You’ve dreamed of this moment your entire life and it’s finally coming true – you’re going to marry your best friend. It feels so surreal until the reality of the event sets in for soon-to-be-married couples – planning a wedding is a significant undertaking. Setting the budget, saying “yes” to the dress, selecting the venue, starting the registry, choosing the menu and the cake; it’s easy to miss a few details. In particular, an aspect of the big day often overlooked is the grand exit.
In the movies, the wedding send-off is this magical fantasy. The bride and groom leave the church euphoric. Beautiful organ music plays in the background as guests are cheering and crying and tossing rice in the air. There are even doves flying. The next scene we see includes the “just married” sign and tin cans dragging as the car carrying the beautiful newlywed couple drives away into the sunset. That’s Hollywood and this is the real world. Wedding exits, while exquisite, are much simpler and more comfortable to plan.
The send-off is a prime opportunity to make your special day even more memorable and have that fairytale moment. And while tossing rice has been the age-old tradition dating back to Roman times, there’s a rise in new and creative ways to wish the married couple good luck and good fortune. Ribbons, bubbles, glow sticks, floral petals and confetti have become popular over the years. In addition to those options, there’s one send-off that’s gained notoriety and made for some epic wedding photos.
Wedding sparklers – magical and dazzling, especially during the twilight hours, are emerging as a party favorite. The novelty, though, does present some logistical challenges and questions among wedding planners. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the hottest questions you want answers to with wedding sparklers.
I’m thinking of using sparklers in my wedding. Is there a “one-size-fits-all” wedding sparkler?
Wedding sparklers come in a variety of sizes, offering distinct burn times. The longer the sparkler, the longer the burn, meaning the more time you have to take photos, striking different poses. For example, #10 Gold Wedding Sparklers have an average length of 9 5/8 inches with a burn rate of 35 seconds. Meanwhile, #36 Gold Wedding Sparklers are much larger at 35 inches, providing nearly three minutes of dazzling light.
Choosing wedding sparklers is dependent on the size of your wedding. Sparklers for an intimate setting will be different than ones for a large group. We’ve discussed in length about sparkler sizes and wedding venues in a blog posting that we encourage you to check out.
Where should the wedding exit be located?
This should be decided upon sooner rather than later. There are state laws and local restrictions regarding novelties, such as wedding sparklers, that you’ll need to comply with. Whether the send-off precedes the wedding ceremony at a church or is held outside the venue hosting your reception, contact the facility and confirm if wedding sparklers are allowed on property grounds.
An ideal spot for the perfect wedding exit featuring sparklers is in an open space, particularly a parking lot or in a nearby field, free of any obstructions and safety hazards. Also, keep a watchful eye on the weather. Inclement conditions – rain, snow and wind could cause a change of plans for your wedding exit location.
What is the best way to light wedding sparklers?
The big moment has finally arrived – the wedding exit. It should be grand, sincere and above all, an expression of love and affection. So then, how do you achieve the opportunity that captures all the feels while posing an epic wedding shot?
Wedding sparklers transform a wedding send-off into an unforgettable fairytale ending. Unlike bubbles or ribbon wands, sparklers produce ambient light, which makes for some spectacular nighttime wedding photos, while emanating positive energy. To seize this moment involves careful planning and coordination, because time is of the essence once the first sparkler is lit.
Well before the sun rises on your wedding day, select and finalize a list of guests who will be “designated helpers” during the send-off ceremony. Each individual will be the keeper of either a butane or grill lighter or propane torch, and should be strategically placed in the crowd to ensure all guests can have their sparklers lit simultaneously. Butane and grill lighters and propane torches provide a secure way to accomplishing a steady flame that won’t flicker out during lighting. We recommend not using matches to light wedding sparklers due to time constraints and inefficiencies.
How should guests hold their wedding sparklers after being lit?
Your wedding exit is about to happen. The wedding party eagerly awaits your final curtain call. All of the sparklers are lit and gleaming. Everyone is in place. The moment is set. But do your guests know what to do in this instance with their wedding sparklers? A fun-filled and safe sparkler experience can be accomplished by being mindful of one’s surroundings and following the following recommendations:
- Guests should grip the sparkler upright and hold it away from their face, body and clothing.
- If you want guests to wave their sparklers during the wedding exit photo, make sure they do it diligently. Waving fast and aggressively could result in injury to the people around them.
- Ensure sparklers are away from any flammable materials such as alcohol.
The wedding exit went off without a hitch. Now what?
Congratulations, your wedding send-off was passionate, memorable and made for one heck of a spectacular photograph. So now that it’s over, what are your guests supposed to do with their sparklers? Some may already have burned out, while others sparkle into the night. Regardless of the status, the sparkler wire is going to be extremely hot for quite some time.
To prevent injury and offer easy cleanup, we recommend having a wedding sparkler disposal plan in place. It’s best to have one or two buckets, depending on the size of your party, of sand or water available for safe disposal of sparklers. A centralized spot that’s marked letting guests know this is where to leave their sparklers simplifies the cleanup process and ensures wedding sparklers are safely removed.
Have questions that we didn’t list above? Let’s talk! We’re available by phone or email: 1-833-727-7275 or [email protected].
