Good lighting is the key to creating the mood in any situation. It can have an effect on the mood of everyone in the room, so for your wedding, you need it to be just right.
Rather than the standard lighting, everyone goes for, have you ever thought about projecting an image instead? Gobo projectors are ideal for projecting your desired image onto any surface (usually a wall, ceiling or dance floor). You’re more than likely wondering what a gobo is. In a nutshell, it’s a small circular piece of glass or metal which is placed in a frame or holder in front of a light and projects your image.
To fit your gobo with your theme or colour scheme, they can be made bespoke to suit any needs you might require, but we'll go into that a bit later.
Here are a few examples of gobo styles that you could have projected at your wedding, or that might influence your unique gobo:
Why should I have a gobo projector at my wedding?
As already mentioned, lighting is an essential for any wedding day or any event for that matter. You don’t want to have a full room of guests for the mood to be killed by poor lighting choice. The right lighting should go nicely with your colour theme and should be subtle (depending on your theme or style).
A gobo is a unique and fun way of injecting light into a room; you can have anything from trees and flowers to the newlywed's names projected around the room. Gobo’s can also really save the day if your venue is a bit run-down as it saves having to decorate beforehand. A common trend is to have the bride and grooms names projected onto the dance floor in a rotating manner. It draws your eye to the dance floor and encourages people to get up and dance (because there’s nothing worse than a dead dance floor).
Can I use my lighting projection again?
Yes, you can. If your design is more generic - something without names and dates on it - you can use the a gobo at any event. However, you can still get some use of a ‘Mr and Mrs’ one - maybe at an anniversary party? Either way, whether you use your gobo again or not, you still have it as a keepsake to look back at all the memories of the night.
Gobo’s (the glass or metal disk) are relatively cheap and a lot of venues will already have a projector that you can use either for free or for a small price to hire for the night. If your venue doesn’t have one, you can still borrow one from somewhere else, or if you’re going to be using gobos quite regularly (for example if you’re a DJ), then you might want to consider buying your own.
How does a gobo projector work?
To have your image projected at your event, as well as the gobo itself, you’ll need a gobo light projector and frame/holder. Gobo holder sizes vary, so you need to be sure you have the right size for yours - if you need help with getting the right size, give us a shout.
First, you’ll need to place your gobo into the holder or frame and then into the projector or rotator wheel. All that’s left now is to switch on the light, adjust the focus of the projected image by moving the barrel and then enjoy your big night.
Wedding Projection ideas
If you want your lighting choice to be something that no one else has, as mentioned, you can have a one-of-a-kind gobo made for you. What is more unique than the names of you and your other half, and the dates of the special day, with an image that you’ve had designed?
Another idea could be to use an image of something that’s symbolic to you and your partner. Something that’s going to take your minds to the beginning of your relationship or when you both first met.
Depending on the projector you have, you can have it so that your lighting moves around or rotates, or you can have it set up in one particular spot. If your gobo projector doesn’t move, you could have it in the centre of the dance floor or next to the wedding cake.
If you need a bit of help as to what you’d like your projection to look like, have a look through our wedding gobos, we might already have a design that you like so that we can just change the names and date.
At Projected Image, we have a range of designs for any event; from trees and nature to more exciting ones like colourful fireworks. We have something for all themes and styles, but if you can’t happen to find what you’re looking for, we can create a bespoke gobo for you.
Get in touch with us at gobo@projectedimage.com or call us on 0191 265 9832 to discuss any questions or queries you might have.
Source from image at the top of the page: Middle - http://thechive.com/, Right - http://fantasysound.com/, Left - http://www.brides.com