We are SO excited to get back to introducing some local favorite “friendors” we’ve had the joy of getting to know over our TEN years of weddings in the Seattle area 🙂
This is a special one . . . Clea and Clayton from Crimson Haze Event Lighting. If you have met them, you know they are always hustling hard and smiling BIG. A few of my favorite things about them is that not only do they set up your amazing lighting for your event, but they are SO thorough and might even stay the event to monitor the lighting etc, AND of course you also have the sweet heartfelt thank you cards that Clea hands us when we work together 🙂
They really have SUCH a great attention to detail with everything they do, and they are one rockstar married couple as well! ANYWAY you need them for your wedding/event . . .
Here is a little more about this power house lighting couple:
How (and when) did you start your company?
“We are a happy husband-wife team with a passion for lighting and high-quality service. We established Crimson Haze Event Lighting in 2014, and are thrilled and humbled to be Seattle’s highest-rated, most award-winning lighting provider according to Yelp, WeddingWire, Seattle Bride Magazine, and more.”
What are some good questions to ask a lighting company when they are considering booking?
“There are lots of great questions for a couple to ask about lighting! Our top three suggestions:
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- Request example photos and videos so you can see the options, quality and style of the lighting. It’s so important to us that you feel excited and confident about your lighting: we share lots of photos and videos of our work on our detailed website.
- Ask how the lighting is being controlled so you know how customizable and dynamic the lighting can be. We specialize in dynamic lighting with full control for synchronized, customizable looks throughout your celebration.
- Ask for their reviews to better understand what the service experience is like.”
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What is one thing you wish couples considered when designing their wedding, and lighting?
“We always encourage couples to consider dynamic lighting, which is our specialty! Every celebration is its own unique sensory journey. We all understand that music can take you on an emotional ride, and lighting can carry you along in a similar fashion. Lighting is a powerful tool to shape how you’d like a room to feel. You can set a calming, conversational ambiance with gentle warm tones, brighten just the center of the space when someone stands up to raise a toast, or punctuate important moments like a grand entrance with vibrant pops of color and “paparazzi”-style animations. The exact same place can feel dramatically different with a well-timed color change. Lighting is a beautiful way to decorate a space and propel your occasion forward, and we love being part of that magic.”
Do you have an “ideal couple” and if so, describe them to us.
“We love clients who are excited about creating an experience for their guests — from the subtle to the spectacular. We want to collaborate to bring that vision to life. Some of our favorite clients aren’t always sure what “lighting” can do, and that’s great! We love to show all the possibilities and make it a fun and easy process to design with us.”
FAVE moment of a wedding day?
“Even after five years of attending and working with weddings, we still cry during vows and family toasts. Above and beyond everything, we feel so lucky to work together as a husband-wife team — we get to spend so much time together!”
What is your favorite season for weddings, and why?
“We love all seasons, but there’s something special about autumn and winter weddings. It’s a great time to gather together, to be cozy and intimate, and to enjoy the warmth of family and friends. It’s also an excellent time for lighting to have a big dramatic impact!”
What is your favorite thing about the local wedding community?
“We love how collaborative the local wedding community is! Our fellow vendors all bring such talent and creativity to their respective services. Creating beautiful events is a team effort, and it’s so special to work together and help each other shine.”
What are other fun ideas you’d encourage couples to consider?
“Some of our favorite offerings are special effects that pair beautifully with lighting and really add a “wow” moment to events, like our Confetti Surprise Box or low-lying dry ice fog for “Dancing on the Clouds”. Dance party lighting is also one of our favorite things to provide, where we sync the lights to your DJ or band to really elevate the party atmosphere.”
What are some of your favorite lighting techniques to use for indoor weddings?
- “Dynamic lighting is the most essential concept that we encourage. We work with couples to visualize each part of their wedding. Together, we collaboratively build a customized timeline — for instance, starting with cocktail hour and guest arrival, leading into the ceremony itself, then dinnertime, and finally into late-night reception festivities — with lighting cues attached to each moment. How should each of those feel? What should they look like? These different looks can be achieved through a combination of uplighting, pin-spotting, soft spotlights, special effects, and careful coordination of the venue’s own house lights and chandeliers. We incorporate all of these into our timeline for the day.
- For example, we create custom looks for each part of the day like classic, brighter neutral tones for the ceremony, shifting warmer to golden candlelight hues for dinner, and transitioning to rich jewel-tone colors for dancing. We also take special care to match colors to each wedding’s unique color palette, referencing the florals, bridesmaid dresses, and other decor.”
What service is often overlooked by couples but really makes a big impact?
“Pin-spots are a fantastic tool for highlighting floral centerpieces, cakes, buffet displays, gift tables, guest books, and anything else that you’d like to draw subtle attention to. Because our pin-spots are carefully shaped and adjusted to showcase these elements, the rest of the room can be invitingly dreamy and dim, without any concern that your beautiful decor or food will be in the dark. It’s the best of both worlds! You can create a romantic, moody ambiance and still showcase your centerpiece features with targeted, supplemental pin-spotting.”
Thank you Clea and Clayton for this helpful info! We LOVE working with you guys, and can’t WAIT to get back to full on weddings someday with you guys and all that you offer our clients!