Vendor Feature: LED Unplugged

You’ve been spending months and months planning your big day — you have the perfect venue, the perfect dress, the perfect cake, the perfect flowers and the perfect stationery but what use is it if you and your guests can’t see it?! That’s where we seek the advice and knowledge of our lighting expert! We asked Kevin Cordova, our go-to guy and owner of LED Unplugged, to shed some light (no pun intended.. okay yes, pun intended) on this very important element.

• Have you run into any problems with any venues not having enough power to run your equipment?

Most venues are well equipped to handle most of what any event could throw at them, however, yes we have experienced a couple of venues that have been questionable on power. These power issues were quickly resolved by relocating power to another circuit on property.

• What specialty equipment/rentals do you offer that other lighting vendors may not?

There are some products that we carry that are pretty unique, and that we are very proud of. Many of us know that all uplighting is not the same. We carry a large inventory of a German engineered Wireless LED lighting that has paved the way for the past 5 years. You have amazing color options and control over your lighting throughout your event. We also designed our ARC Suspension systems which allows us to suspend pretty much ANYTHING up to 80lbs at about 12 feet high and a horizontal distance of up to 13 feet. We have the largest inventory of 3-foot Vintage Marquee letters in the US. These have been nothing short of amazing, and even though we have had some competitors begin to carry some, we believe it is our large inventory and the many, many different ways we can present them that makes us unique. In fact, I believe the most unique thing we offer is our lighting design. If you gave us a “type” of lighting you liked such as bistro lights (string lights) and then we performed a site-inspection, the results would likely be different from our competitors. We see many different viable options (or configurations), whereas others may see only one, and usually the one option given is the easiest. We don’t necessarily like “easy”. We work very hard at always offering numerous ways of presenting any of our products.

• What is the most elaborate setup you’ve created and what challenges, if any, did you encounter while bringing it to life?

Typically the most elaborate setups we do are at the Bridal Spectacular Bridal Shows here in Las Vegas. We have been honored to be selected to furnish a 2500 square foot lounge area at each show (2 per year). Many of the challenges we encounter are in the design, planning and testing phases so that when we get on-site and it is time to shine, we are ready, but because we are always looking to introduce new product elements at each show, sometimes we meet these challenges on-site as we have never fully set these particular products up yet. I actually love this bit of unknown at the shows. It challenges me creatively, tests my improvisation at times, and keeps me loving my work.

• Can you share any additional tips or advice on focal points that couples might forget or not think of lighting?

Yes of course! Here is probably the single most important thing to know about lighting. Will it serve your event as an ambient light, a functional light, or a combination of both? When your event is outside, and your event would otherwise be dark without your lighting, we call this “functional” lighting. This becomes crucial that your space is adequately lit even if only to meet safety standards. This lighting is necessary for your event to be functional after dark. When your venue/space is adequately lit with existing lighting from the venue, when we add lighting, we are adding “ambient” lighting. This lighting is not necessary, but is desired. Now, there is the combination of the two that we have done many times over where we have added in both “functional” and “ambient” lighting that has proven to be some of our best work.

Aside from that, my last piece of advice would be to recognize where you have placed your hearts in the room. When you selected certain elements for your wedding, was your heart in your cake, or on your centerpieces or backdrops, or maybe on a collage of photographs of you both as you enter? There are numerous things at every wedding, and in every reception room where a Bride and/or Groom will place their hearts. Those places should always have a beautiful light cast on them. The eye will always gravitate toward something that is beautifully lit.

We love working with Kevin and his team for their creativity and passion! Here are some of our favorite events beautifully lit and accented by LED Unplugged.