Great Gatsby Inspired Wedding @ St Clair Centre for the Arts

This wedding was as creative and personal as it was beautiful. Melissa and Adam had decided on a Great Gatsby-inspired theme, working with Marz for lighting and special effects and Compliments G’lor for decor to bring their theme to life. A palette of soft amber, rose gold, ivory and glittering gold tablecloths made the ballrooms of St Clair Centre for the Arts sparkle. An elegant string light canopy framed the head table, with chandeliers adding an additional touch of glamour. In the corner sat a shining black Mustang convertible, which served as the feature of the couple’s grand entrance. A dramatic choreographed entrance spearheaded by Marz featured the couple “driving” into the ballroom, complete with the roaring noise of a car. The wedding party danced their way to the head table to the song “All of the Lights” by Kanye West and Rihanna. Once the dance party got started, Marz broke out the laser and low lying fog, triggering a burst of cheers when the DJ began to play “5 Hours” by Deorro. It was an incredible night, and we were so happy to be a part of this amazing couple’s special night. Thanks Melissa and Adam, for choosing Marz to help bring your vision to light!

Check out some of the photos from this beautiful reception. All photos courtesy of Blush Photography

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

St Clair College Fashion Show

It’s always a pleasure to work with the staff and students at St Clair College, and we were excited to be a part of the Fashion program’s fashion show for a third time last month. Held in the Sportsplex on campus, we worked with the St Clair College Entertainment Technology students to transform the main gym into a chic runway and pop up shop where guests to peruse the fashions designed by the students after the show. Themed around Paris, the entire event had an elegant yet electric feel, and served as a beautiful backdrop for the amazing fashions that came down the runway. Check out some of the photos from the event below, courtesy of Blush Photography

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz. 

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

Engagement Party at the Twisted Apron

We’ve been so busy, it’s been a while since we’ve posted, so we thought we’d make it up to you with some lighting eye-candy from what we’ve been up to lately!

Last month, we lit a beautiful private engagement party at the Twisted Apron. We highlighted the elegant, personal touches and decor from Soiree Event Extraordinaire with touches of elegant and romantic amber lighting. Vintage bulbs hung over the gift tables served as stunning accent lighting, while light wallpaper added interest to a bare corner. Detail highlights on the white floral arrangements made them pop against the ambient room lighting, while amber fixtures washing the walls contributed a “candlelit” feel to the party atmosphere.

Check out a few photos of the event below, courtesy of Blush Photography, and let us know what you would do for your dream engagement party!

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

MARZ Wins Canadian Wedding Industry Award

Nothing like some exciting news to brighten up a rainy Wednesday!

We arrived at the office today to find a package from the Canadian Wedding Industry Awards, announcing we have won a 2014 CWIA Award for the Best Use of Technology at a Wedding in Ontario!

We’ve always told clients that the best way to transform their venue into the event of their dreams is through technology (such as lighting or video projection). It’s the most powerful way to create an atmosphere and ambiance that guests will always remember. A beautiful atmosphere is what sets the truly spectacular event apart from the average. It’s what makes your guests go “wow!” when they walk into the room.

In saying that, what better time to revisit some of the amazing atmospheres Marz has crafted for its clients. Enjoy some event eye candy!

WAVES Festival (2014)

Transition to Betterness Gala @ Ciociaro Club (2015)

Hillan-Cooper Wedding @ Caesars Windsor (2013)

Mayors Dinner for Eddie Francis @ Caesars Windsor (2014)

Transition to Betterness Gala @ Ciociaro Club (2014)

Business Excellence Awards @ Ciociaro Club (2011)

Bridal Ball @ Ambassador Golf Club (2014)

Wedding @ Water’s Edge (2015)

Art of Eating (2013)

Soiree D’Ete at SCCA (2012)

For more on the CWIA Awards, check out their website here: https://canadianweddingawards.com/winners

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

Adam Marz Profiled by the Small Business Cent

Marz is turning up everywhere! Our very own Adam Marz was featured on the Small Business Centre Blog in a company profile. Check out Adam’s interview here: http://www.windsoressexsmallbusiness.com/success-story-details/Details/marz-inc-mar-15

Recap: 2015 Home & Garden Show

The old Rona on Lauzon Rd. was transformed into a homeowner’s shopping paradise for the weekend of March 27-29 for the annual Windsor Home & Garden Show.

For the second year in a row, MARZ Inc was a vendor at the show, alongside Michael Difazio Reclaim Artistry in a gorgeous double booth.

The double booth took on the look of a home and backyard, with Difazio showcasing is unique, reclaimed custom furniture and accent walls in a living-room inspired set up, while Marz took to the garden with a backyard inspired booth.

The MARZ booth featured our colour changing LEDs, perfect for home and landscape lighting. Visitors to the booth were invited to interact with the lighting, pressing the buttons on our wall fixture to change the colour of the lights and thus changing the look and feel of the entire booth.

The booth’s main feature were the vintage inspired Edison bulbs, which were (and still are!) being sold as part of our Lighten Up Windsor campaign. The booth served as a soft launch for the campaign, with squishy stress bulbs serving as another promotional tool for the cause.

What is Lighten Up Windsor, you may ask? Lighten Up Windsor is an organization founded and operated by MARZ Inc.. It aims to light up the community through creative installations, both temporary and permanent, Lighten Up Windsor aims to reshape Windsor as a creative hub, inspiring young artists and brightening spirits around the city. It works to shed light on issues that effect the city, including increasing awareness of mental health issues. Stay tuned for the website!

We had a great response to the show, and look forward to connecting with the fantastic people we met over the course of the three show days!

If you missed your chance to see the booth, check out our photos below!

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

Lighting Your Outdoor Event

With Spring finally here, along come plans for outdoor gatherings, with everything from intimate backyard weddings to large scale community festivals filling the warm weather weekends. One of the most important elements when planning an outdoor event is lighting – not only for visual impact, but also for safety. Guests can suddenly be placed in danger when stumbling in the dark around the event space, particularly when drinks have been involved, as they so often are at outdoor celebrations.

When lighting your outdoor event, don’t just revert to the standard blast of white light – your celebration will soon look like a construction site. The key to creating an elegant ambiance that contributes to a party atmosphere is creative lighting design that utilizes colour and interesting fixtures to illuminate key areas, such as the borders of the backyard or edge of the lake, or the path to the house or washrooms.

Marz has worked with countless clients on both private functions, including weddings and engagement parties, as well as on large scale festivals like Art of Eating and the Dragonboats Festival. We thought we’d give you a few ideas for your next event with some lighting techniques we’ve used at past events.

CAFE LIGHTS

Elegant string lighting, reminiscent of a European cafe, is a beautiful way to add a warm glow to your event while also serving as an element of decor. Whether it’s a large scale canopy over the dining area at a festival or a few strands to add ambiance to an outdoor wedding, these fixtures are great for a variety of events.

Cafe lights create a gorgeous canopy over the dining area at the 2013 Art of Eating festival.

At an country-inspired backyard wedding, cafe lights give this outdoor space an intimate, romantic feel.

COLOURED LED LIGHTING

Versatile and vibrant, LED lighting can paint your space with any colour you’d like, and can slowly scroll through a variety of palettes throughout the night for an ever changing mood that will excite your guests. The bright colours contribute to a surreal atmosphere, with the landscape illuminated in stunning colour to match any theme.

Coloured LEDS illuminate the Art of Eating festival grounds for both functional and artistic lighting.

The trees in Lakewood Park became pieces of art in themselves when splashed with colour by high powered LEDs at the 2013 Art of Eating festival.

The artwork for the 2013 Art of Eating festival was illuminated in vibrant colours.

Coloured light splashed across the grounds of the Dragonboat Festival give the vendor area a fun, nightclub vibe, encouraging guests to linger and enjoy the atmosphere.

VINTAGE BULBS

For outdoor affairs with a vintage vibe, the warm glow of vintage Edison bulbs are a great way to incorporate both functional and decorative fixtures into the party.

When hung from this beautiful old tree, vintage bulbs become part of a magical photo op area for guests to enjoy at this backyard wedding.

CUSTOM IMAGE PROJECTIONS

Whether its the name of the happy couple at an outdoor wedding, or a corporate logo for a festival, custom image projections provide a creative way to personalize an outdoor space, and give sponsors additional exposure.

The 2013 Art of Eating festival greeted guests with a custom logo projection at the festival entrance.

The Dragonboat Festival gave their sponsors recognition by branding their tent roofs with custom logo projections.

Be sure to consider the impact lighting can have on your next outdoor event, and let us design your space for an experience your guests will never forget!

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

Marz Event Design Showcase at Caesars Windsor

If you’ve been in the lobby of Caesars Windsor lately, you may have noticed our presence – Marz has installed their event design showcase, which will be up throughout the month of March in the lobby of the Caesars hotel. Rustic yet elegant, this beautiful showcase features our twinkling vintage bulb backdrop. A curtain of string lights cascade down the backdrop, covered in a sheer drape for a soft, romantic look. Check out our framed photo of our custom light lettering, used in a recent engagement photoshoot with Blush Photography, which are available to rent or purchase for your next event. The tabletop is a stunning mix of natural elements – including delicate leaves emblazoned with the names of guests for place cards, and a smattering of moss where candles and three beautiful white floral arrangements are nestled for a truly beautiful display. White light highlights the arrangements, so that they pop against the rest of the display. Stop by and let us know what you think. Better yet, snap a photo and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #marzatcaesars

Photos courtesy of Blush Photography

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

Outdoor Lighting: What it does for your home and your life.

There’s nothing like enjoying a nice glass of wine, soaking up those last few rays of sun while barbecuing in the backyard with friends and family. It’s days like this that we wish would never end, but are inevitably forced inside once the sun sets, as it’s difficult to see everyone in the dimming light.

Well, those nights don’t need to end so early! In fact, you can enjoy that beautiful Canadian summer weather (that is – hopefully – one its way soon!) well into the wee hours of the morning with the same feeling that comes with sipping a beer on an ambient patio at your favourite restaurant. Thanks to the amazing variety of options available for creative outdoor lighting, your home can become the go-to spot for summertime hangouts with friends.

The options are vast, and cater to all budgets and styles. And the benefits are undeniable. We found a great article by the landscape company Red Beacon, and agree completely with their list of benefits. Below are our thoughts on their list, and some beautiful ideas we’ve found!

SAFETY
First and foremost, safety is the most practical and most important benefit of installing outdoor lighting. Nothing is worse than seeing a friend injured after stumbling through the darkness on their way to the washroom, and this is a common hazard of hosting outdoor get togethers sans lighting. Installing pathway lights illuminates the way to the house, as does lighting bordering the edge of a property along a forest, river or lake. Highlighting pathways and seating areas – specifically those around bodies of water, such as pools or alongside a lake – are key to avoiding an unplanned swim.

Photo courtesy of garden-design-it-yourself.com/

Photo courtesy of parcura.com

SECURITY

Installing lighting – whether motion detection or constant – is an excellent way to increase safety around your home. By illuminating the outside of the house, and the surrounding landscaping and pathways, you deter criminals from break-ins, as they don’t have shadows to hide in as they enter. Motion detection fixtures can also scare would-be criminals away from the property, as it enforces the idea that someone may be home and they are now in full view.

Photo courtesy of bdhoutdoorlightinghouston.com

CURB APPEAL

Highlighting your home and landscaping is a great way to beautify the outside of your home, giving it gorgeous curb appeal at all hours of the day. Outdoor lighting gives a luxe look to homes, appearing warm and welcoming. For those looking to sell, outdoor home and landscape lighting is both a selling feature, and a way to highlight the beauty of your home for those looking at the property after the sun sets.

Photo courtesy of smjhomes.com

COMFORT & AMBIANCE

Illuminating outdoor spaces with creative lighting design brings the living space outdoors, extending the use of your property and enabling you to use outdoor spaces after dark for enjoying time with family or entertaining friends. Whether it’s for a nighttime swim, a late night snack on the BBQ or a few drinks on the patio, outdoor lighting gives spaces a sense of warm, safety and ambiance similar to that of a restaurant patio or poolside at a resort. Try highlighting greenery around the property, or installing glowing underwater fixtures that give the pool a welcoming, luxurious feel.

Photo courtesy of ldct.net

Photo courtesy of laurieflower.com

DECOR 

Lighting is a great way to add a decorative element to your home, whether it’s for the holidays or a permanent installation. Elegant string lighting is a great way to add a European cafe feel, giving a warm glow to a patio area. Coloured LED lighting can customize your property with an endless amount of colour combinations, available to change at the click of a button on a wall panel. Christmas lights have never been so easy! Changing the look of your home for each holiday or celebration, coloured LEDs are our favourite way to bring your home to light.

Photo courtesy of lampsplus.com

A MARZ Inc. permanent installation at Chalet Studios allows the homeowners to transform their home and landscaping to suit the seasons.

A MARZ Inc. permanent installation at Chalet Studios. Homeowners chose a beautiful fall palette as the summer began to cool down.

A MARZ Inc. permanent installation at Chalet Studios. The homeowners celebrated St Patrick’s Day with vibrant green lighting!

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World

2015 Oscars Production Review

The Oscars always make for an entertaining night of television, and the 2015 show was no different. From the gorgeous gowns to the moving performances to the controversial acceptance speeches, Hollywood put on quite a show. As a production company, we at Marz particularly enjoy seeing the set and lighting design for the performances throughout the show. Host Neil Patrick Harris gave a hilarious performance of his just-for-the-Oscars song and dance, featuring Jack Black and Anna Kendrick. The number was largely dependent on a giant projection screen that seemed to blend seamlessly with the set so that the visuals seemed to appear out of no where. This “hologram style” set is becoming an increasingly popular technique to blend reality with custom content, having performances interact with a constantly-changing set rather than using a static design. We found the Oscar’s use of this technology fun and creative, adding depth and interest to the opening number and really blending film with the live production.

Watch the opening number by clicking the photo above!

One of the earliest performances of the night was that of Tim McGraw, performing Glen Campbell’s moving song “I’m Not Going to Miss You”. The beauty of the set for this performance was in it’s simplicity – McGraw was surrounded by vintage light bulbs, both suspended and on simple stands. Like a blanket of stars behind the singer, the bulbs gave the performance a nostalgic feel, harkening back to the simplistic sets that would have been popular when Campbell was at his prime. The lights also added a sense of warmth to McGraw’s sensitive performance, which is something we love about these fixtures. Here at Marz, we use vintage bulbs in our designs for romantic, vintage inspired weddings or classic and elegant parties. We even used them in this year’s Wedding Show booth, featured largely in our custom door chandelier!

Vintage bulbs were featured in our 2015 Wedding Extravaganza booth.

One of the most powerful moments of the night was the performance by John Legend and rapper Common, of the Oscar-winning song Glory from the film Selma, a nominee for Best Picture. The performance made a powerful statement, featuring actors marching behind Common on the bridge on which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr led the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery. The combination of actors, with an impressive physical set piece and projection for a dynamic and changing background, captured the spirit of the song, sending its message through sight and sound. This was our favourite moment of the show – we’d love to hear yours!

Watch John Legend and Common’s performance by clicking the photo above!

Watching John Legend and Common’s performance reminded us of the incredible moment when our very own Adam Marz worked as the Lighting Designer for both Common and John Legend’s performances at the Obama Inauguration celebration at the Smithsonian. We can’t wait to see what amazing artists the Marz team gets to work with next!

John Legend performing at the Smithsonian.

Adam Marz took a quick snapshot of his work lighting up the Smithsonian during the event.

About Marz

Established in 2008 by Atmospheric Director Adam Marz.

Run by a creative team of passionate, young professionals, Marz has become an industry leader in Event Design by creating emotional, immersive experiences for guests.

Experts in Light, Sound, Stage and Style, the affectionately nicknamed “Marz FAM”, have worked with a wide variety of internationally renowned artists and companies in dozens of cities around the world.

The Marz client list includes Big Sean, T-Pain, Redbull, TD Financial Group, Waterfront Toronto…

Marz Inc

Light | Sound | Stage | Style

Windsor | Detroit | Toronto | World