Lighting Design for the Sims/Shore Wedding
Lighting Dialogue by Michael Byrd | Photography by Michael Byrd
April 2009 | Fort Lawn, SC

Lighting Equipment
4-Martin MAC Krypton 250
2-Elation Vision Scan 575E
6-Elation Opti RGB
6-Martin Stagebar
16-Chauvet Colorado 1
18-Chauvet Colorado 3
24-Color Kinetics Lighttro Color Changing Light Bulbs
8-5” Swivelier
12-Pinspot
12-Chauvet Colordash Par

12-American DJ H20
20-Color Kinetics ColorCast14
5-Elation Wireless DMX Receiver
1-Elation Wireless DMX Transmitter
1-Martin Light Jockey
7-Jim Shore Custom Monogram Gobo
Rigging Equipment
6-2.5 M Global Truss Box Truss
2-2 M Global Truss Box Truss
4-Chain Hoist
16-6’ Round Sling

For the front entrance I used Colorado 1’s uplight the posts and lions that compliment the landscape design of the home/studio. We had a custom monogram created by Jim Shore, the father of the bride and artist that owned the venue, and then cut into a gobo that lit up the front along with the Colorado 1’s. This visual was truly an inviting touch, even to the most timid guest. As you walk through the front door, Color Kinetics Lighttro Color Changing Light Bulbs fill out the main foyer where all the pre-existing fixtures have been swapped out with these lamps, set to fade from purple into magenta. Swiveliers are used to softly light the food tables and stations without creating too much white light.

After grabbing a plate, it’s time for a drink. The bar area was probably the most simply lit area in the studio. Each table and centerpiece was spotted with a hint of white light from the swiveliers here as well, while the corners of the room transformed from magenta into purple.

Making their way outside to visit with the bride and groom a bit, guest found themselves covered in an intimate, yet enchanting effect. Each table once again spotted, this time from an upstairs patio-in-progress by pinspots. The American DJ H20’s were also used here to wash the outdoor patio area. They provide just enough motion and color to keep people interested without making them feel like they’re about to have a seizure. To complete the patio, I used eight Chauvet Colordash Pars to light up the architecture of this patio-in-progress, which for me was way too cool to resist.

After all the formalities, it’s time to party. Two continuous 22 ft truss were built out and rigged on either side of Jim’s actual sculpting room. The Martin Kryptons and Elation Vision Scans had the same custom gobos cut and placed inside. As the gobos gently floated around the room, the Martin Stagebars lighting the backside of the liner and the Opti RGBs lighting the dance floor flux between red and blue to make a true pink. The Color Kinetics on the fireplace gave off the perfect effect. The wide beam only let the light wash about 6 feet of the floor-to-ceiling fireplace, creating a very rustic and moderate effect. Finally, on the draped back wall, I placed 18 Colorado 3s on the floor side by side and let it fly. The Colorado’s were so bright that they had to be dimmed down to 25% intensity, but the impact was huge from having such bright fixture. All in all, the place looked great.