Lighting is an important aspect of creating an environment. If you want your wedding reception or birthday party to have a celebratory feel, overhead fluorescent lights aren’t your best option. At the same time, the venue you’ve chosen may not be big enough for a large, truss lighting system. (There is such a thing as overkill. Besides, you want your guests to have room to dance.) What you need is something in between institutional lighting, no lights (also known as a power outage), and something akin to concert or stadium lighting. Fortunately, there is just such a thing.

Portable Lighting System

The Chauvet Gig Bar is a small, portable lighting set-up. It has four different lights at the bottom of the bar, little white strobes in the bar, and a laser light at the top of the bar. It’s basically an elaborate lighting set-up that is compact enough to be transported in one case. Depending on the atmosphere you’re trying to create (romantic, dance party, nostalgic, rave, etc.), the DJ who brings the lights can adjust the light bar and the music. That’s another one of the benefits of hiring a professional wedding DJ.

Fog Machines

However, for the lighting to be most effective, the beams need to be visible in the air. Enter: the fog machine. Cutting Edge Entertainment has fog machines available to use with the gig bar in order to create that effect. The problem you may encounter, though, is that some venues don’t allow traditional fog machines. Hotels, for example, have fire alarm systems that can be triggered by the fog, creating more excitement than you bargained for. If the sound of the alarm doesn’t startle someone into a heart condition, the sprinkler system will. Needless to say, for the safety and convenience of everyone, those venues put the kibosh on traditional fog machines altogether.

Haze Machines

So, what do you do to show off the lights without setting off the fire alarm? You could choose a different venue, but finding one you like that’s available on the right date can be a challenge. You could also use a haze machine instead of a fog machine. (Insert sigh of relief here.) Haze machines use a different chemical combination to create the same effect as a traditional fog machine with a gentler release. The haze machine releases a less dense substance that accentuates the lighting without upsetting the fire system. And the best part of all? The DJ sets it up and operates it for you. (If necessary, the DJ will show the venue certification from the manufacturer about how the haze machine is safe to use with sensitive fire systems.)

An Atmosphere for Entertainment

The San Antonio DJs at Cutting Edge do more than play music; they create an atmosphere for entertainment. Sometimes that means operating fog machines and lights. At other times it means hosting a karaoke party. Sometimes it means introducing a wedding party. At other times it means setting up a photo booth. Regardless of the occasion, it always means doing what we can to help you create great memories at your special event.