Every venue has its own unique architecture. Understanding how to highlight the natural beauty of a space is essential to creating the best possible atmosphere for an event.
In every space, there are areas that should be highlighted and those that should be covered up. The key to this is looking out for the aspects that guests may not even consciously think about. Perfection is the desire for every event planner and client, and the power of lighting is to go above and beyond storytelling and aesthetics to make sure every minute detail is immaculate.
There's a reason why a space is specifically chosen for an event. Usually this is because the venue is already beautiful. The goal is to work with the architectural features of a venue, not against it. Highlighting these areas brings focus to the natural aesthetics of the space, and creates an interesting focal point for the guests.
Event lighting not only contributes to the storytelling and the aesthetic appeal of the event, but is used in a practical sense to guide guests. For example, in a gallery lighting should be used to guide guests through which rooms the client wants them to move through. Signage telling customers where restrooms are or where food stations are also need to be clearly lit.
On the reverse side, there are always areas that clients would prefer guests not to pay attention to. These are often the little things that aren't necessarily thought about when discussing the creative vision. For example, a catering entrance needs to be well lit enough for staff, but not where guests' attention would go to.
Lighting should also be sure not to illuminate undesirable objects, such as trash cans or technical equipment.
The goal is to draw attention away from these small areas and really focus on what the client wants to highlight and what the event warrants.
The Boston Public Library, being built in the late 1800s, has amazing architecture that looks especially beautiful when illuminated. As seen in the photo at the top of the blog, the ceiling in Bates Hall is a prime point where clients would want guests to pay attention to. Thus, the lighting reflects that. The production team at PORT are experts at making the most of a space, and used outdoor color lighting to make reflections of the window designs on the wall.
In a practical sense, the PORT Lighting team also made sure that hallways were illuminated with colorful lighting a way that guided guests through the building (as seen in the photo above).
Venue Example: MFA Shapiro Courtyard
The MFA's Shapiro Courtyard is a gorgeous and modern space. With tall marble walls, a white ceiling, floor to ceiling glass windows and a beautiful garden space outside, it is a great space for transformations.
From daytime to nighttime, there's a lot of opportunity with this space to truly paint the walls and the ceiling with a variety of different options, be it pattern, be it color, and to do so in a way that allows production to make sure that while the space itself is always going to be the same when you hold an event there. This lets for the venue to be unique to each event (weddings, galas, etc.).
The Importance of Customized Event Lighting for Event Planners
For event planners, understanding the thought that goes into customizing lighting to a venue is a great glimpse into what event lighting specialists think about during the design process.
At PORT, our event lighting specialists aren't just necessarily focusing on just the lighting, but all of the details that go into making sure the event is as perfect as possible. For us, it's not just about delivering to the client the lighting they're asking for, but translating that into a cohesive design. We take pride in being able to anticipate the wants and needs of clients before it even needs to be said.
PORT's Experience with Well-Known Venues
Our event lighting experts at PORT have much experience working with renowned New England venues, especially in the Boston area. Many of these venues are already virtually rendered in our system, meaning that the design process can spend less time on the measurements and technical and more on the creative design and delivering the best experience for your event.
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