Event Planning Guide - Lighting & Sound - Audio Visuals

When selecting a venue, you will want to check to make sure you have control of the lighting and sound. Consider sound and lighting schemes to be part of your décor. The right lighting on your stage, highlighting your centerpieces, or throwing images on walls or ceilings can create a unique event, while too bright light or a static-filled sound system can ruin even the most perfectly planned occasion.

How you light an event will also depend on the mood you are trying to create, as well as the time of year and day. Make sure the light is bright enough so that the guests can see one another and their food if you are hosting an elegant sit-down dinner, but not so bright to be distracting or to take away from the romantic feel of the evening. Most carnival or kid-filled events should be brightly lit to contribute to a safe, festive feeling. If you are hosting a business meeting, you will want to make the room bright enough so that the participants can take notes (and to keep them awake!). Conversely, if you are showing a film or overhead presentation during the course of the event, make sure you are able to make the room dark enough for the audience to see the projected images. For a general or keynote session, most of the light should be trained on the main presentation area.

When thinking about sound, there are two things to consider: The sound system you will use to broadcast announcements, your emcee or performers, and whether or not there are any external noise factors to consider. Traffic, air conditioning and competing events are all things to consider when choosing your venue or setting up the sound at your event.

You will also want to consider your set-up options when it comes to the sound for your event. Suspending speakers from the ceiling delivers what is known as flying sound, and can help to modulate the volume of your performers even for the guests sitting close to the stage. Monitors are how the performers hear themselves on stage, and the soundboard is how the sound technician controls the sound of the performance. Regardless of the type and atmosphere of your event, Event Solutions can work with our professional technicians to deliver the sound and lighting needed to bring your event to its fullest potential.

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