Lighting: The Most Cost-Effective Way To Make Your Event Look Great

Obviously, there’s no single element you can add to practically any kind of event that will solve a number of problems and also elevate the experience for attendees. Well, there is actually…

We get asked by our clients all the time what we recommend to make their nonprofit fundraisers, corporate meetings, or brand activations more exciting and impactful. Almost always, our answer is simple. Add a few thousand dollars in lighting to your budget!

We don’t say that flippantly. We always respect every dollar that our clients put in their budgets. For that reason, we advise investing money in elements that will pay off by adding value to your event, and nothing is more effective at that than some extra lighting.

(All photos are avad3-produced events from the past few seasons.)

How Much Should I Spend On Lighting?

We aren’t talking about recreating a rock concert light show, but this is more than just the basic lighting so people can see who’s on stage. Colors, textures, patterns, and movement can be utilized to create unlimited options. Usually, we can achieve a significant impact with around $3k in lighting setup and execution. Customized lighting can work wonders to improve the entire event experience. Let’s look at just a few of the ways that happen.

When Attendees Arrive, They Need The “Wow Factor”

First impressions are crucial and hard to influence. Your attendees will form their first impression of your event before anyone steps on the stage- before they even take their seats. Dramatic lighting in the registration or guest seating area will impress them from the start. They’ll observe a polished, professional visual presentation that will make them feel like their time is about to be well spent.

Add Energy To Your Event With Lighting

We’ve seen over and over the way an audience can be energized by a dynamic lighting setup (and we’ve all seen how a lack of energy can drain an event’s impact with lighting speed). Awards, recognitions, and big announcements can get a huge boost when they’re accompanied by the statements our lights can provide. They can make a moment seem more important, more exciting, and more buzzworthy.

Make Repeating Events Look and Feel Brand New

If you’re concerned that attendees will feel like your event is just like a dozen others they’ve been to, some unique lighting will put your guests on alert that this event is special. Even if they’ve attended something in the same room in the last month, lighting can make it feel like a different world. Our clients often want the “Instagram effect”- an event unique enough in its visual presentation that attendees will want to photograph it. Lights can get you there. They can also create an on-brand feel that will reinforce your logo colors, marketing campaign, or event theme.

If you’ve been to an event with fantastic lighting or even watched one on YouTube, you know what a lasting impression it can leave. Our clients consistently tell us money put towards extra lighting is the best they spend to add to the production value of their event, which in turn inspires sponsors and stakeholders to continue investing time and resources. No matter what your event goals are, investing a few thousand in lighting can provide the X factor that will change the game.