaway will be that your event was poorly planned. You can see that the selection of an AV company dedicated to ensuring your event runs smoothly is critical.

At The Lighting & Sound Co, we believe that service before and during your event is the most important aspect of our relationship with you. We work with you to determine a lighting and AV scope that fits your specific needs. We don’t provide cookie-cutter equipment that is barely related to your event vision. Our skilled technicians are dedicated only to your event when onsite. If you call your account manager for help, the response will be “someone is coming to fix that issue.”

The Subtle Art of Draping

Picture this. A chic wedding with beautiful and luxurious waves of fancy Wedding Draping fabrics nicely wrapped, drooped, and puddled to the ground.

Fabric for Fairytales. That’s what some would say. 

In a nutshell, Wedding Draperies are flowy, light, and breezy – a perfect way to add grace and style to any special event, including weddings.

Wedding Drapery Fabrics Can:

  • Cover things you don’t want to see at a wedding venue meant for romanticism.
  • Highlight inviting spaces within the ceremony or reception.

Needless to say, wedding draping treatments for wedding celebrations and other fancy events are an incredibly helpful tool to structure, as well as personalize, any occasion to precisely the way you desire it.

Nowadays, Wedding Draping is a crucial element to countless wedding coordinators and brides-to-be. Wedding drapery is soft, yet refined, and its uses are many.

3 Reasons Why Numerous brides-to-be love using Wedding Draping:

  1. To hide unattractive aspects of event spaces.
  2. To turn blah entrance ways into something grand.
  3. To add sophistication and style to any kind of location to contribute to the overall ambiance.

By the way, there is no wedding drape too small. Wedding Drapery Sizes can range anywhere from 1’ to 30’ tall!

Trending Locations for Wedding Drapery Rentals

One thing is for sure:  Weddings these days are not about basic spaces. Combine wedding drapery to transform the most beautiful of areas:

  • Luxurious Wedding Tents
  • Banquet Halls or Hotel Event Spaces
  • Barns
  • Museums
  • Conservatories
  • Botanical Gardens
  • Boats and Yachts
  • Backyard Areas
  • Beaches
  • Churches
  • The list goes on…

Popular Wedding Drapery Ideas

Draping Ideas for Weddings include ceiling canopies, room liners, and backdrops as well as tent and stage draping. You’ll want to pick professionals that offer a free design consultation to explore your options.

Use it to develop a one-of-a-kind backdrop for food tables or merely split a room in half to divide the space in two. Wedding draperies can also be used as a backdrop for the musicians performing during the reception.

The design enhancements are limitless.

TOP IDEAS:  When to Use Wedding Drapery 

When Ceremony and Reception must be in the Same Space
Use wedding drapery for an elegant way to direct the guests to the ceremony on one side as if it’s in one intimate space.

Bistro Lighting or Up lighting
Attempt to incorporate draping with bistro lighting or up lighting to add flair to your once-in-a-lifetime event. Remember that wedding draping can be hung anywhere.

When Needing to Hide Ugly Ceilings and Beams
Create an intimate space by covering high ceilings, irregularly shaped rooms, or outdoor tents.

When Needing a Backdrop to Highlight or Hide Something 
Create depth and a prettier atmosphere.  Get Trendy!

  • Use wedding drapery around a unique piece of art to dress up blank wall space.
  • Mix elements such as drapery and vines to create a textured space behind the band.
  • Create Photo Backdrops with drapery and frames for Unique Photography backgrounds.
  • Drape fabric around small windows to make them appear larger and grander than what they are.

Dessert or Food Tables
Spice up your food and treat tables using wedding drapery layers, then overlay with a sequin or sheer drape of a different color.

Head Tables
Draping tulle around your head table is the absolute best way to create a focal point never forgotten. And don’t forget, there is a style for every preference.

Wedding Arches
Combining drapery with branches or flowers on a wedding arch is amazing and breathtaking.

Best Wedding Draping Fabric

Honestly, the type of wedding fabric you use to drape at your special event is up to you. They can be used to “drape” tables, walls and/or ceilings. They can be white. They can be Fuchsia. They can be sheer, solid, flat, or shiny. It is totally your preference.

However, there are types of fabrics that are commonly used when using materials of all kinds to drape a wedding.

  • Poly Premier is kind of like table linens at a fancy restaurant. This fabric is an elegant and subtle way to incorporate the colors white and ivory. 
  • Sheer Fabrics will reveal objects behind it and is see-through.
  • Sheer Custom is ultra-wide and excellent when used with arches, arbors, ceilings, backdrops or pipe. A perfect combination when used with lighting. 

Generators and Temporary Power for Events and Concerts

Generators and Temporary Power for Events and Concerts

Electricity: without it, nothing could happen easily. Your event needs power for anything to work. Tent lighting, sound systems, catering equipment, phone chargers, fans/misters, point-of-sales, video screens- all need power. If the event is outdoors or otherwise in a temporary location, you need safe, reliable power distribution for all these items. Of course, this doesn’t mean running orange extension cords out of the window of a nearby building. Reliable power is required for your event to run smoothly. Temporary power enables your event to take place in any venue without concerns about power outages. Sometimes you are bringing in generators specifically because you have a power outage.

Generators

45 kva quiet run diesel generator is delivered to provide temporary power for an event in Richmond VA
A 45kw quiet run generator provides additional power for an event taking place at the Siegel Center in Richmond, VA

There are several reasons you might need a generator for your event. If your venue is in a field, under a tent, far from a building, or even in a building but electrical service is insufficient, a portable generator is the easiest way to supply your power needs. Common sizes run from 1-kw all the way up to 220-kw to supply even the largest concert or major event.

Quiet-Run Generators

A generator that sounds like a lawn mower might be distracting from your event. Ensure your power supplier uses only quiet run generators for event power. Small Honda units (aka putt-putts) are great for lighter needs and are fairly quiet. These can sit nearby wedding tents without bothering guests. However, as the generator gets larger (to supply greater power needs) it doesn’t need to get louder. Trailer-mounted units can supply larger power needs. Certain mega-silent units have extensive sound abatement treatments and are so quiet you can stand next to it and not know it is running.

A portable quiet-run generator and mobile stage are set up for an event
A mega-silent generator will not distract from the main event, even when placed nearby

Reliability and Runtime

Of course a generator provides no value at your event if it stops running. You want to ensure your guests have a seamless experience at your event. An electrical failure will certainly be noticed by all in attendance. To prevent this from happening, a professional power supplier will take many precautions. These include performing maintenance on schedule, monitoring performance telematics remotely, having a technician remain onsite, using two units in parallel or with transfer switch, refueling in advance of empty, and having additional equipment on standby ready to roll out 24 hours a day. A generator company dedicated to perfect events will offer to do all of these items. Some of these come with additional cost while some are included with standard rental price. Be sure to discuss your exact needs and requirements with your power supplier.

Most trailer-mount generators carry enough fuel on board to run constantly for a day or two without requiring refueling, and external fuel tanks are available to increase runtime.

Temporary Power Distribution

With a generator that can supply upwards of 100 amps, there needs to be a safe electrical system to distribute power where it is needed. Feeder cable runs from the generator to portable distribution panels. From there, single or multi circuit cables run from these panels to supply the electrical needs around a venue. There are many variations of panels and cable to suit every event’s unique needs. With a tented wedding, you might drop a spider box at the catering area and for the band. For a larger stage concert, a larger distro or dimmer racks will be placed on stage and socopex multicable ran to the stage lighting positions. For tradeshow booths, a 3-circuit cable with quad box outlets every 10 feet might be used.

Equally important is getting an estimate of the electrical loads so the proper size of equipment can be used. In addition, a qualified technician should specify the distribution equipment so that there is no risk of overload.

Cable Ramps (Crossovers)

Generators provide power for a special event. Cords cross a roadway inside cable ramps protected from vehicle traffic
Cable Ramps (cable crossovers) provide protection where vehicles or pedestrians must cross power cables and allow generators to be located out of the way

A concern with temporary power is that there will be a lot of wires. It’s usually not feasible to hide the wires inside walls or under surfaces. The best power suppliers will take care to run cables out of the way or overhead as much as possible. However, there are many times cases where wires have to cross a walkway. In these cases it is imperative that you use cable ramps to protect attendees and equipment. You might also hear these called yellow jackets or cable crossovers. Additionally, some styles can accommodate the weight of heavy vehicles so you can run cables across a roadway. If heavy foot traffic or accessibility is a concern, you can use ADA cable ramps with very minor slope.

Electrical Consultation

There are a number of considerations when ensuring your event wont shut down due to lack of power. Fortunately, at The Lighting & Sound Co, we have years of experience supplying power for events of all size. We have handled power needs for hundreds of concerts, food truck rodeos, tradeshows, campgrounds, tented events, weddings and other unusual setups. And we know that sometimes you need a generator immediately to resolve a power outage. We can help on an emergency basis with rapid response. We work exclusively with our friends at Temp-Power Generator Rentals to get only top-of-the-line equipment anywhere, anytime it is needed.

Get in touch with us and assure a perfect event by leaving power distribution to the professionals. Give us a call at 804-893-5066 or send an email to events@lightingandsoundco.com and we will do what it takes to power your event.

6 Common Event AV Mistakes to Avoid

At The Lighting & Sound Company, we have been involved with thousands of events. While most events result in positive experiences for all, there is often opportunity to make the event even better. We see some missed opportunities for improvement frequently enough. Here are six of the most common Event AV Mistakes we see. Take note and use these tips to improve your next event!

Bad Sound

Effective sound reinforcement can make or break your event. Nothing will leave your attendees with a bad feeling about the event more than not being able to hear a presenter speak or performer sing. There are many aspects that contribute to good event sound. Microphone choice, speaker placement, venue construction, weather, and distance can all have impacts on the ability of attendees to hear. Perhaps some part of the event layout prevents your av supplier from placing a speaker or mic in an ideal location. Or, the proper speakers to provide good sound comes with a price that is problematic for your budget. A quality AV company will know the right sound system to use in a venue. Sometimes the cost may seem expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. Cheap sound systems will frequently fail to cover the venue adequately or blare feedback while your presenter has to shout to be heard in the front row.

Coordinate the Powerpoint layouts

If your event will involve video screens displaying powerpoint presentations, ask your AV company about the screen size. Modern screens and projectors will have an aspect ratio of 16:10, while older screens are 4:3. (If your av company only has 4:3 screens, this is an indicator of outdated equipment!) When creating your presentation, configure the powerpoint layout to match the screen at your event. This avoids any lost space or black bars on the sides of the screen.

Waiting to hire your AV company

Bringing in your audio-visual vendor as early as possible always has a positive impact on your event. An experienced production company will be able to point out venue challenges, suggest efficient event layout, observe power availability, verify equipment access, and related items. It is much easier to plan for any of these items or make changes long before the event, instead of the week of the event when custom items cannot be ordered or layouts cannot be adjusted. The AV vendor is one of the first to arrive for an event and is onsite for the full duration, so they have a wealth of knowledge to make recommendations that improve the event experience.

No rehearsal

You might think that since your AV company has brought the best equipment and talented technicians, nothing can go wrong during your event. While this will likely be the case, you do not want to be using a wireless mic or seeing your presentation on stage under the lights for the first time in front of your audience. Having a rehearsal allows you to get familiar with all the event technology. You can know exactly what to expect during the real event.

Using your own laptop

Using equipment you already own often seems like a great way to save some money when planning an event. Indeed, using your own laptop can be acceptable for small breakout room presentations that can be informal. However, for a full general session with many attendees and VIPs, it can be very risky to try to run the presentation from your own computer. You don’t want to be advancing the slides when suddenly your iMessage pops up a chat you’d rather keep private or the computer slows to a crawl because Windows started running updates. A professional av company will have specific presentation laptops ready to go, with all updates completed, all notifications minimized, and no unnecessary programs that could slow down the computer

Plan the load in and load out time

If you have several vendors providing services at your event, they will most likely all need to deliver materials to the jobsite. Some locations have physical limits on simultaneous access. Perhaps there is a narrow driveway, single loading dock, or small freight elevator. Or maybe the venue is doing renovations that restrict loading zones. This could present a problem if all of your vendors arrive at the same time. Frequently your AV company will need to do aerial lift work. This can be challenging if tables or drape have already been setup. Plan for separate load in/out times for all of your vendors so they don’t conflict. Also ensure that one vendor’s equipment setup will not prevent a later setup from occurring.

All in all, you will want to partner with an experienced event audio-visual production company to handle the technical aspects of your event. Let your av company’s offer tips to improve the flow of your event. Looking for a good team to work with? Give a call to The Lighting & Sound Company at 804-893-5066 and ensure a perfect event!

Wedding Marquee Letters

The decor, style and ambiance of a wedding encompasses who the bride and groom are as a couple. By ensuring that the room is styled in an inviting way, it allows the space to set the tone, make the air magical, and let the guests feel an emotional connection with the couple.

There are many aspects when it comes to planning a wedding. One of the first tasks the bride and groom will face is deciding on a theme. Once they have established a theme, the choices and options that are available when it comes to decor can be a little bit intimidating. Decorations for a wedding are made up of a number of elements, with each component bringing its own essence to the atmosphere.

Decorations Checklist

Flowers: Check!

Centerpieces: Check!

Cake topper: Check!

Tables and chairs: Check!

Lighting: …?

Don’t underestimate the influence of what lighting can do for your wedding! Wedding lighting can help enhance the ambiance of the room and create the desired mood by spotlighting decor and brightening a dark space. It can also enhance the quality and complexion of your photos. Without proper lighting, your guests won’t be able to see the hard work you have put into the decor. Sometimes the lighting itself can be decor. From simple pendants to extravagant chandeliers, you can create that magical tone simultaneously through both light and style.

If you’re looking for a focal decor item, The Lighting & Sound Company’s light-up marquee letters that spell out “LOVE” is the perfect piece. This versatile decoration can be used in a variety of ways that accommodate for all types of wedding themes. It can also be used to light up a space that establishes the desired ambiance and romantic detail that only weddings can accomplish. Marquee LOVE letters are the perfect piece to add to your wedding lighting and will fit into any theme.

Here are a couple of wedding themes that LOVE marquee lights could be incorporated into:

Boho

Pair the “LOVE” marquee lights with fairy string lights, soft ribbons, wood elements and floral touches. Use the decoration as a photo booth backdrop or arrange it around a table where guests can recieve their table assignments or sign a guestbook.

Modern

In order to achieve a modern twist on “LOVE” marquee letters, keep the look clean and simple. Prop them up against a large wall and treat them as the focal point for your dance floor. Or you can add them to create interest in a dead space or blank area that needs more detail.

Rustic

Add whimsical vintage elements to your “LOVE” marquee lights such as wooden crates, detailed candle stick holders and vases, or chalkboard signs featuring swirly cursive lettering. (Add some bistro lighting to provide a warm, homely glow to your space!)

Glamourous

A glamorous theme can be achieved with “LOVE” marquee lights by adding some sparkle and uplighting. Draping a glitzy fabric behind the letters can create an enchanting texture. Have your lighting designer place uplighting surrounding or behind the marquee lights to add a dramatic tone that give your guests a dazzling atmosphere.

There are countless more wedding styles and themes that can successfully incorporate our “LOVE” marquee lights. You will be sure to make a statement with such a unique piece, which you can acquire along with a beautiful lighting design through The Lighting & Sound Company. Take your wedding lighting to the next level, click here to learn more.

Remember, nothing says “love” like giant letters spelling out LOVE…in lights.

Lighting & Decor for The Estate at River Run

Creating classic wedding lighting designs in a new space


The Estate at River Run

Everyone in Richmond’s robust event industry is talking about the estate at River Run. In case you missed the news in Richmond business and wedding magazines, the Massey Manor in Maidens Virginia has been purchased. By this Winter, it will be in use as a wedding and event venue. Doug & Tamra Adams (Adams International School, Virginia Barn Wedding), along with one of Richmond’s most prominent planners and designers, Kim Moody Design, are the new owners. Kim will take on the role of In-House planning and design work at the New River run estate venue. 

River Run Estate Event Lighting Back patio

River Run will be a high-end, corporate and wedding event venue that can serve up to 299 guests. The venue plans to be somewhat selective about their vendors. However, there is no official list as of this post. Kim Moody explains “While we would love to have vendors from all over Richmond work in [The Estate at River Run], we plan on hiring from a small list.” This will keep the property in better shape, and also create a more cohesive week-to-week game plan between vendors that are used to collaborating with each other in the beautiful space.

Our wedding lighting designers were called on to provide lighting for the inaugural event at River Run Estate. The event, a networking event for our good friends at Richmond wedding magazine, a monthly occurrence. The excitement of the new venue brought out all of Richmond’s best wedding vendors. Everyone was excited to inspect the new venue and create ideas for our Richmond brides.  

Photo by Hayes & Fisk Photography

The Design

Our first design at River Run used our extensive collection of powerful outdoor RGB LEDs to highlight and accent the property. The view from the back patio of the manor is perfectly framed, the sun setting perfectly over the James could not be a more picturesque moment, as the deep reds and warm pinks of the sunset blend seamlessly with our our fiery uplighting. Our wireless capabilities means that even outside, we can change the lighting to completely affect the mood. Uplighting is just the tip of the iceberg. With a space like this, anything is possible. We expect to see a lot of Uplighting, bistro lighting, pendants, chandeliers, drape and of course texture gobos to go up in this space.

Event coordination

Event Coordination (Everything Needed for a Perfect Event)


If you are holding anything more than the smallest gathering, you probably have a few vendors providing event services. As your event increases in scale,  you may suddenly be coordinating with tens (or hundreds) of suppliers. If your event has multiple dates or locations, your vendors multiply!

This is where it becomes helpful to get as many services as possible from your suppliers. A single company that provides many related services will be of great help. A company that has contacts with every local event-related business can additionally coordinate other tangentially-related services for you.

The Japanese Garden lake is filled with reflections of glowing trees
Large events require careful planning and expert execution.

Event Coordination is a full-time job!

Imagine an outdoor wedding. You’ve decided who will attend, where to have it and, who will provide catering. But now you have to sort through tent rentals, DJ services, tables and chairs, decor, and lighting. Suppose you handle all of that only to get to your special day and be told that the caterer tripped the only circuit. Now your DJ can’t play and your guest’s can’t see in your tent.

Consider a large concert event. Your band demands a huge stage with a bunch of instruments (backline) and you have 8000 people coming who need to hear the band. The show goes into the evening so the stage needs to be lit up, and the venue has no electrical power. You need fencing to channel the attendees where they need to go, and security staff to make sure there is no trouble. Portable restrooms and parking lot lighting are of course required, as well as illumination for vendor tents…

Concert Lighting Generator

 LSC Production Manager Jonathan Coordinates Generators with Temp-Power

 

Associated Event Services

Enter The Lighting & Sound Co. After being onsite for thousands of events, we know everyone in town who provides top-quality event services. We also have partners nationwide to assist with rare requests or distance events. It helps that we are often one of the first to arrive and last to leave. We can either provide what you need or know the best providers in the area. Make one call and let us handle your event technology needs, so you can focus on other aspects.

We will be glad to provide lighting, sound, AV, drape, and coordinate the best mobile stages, generators, band backline, tents, security fencing, multi-site logistics, and anything else you would rather not have on your plate. Rest assured that we vet all of our event partners and only work with vendors who offer the same top quality standards and reliability we are known for.

A portable quiet-run generator and mobile stage are set up for an event

The best event partners make for smooth events

If you need assistance with event technology or other event services, get in touch and we’ll be glad to assist. (804) 893-5066 or events@lightingandsoundco.com

Want to learn more about event technology? Check out one the articles below!

Best Wedding Lighting Company bistro at hotel john marshall

Best Wedding Lighting Company & How to Find it

How to Find the Best Wedding Lighting Company for You.


Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. It’s no secret that wedding lights are extremely important when you are planning for the  best moments of your life. Proper lighting can easily affect the mood and make the entire event much more enjoyable. To suit that, you want to make sure you hire the best wedding lighting company possible for your date. But what makes a lighting company great?

There are many things that come immediately to mind when you think about what you want from a company. We put together a list of some of the most important facets of a lighting company, so that you can be sure you choose the best wedding lighting company available.

best wedding lighting company richmond virginia tredegar

Doing your homework: Check the Testimonials

It isn’t uncommon for couples to meet with each of their vendors once, or even not at all. In the digital age, you can usually find out everything that you need about your vendors online. The easiest way to find out what you need to know about a wedding lighting company is to check their google reviews.

While not all couples will leave a review for their vendor, couples that have bad experiences almost always do. Sub 4 star reviews are warning signs that you should at the very least read. You will also want to check for the number of reviews, a low number means a less experienced company. Aim for above 50 good reviews to get a vendor you know you can trust.

Finally, check reviews for their legitimacy. Ensure the accounts reviewing have other similar reviews that make sense for their profile. Many small companies will only receive reviews from friends and employees, double-check for this. The best wedding lighting company will have the best reviews, reading them will give you insight into what kind of experience you can expect from the company. Which brings us to our next point…

Don’t get bamboozled! Read 6 Lies Your Wedding Vendors May Be Telling You.

Responsiveness is Key

If you’re vendor is not responsive at first, it’s only going to get worse once you make your deposit. The quickness with which a company responds is often directly correlated to the level of service you’ll get from that wedding vendor. Vendors that respond quickly take their first interaction with their clients as seriously as their final product.

When a vendor replies to you quickly it tells you two things.

  1. That vendor takes your time seriously
  2. That vendor has the organization and staff available to have an employee available to respond to you.

The best wedding lighting company may be a tough competition, but every serious wedding vendor should be responding to you within 24 hours.

LED outdoor uplighting events
The best wedding lighting company will have the best portfolio, customer service, and equipment.

Getting the Highest Quality

If you’re a bit later in the planning process, you’re used to hearing a few buzzwords so much you probably want to forget they exist.

  • Quality
  • Affordable
  • State-of-the-art
  • Specialists
  • Some combination of these

Who wants to hear a company talk about how good they are? They should be able to easily prove it!
The best wedding lighting company will have a huge portfolio of high quality images. Get as many pictures of you can of a companies work, try to find the pictures that they aren’t catering to you. Getting a picture or two of your specific venue is nice, but the best wedding lighting company can work anywhere. Ask for general pictures of work, outside of just the ones for your venue. You may end up getting inspired along the way.

Need the best wedding party rentals? Check out our friends at Party Perfect!

Using Vendor Referrals to get the Best Wedding Lighting Company

We use referrals every day to decide what to buy, but how do you trust someone with money in the game? The short answer: It’s going to be difficult. More often than not, vendors will refer you to other vendors that they have a lot of experience working with. Most of the time, this is because vendors like recommending people they know will be professional and easy to work with on their side. However, sometimes those same vendors are in on the take!

Beware of preferred vendor lists. Definitely check out the vendors on them and do your own homework, but venue recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt. Often, venues charge to let vendors onto their lists, or take in commission on the referral. Taking a referral from a company getting paid to give it is never a good policy!

Picking the Best Wedding Lighting Company for Your Wedding’s Style

Many wedding companies are lifestyle companies and micro businesses. Hiring companies like this is a great way to get a unique style and feel to your wedding, but often can be quite limiting. While you might be in love with a style when you book it, your feelings might change. For a small company, a change like this can be catastrophic. The smaller the scale of a lighting company, the harder it is for it to stomach any kind of last minute problems, change, or charges.

Picking a well-managed full-size production company is the best way to ensure your lighting vendor can perform to your exact standards.

Pin Spots for Weddings & Events


If you’re planning a gala-style event, with seated dining or low-light ambiance, you’re probably considering using pin spots. Pin spotting (pins, table spotting) is the use of a narrow-beamed light to illuminate centerpieces, tables, and other important decor elements. Many people incorrectly refer to pin spotting as “spotlighting,” which is a different lighting service.

Pin spotting john marshall ballroom

Illuminating Flower Arrangements & Floral Decor with Pin Spotting

Pin spots are most florist’s favorite light. That’s because when florists and lighting companies work together, pin spots are often what comes up. Along with a host of other uses, pins are one of the best ways to illuminate your floral centerpieces.

Need more than pin spots? Here are 7 Things Your Need to Know About Wedding Lighting.


pin spot on sweetheart table

There is no such thing as the best angle for a pin spot. Technicians place lights at various angles to create dramatic shadows, great for a moody feel and less detailed centerpieces. They can also be placed so that the centerpiece is completely and evenly lit. This is great for detailed florals and topiaries. Unfortunately, often venue, budget or both prevent optimal placement of pin spots. A lighting company with any kind of skill will work around this by using ground-support options and a diverse range of pin spotting options.

As with any lighting or decor item, the sky is the limit. Keep it simple with a warm-white 2-angle wash, or get creative with some of the customization options below.

Pin Spots Customization

  • Color – Pins are typically white or warm white, but a well-equipped event lighting company will have LED lights that can change to your specified color.
  • Angle – Different types of supports can be brought in to place your lights at the angle of your choosing
  • Diffusion – While they typically have a 1 degree angle, pins can diffuse anywhere from 1(narrow) to 40(wide) degrees.
  • Intensity – The intensity of your lights can be controlled so that they don’t overpower other natural lighting or design effects.
Pin spotting 1 angle vs 2 angle pins
2 angles vs 1 angle
Some florists, such as The Flow Guy Bron (pictured on top), need 2 angle pin spotting more than others!

Getting the most out of your pin spots

When you talk to your lighting company, make sure you come well-informed. Most companies will charge per table for pins. In most situations, two spots are required per centerpiece, to get total coverage so ensure that’s what you’re getting.

Why use pins? Click the pin spot function on our color picker app, and you can see the difference that they make!


Have more questions? Reach out and speak with one of our event designers.