Actividades: The main elements of outdoor events are terraces, gardens and tents, as well as rattan furniture, flowers and plants, lakes and pools, etc. One of the current trends in outdoor events is the use of inflatables to create different areas, such as a chill out, bars, villages or to highlight a specific area. Another option is to use various smaller tents in different colours to differentiate the areas and to give a more colourful visual impact. What about lighting? In outdoor events, lighting is king. It transmit welcoming, warm and absorbing atmospheres. There are multiple light applications, decorations and designs to create different atmospheres, highlight areas, etc. Light effects. Before deciding the lighting of an event, study the effect you wish to create and put lights in specific places to achieve the desired atmosphere: down lighting shines light down from large trees or large leaves of plants, to focus on a particular object and achieve a natural look that simulates sunlight or moonlight; up lighting places fixtures in the ground and directs light upward to a create a dramatic effect that accentuates the texture of leaves on trees or the detail of a decoration in a column or an archway. Front lighting positions light sources in front of an object to highlight important features and details while back lighting illuminates objects or plants from the back to reveal their silhouette shapes and forms while decreasing texture and eliminating detail. Side Lighting aims the light from the side to emphasize texture and create strong shadows. And cross lighting lights and accentuates certain objects or areas, like statues or gardens, from two or more focus points. Colour and intensity. To create a warm, welcoming atmosphere, use soft, low lights instead of intense and direct lights which can be blinding and disturbing for the eye when not placed at the right height. Choose incandescent lights over halogen. While halogens do produce a lot of light, they can be burning hot and can also distort the colour of plants, flowers and décor. Color is important when it comes to outdoor lighting. It is wise to be cautious with colored lights, since they can look garish if not carefully planned and installed. White lights work well outdoors. Warm yellows, reds and greens are other good choices, when properly placed, for outdoor lighting. For a more elegant lighting, use just one colour tone for lighting. Light atmospheres. Torches, lanterns, strings of lights to illuminate banisters, trees, stairs, tables... together with candles as centrepieces, or floating candles in pools or lakes, help create warm atmosphere as well as aesthetic light effects. For futuristic atmospheres, use cold colours such as blue, white or acid green that give a more refreshing and less conventional ambience. Colour variation. The variation of the light colour helps mark the rhythm of the event. Put LEDs on ceilings or walls, which change light according to the moment of the event. An elegant option is to use tubular glass LEDs, which give a great visual impact and help create a contemporary and different atmosphere (such as the lighting decoration in the last Oscar party at the Governor’s Ball – see eventos magazine number 5). Light decoration. Here are some suggestions depending on the theme of the event: furniture made of ice with interior lighting creating a refreshing and futuristic ambience. Another option is to use tables illuminated with LEDs, very galactic and surprising; floating designer lamps for pools or lakes for a contemporary and elegant look; or chandeliers (outdoor adapted), which, together with the garden’s vegetation, helps create a Barroque look. So, take advantage of light to achieve different goals: highlight areas or objects, create various atmospheres in the same event, as decoration, to create a dramatic setting... Light is the perfect ally for a warm, absorbing or impressive welcome to an event. Don’t forget it’s the first impression that counts.