BearFly Designs Reviews
Reviews
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Awards
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![Jacqueline]()
Jacqueline Sent on 10/24/2025Talented and SO Kind!
Barfly was absolutely fantastic to work with. From the very beginning, John put so much thought and care into every detail of the lighting design and truly helped bring our vision to life. He took the time to understand the look and atmosphere we wanted and executed it perfectly — the space felt warm, romantic, and magical. You could tell how much pride he takes in his work, and it really showed in the final result. Beyond his talent, he was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with throughout the entire planning process — communicative, creative, and kind. The lighting completely transformed the space and added such an incredible dimension to the overall ambiance of the day. We couldn’t be happier! -
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![Katie]()
Katie Sent on 09/22/2025Our favorite vendor!
At the beginning of our wedding planning journey, lighting was not top of mind for us. We had an outdoor tented wedding and because the tent came with string lights, we did not feel the need to include additional lighting BUT WOW were we glad we did!
We originally came to John with an ask for a dance floor lighting installation. Not only did he deliver on that ask, but he also added so much value by bringing forward additional ideas for colorful dance floor lights and cake table/bar accent lights, at a price that worked for our budget. Later, when we came to John with more asks (tent draping, additional spotlights, etc.) he offered these additions at a fair and reasonable price, showing true partnership.
On our wedding day, we were lucky to have John as our on the ground lighting tech. John was able to work with all of these elements to create a truly elevated ambiance. The different lighting features allowed him to change the mood between courses, speeches, dancing and everywhere in between. John also caught on that lavender was a featured color in our wedding palette and at one point in the night, the entire tent had a subtle lavender glow - it was truly magical.
We also had a special ask on our wedding day, to cut all the lights (and music) as if the power went out, and then illuminate a specific part of the dance floor to draw attention to a surprise second dance. John worked seamlessly with our other vendors to ensure this was perfectly executed. Our guests loved it!
When we look back on our wedding day, we don't think it would have been the same without John and BearFly. We are so eternally grateful! -
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![Melissa]()
Melissa Sent on 03/21/2025Our Magical Twinkly Wedding Come to Life!
Choosing lighting was a number one priority for me, above flowers and really anything else. I wanted the room to look like Hogwarts at Christmas, and every other lighting company we spoke to limited the amount of lighting and offered unreasonable pricing. John was not only excited about the job, but he was eager to offer more ideas to bring our complex vision to life. No idea was too much for John, he really loves his job. BearFly Designs completely exceeded our expectations and we will remember the way we felt in that room for the rest of our lives! From the color of uplighting to the spotlight for our entrance, every choice they made was the perfect one! The compliment we keep getting over and over is how perfect and magical the vibe was in the room, and that's exactly what we wanted. Thank you John and team! -
![Romit]()
Romit Sent on 10/09/2024Fantastic Lighting Specialists
If you are like me, and do not how to make “magic” at an event - let BearFly Designs help. They are amazing. John and Bill do lighting, construction, and all manner of audio and visual set up. As a groom-to-be, what I did not know was that lighting and sound conspire to make your guests feel a sense of magic at your event. John and Bill are experts in this, and in particular they have a “can-do” attitude and skill set to make your vision come to life. For us, we needed to construct a kind of stage (Mandap) for a Hindu wedding ceremony that we had imagined using natural wood. They worked with our florist to create a vision of white birch logs to create the 4 poles of the ends, and create a mini-deck/stage on which the ceremony could happen in the woods. It was amazing! Furthermore, they added lighting in our main reception hall and onto the lawn outside that created a beautiful ambiance. People used the words “fairy”, “magic”, “ethereal” and “glowing” to describe the mood in the room. Lastly, I would say personally they are a joy to work with. They are friendly, casual, and caring - taking the time to get to know you even though they don’t have to. They worked seamlessly with our other wedding vendors, and in general are an incredibly strong addition to any wedding vendor team! Go forth and hire with confidence! -
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![Zachary]()
Zachary Sent on 09/23/2024Bearfly Above and Beyond
Bill and his team did a fantastic job with lighting design and operation at our wedding. It was beautiful, cohesive, and absolutely elevated our reception and afterparty. Bill stayed with us as lighting tech throughout the night. He was professional and a pleasure to work with. An incredible value and truly felt like he pushed the event beyond our expectations. -
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Katherine Sent on 07/15/2024
Made our vision come to life
Bearfly Design made our vision come to life….and created a dance floor that was even better than I could have imagined. We wanted an installation of greenery and spinning disco balls on the ceiling of our tent, with color changing lights to create a fun party vibe. They seriously exceeded our expectation, and we had the best party ever. They communicated well with us every step of the way, and our wedding coordinator loved working with them as well. Highly recommend John and the Bearfly team! -
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![Jayne]()
Jayne Sent on 06/05/2024A pleasure to work with!
Bearfly was wonderful to work with for our wedding weekend! They were so warm and friendly, listened to what we were thinking/wanted for the wedding, and collaborated with us to come up with the perfect lighting/decor. They strung up string lights outside, did lighting for the band stage, bar, etc, installed the coolest lanterns and moving disco ball over our dance floor, and projected an awesome floral pattern onto a decorative wall, which all helped bring the vibe of the night and the decor together. Highly recommend working with Bearfly! -
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Giovanna Sent on 01/18/2024
The Absolute Best
Our day wouldn’t have been a fraction as good as it was without John and the entire Bearfly team. From the moment we spoke to him to breakdown he put us at ease. And our disco ball installation was absolutely PERFECT. John and his team are so knowledgeable and really Jack and Jill’s of all trades. We overlooked ceremony lighting and John was able to get a light on us 10 minutes before the ceremony started. So talented. So kind. Truly our best vendor. I will scream from the mountain top about Bearfly and how perfect they made our day. -
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![Molly]()
Molly Sent on 01/02/2024BearFly is the best!!
We had a fantastic experience working with the BearFly team. They brought our vision to life, and created a beautiful setting for all of the events over the course of our wedding weekend. John was a joy to work with -- he is incredibly professional, thoughtful, and kind. We could not have made a better choice for our wedding, and you should do the same!! Thank you to the entire BearFly team! -
![Christie]()
Christie Sent on 12/19/2023Thank you BearFly!
We had an amazing experience working with John from Bearfly. So accommodating, and our wedding was lit beautifully! -
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![Clarke]()
Clarke Sent on 11/01/2023Exceeded Expectations
We highly recommend Bearfly Events for its lighting and design services for wedding events. The professional team provided excellent services and was a pivotal team player during our wedding in 2023. They are truly a team of lighting experts and assisted with the extensive cabling required for our event. Bearfly delivered on the big day and was a pleasure to work with.
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![Megan]()
Megan Sent on 06/13/2023As You Wish
TL;DR: This is your A-team of storytellers and vibe creators. Hire them.
I felt like Princess Buttercup when “As you wish” was John’s and his outstanding team’s response to all my elaborate visions for our wedding this past weekend. John and his team aren’t simply your vendor (this word seems too hollow and impersonal for the relationship we had!), they are your co-creators and storytellers for your event.
I’m finding difficulty putting into words how kind, capable and visionary the team is. It was an honor working with a team that clearly is a family – everyone was so kind and wonderful to one another and our guests.
My now husband and I had a very specific (and elaborate) concept for our 3-day wedding weekend. Three years ago we bought a beautiful property on a bumpy dirt road, up in the mountains outside of Cold Spring New York. We’ve fallen in love with the property and wanted to let our wedding weekend be a love letter to the natural beauty, the hidden nooks, and the energy we feel.
John came to our property for several site visits as we gushed about the blooms and he understood the soul of the property. From dozens of tealights tucked into our mossy stone walls, to vine covered chandeliers, to fairy orbs in the woods, he made the magic we feel tangible. I asked for a sea of lightning bugs (battery operated were acceptable, of course) in our field and he made it happen. And for Friday I wanted a Tokyo vibe so John delivered the most insane lanterns + colorful lights installation!
What really sets John and his team apart from other event lighting and design is their in-depth theater experience. They have the most intimate knowledge of movement and story. For example, after our ceremony and as daylight began to fade, John put the most thoughtful detail in the garden where we held our ceremony. Where 4 paths aligned, he place 4 individual candles (representing my husband, myself, and our two children) and in the center a single, larger candle to represent our new future together. This team gets it.
As further testimony to the mastery we witnessed, at 3am when our guests had departed (despite our exhaustion) my husband and I knew we had to take a walk around the property to enjoy all the extra lighting details now that it was just us and the moon.
I can wax poetry on this team infinitely but I’ll end on one last detail. This is a team of do-ers and problem solvers – including those beyond their responsibilities for the evening. We had a finicky bar tender who had misplaced the red wine and processo but the Bill, the other half of our dynamic duo for the weekend, was the first searching for it and digging through the piles of cardboard to find it. When the rain started, John and Bill were there to help cover furniture. Even the little things like a passing smile and joke with me or a guest.
Please hire them, I’m searching for an excuse to have another party just to collaborate with them again. -
![Andrew]()
Andrew Sent on 03/21/2023A truly remarkable wedding vendor!
John and the team at BearFly brought our vision to life. We wanted a disco themed wedding, and BearFly exceeded our expectations by creating a masterful scene that transformed the space--an antique Dutch barn in the Hudson Valley--and kept the party going all night long. Their lighting design was top notch, as was their professionalism. John even went the extra mile by adding last minute touches at the 25th hour after we noticed a gap in our plan. I cannot recommend BearFly enough. You will not regret hiring them. -
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![David]()
David Sent on 01/16/2023Excellent lighting and sound service
John took care of all the lighting for our wedding weekend at Gather Greene, providing bistro lights for the deck area and interior lights for the pavilion. He also ran sound for us and took on various challenges and details so that we didn’t have to worry about them: how to do sound for an outdoor ceremony, hooking up our friend’s music playlist for the welcome party, and coordinating directly with the band to ensure that they had all the necessary equipment. John’s service was friendly and professional, and everything went off without a hitch. Highly recommended. -
![Casey]()
Casey Sent on 01/03/2023Hardworking, Dedicated, Caring
We love working with John and his teams for our events! As planners we are always looking for a lighting/rental company that is able to execute our client's vision while keeping budget in mind! John is always able to figure out how to "marry" those two important details. John is also up with the trends and offer a handful of options for our couples. Bear Fly is the best! -
![Paula]()
Paula Sent on 01/01/2023Bear Fly brings more than light to each and every event!
Working with Bear Fly has been a "repeated" and "consistently" positivity and successful experience. As a planner, we hope that each vendor will do their part in the end, and along the way. It's not always the case, but with John and his team, it is. John takes time to understand a client's vision, a planner's needs, venue circumstances and is able to listen and advise for the best outcome. He is flexible, professional, talented, reliable, hardworking, creative and above all a very decent and kind person....a true team player. His team is a reflection of him. I am always excited when our clients decide to contract with Bear Fly for all of these reasons and because I love the opportunity to have time together working seamlessly to a fabulous end and enjoying every step of the way. -
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![Lindsey]()
Lindsey Sent on 01/17/2022Bearfly is the best!
We had a great experience working with Bearfly on the lighting for our wedding weekend. John and Rita were very responsive to all of our questions, and they helped keep us on track with reminders about when payment installments were due. The pricing was also very fair and reasonable, especially considering the amazing quality of their work. We felt like we were in capable hands from start to finish, and we were thrilled with the end result of the lighting for our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception areas. We would recommend Bearfly to anyone in a heartbeat! -
![Chelsea]()
Chelsea Sent on 08/03/2021Beyond All Expectations!
I cannot recommend John and his team enough. From the very first time I spoke to him I knew that he would help to make our wedding vision a reality. He was just as invested in our wedding as we were and was all in on our crazy idea to have a Studio 54 themed wedding. We had to postpone and he was so accommodating, not only switching our date but helping us meet our new budget. He went above what he needed to do on our wedding weekend and was there to help with the lighting and sound every step of the way including our welcome party. His crew even stayed late for the after party AND drove some of our guests home in golf carts who were staying on the other side of the property. I could go on and on, but if you want someone who is an expert at what they do AND one of the kindest and most genuine people you will meet, please choose John and his team! Here are some photos from our photographer Sasha Pedro to show some of their magic! -
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![Rhonda]()
Rhonda Sent on 10/27/2020Exceptional Lighting, Incredible Team
John and BearFly team were our favorite vendor to work with. John literally took the vision in our head and turned it into a reality. The BearFly team illuminated a massive tent, creating outdoor lighting spaces, overhauled a restroom area with innovative lighting, and decorated a line of massive trees. They did so much and more, we really feel blessed to have met John and the BearFly team. -
![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 11/08/2019Amazing! Made our rustic venue feel intimate and beautiful!
John and BearFly Designs did such an amazing job for our wedding! The strung lights and the hanging chandelier, completely changed the feeling of our rustic wedding, and we couldn't have been happier! They even hung a chandelier my mom had found (even though it was not easy to hang!). Would 100% recommend them for all your event lighting needs :). -
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![Louisa]()
Louisa Sent on 10/13/2019Amazing Ambiance
John made our wedding at Tanglewood’s Tent Club absolutely stunning! We were all blown away by how beautiful and elegant the space became with Johns lighting transformation. I cannot recommend John enough. He is such a nice guy and very easy to work with. -
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![Alexandra]()
Alexandra Sent on 07/30/2019So lovely to work with!
Man oh man. John did such a beautiful job - even though we were asking him to do something he had never done before (hang a million disco balls). Everything looked incredible and John was a dream to work with. Thank you! -
![Toni Ann]()
Toni Sent on 10/25/2018Amazing work!
John and his team were one of those vendors I couldn’t imagine my wedding without. The way they elevated the asthetic of my venue was breathtaking. Not only did he handle all that was within his scope of work, any other hiccup of the day, John was there more than willing to help. Such professionals, great people easy to work with, I am sooo glad I hired John. He goes above and way beyond expectations. -
Zack Sent on 10/14/2018John and BearFly Designs were incredible. They literally saved our wedding. We had an outdoor reception and had to figure out lighting 18 days prior to the date due to unforeseen circumstances. John and his team approached the whole process with the utmost professionalism. He jumped right in, answering questions about power and generator needs, how to run it outdoors, and proposed lighting changes throughout the night to better accentuate different elements of our wedding. They worked late into the night the day before and were the first ones there the day-of. They were communicative about what they needed and their timeline of the day. They were always available for a text or a call to answer questions or assuage last minute fear about weather concerns. For our budget, they went above and beyond, making it look like we paid double what we did.
John and BearFly Designs are the best! If you need lighting in the Catskills, they're your people. -
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Jen Sent on 06/13/2018BearFly Designs is an amazing company. John and Rita create every event they design with love in mind. The best interest of their client, the couple getting married, is their top priority. We came to John with a few designs in mind, but no clear vision, and he helped us get to our dream designs for our wedding and reception. He was supportive in more ways than one, in that he was also our officiant; it was an honor to have him standing there with us as we started our married life together. The attention to detail while still designing with the grounds of the wedding in mind is what really makes BearFly truly special.
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Jordana Sent on 06/10/2018Easy to communicate with, reliable, and passionate about their work. John took my vision and offered suggestions I would never have thought of to make it a reality. He took care of absolutely everything and was the only vendor at our wedding that I didn’t have to worry about at all!
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![Paula]()
Paula Sent on 11/12/2017I hired John Carver to work with me on lighting design and production for an evening cocktail party and launch of my event planning business. From the minute we began discussing the possibilities, I could see that his creative vision and technological knowledge were exactly what I needed to transform my space. The end result was magical and John's efforts very much appreciated. -
Rachel Sent on 09/25/2017Barefly was AMAZING to work with. John was so generous with the time he put into making our wedding so perfect. He was always available to chat with me on the phone, meet me at the venue for multiple walk through and answer my emails in a timely manner. He was an excellent listener, totally understood my vision and executed it perfectly. He contributed great ideas as well. I was a little nervous bringing my New York City friends to the Berkshires for the wedding- I wanted to make sure everything was up to my expectations, and wow, Barefuly totally exceeded them! I really have nothing bad to say about Barefly. I would HIGHLY recommend working with them.
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![SarahnJames2010Apr17]()
Sarah Sent on 12/28/2010John Carver works magic with lighting and I couldn't wait to walk into our reception room to see how the lighting set the mood for our wedding. I specifically wanted lighting to enhance the focal points of the room especially the gorgeous flower arrangements! I'm a floral designer and planner and I knew that lighting is key to really adding drama and focus to areas that demand attention. I also loved the color wash along the cathedral ceilings and the water effect over the mantle to add something a little unexpected to the space as guests walked in to a very chic cocktail reception. John took my vision and went above and beyond - and he's a true pleasure to work with! He's very friendly, personable and I can't thank him enough for all his expertise and attention to detail in coordinating the lighting with our floral and decor visions.
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