You know you want a fabulous sparkler exit with beautiful photos to capture the your weddings big finale, but how do you go about organizing it? How do you get the timing right? How do you ensure you still have guests to send you off in a sparkling haze of glory? Don't worry, we've got you covered, just keep clicking for some fantastic tips for the perfect sparkler exit!
See more or of this Handcrafted Wedding in Vermont here photographed by Sasithon Photography
Check with your venue
Lets be honest, you are about to hand out shimmering fire hazards to all of your guests who have likely been partaking in your fabulous wedding spirits. Some locations might have a strict no sparkler policy for safety, insurance, or just plain hazard reasons. Talk to your venue and see what their views on lighting sparklers are. And if they say no, have no fear, there are other very fun, less flammable options. Check out this couples very cool glow stick wedding exit!
See more of this Farm Wedding in Georgia here photographed by Cristina Elena Photography.
Remember to announce it
You know exactly what you have planned for your big day, but most of your guests havent been along for the whole planning ride. Be sure you announce your plans. This goes for any kind of unique part of your day that you dont plan to surprise your guests with. This can be done with a welcome sign at your reception (here is one we love from The Polka Dotted Bee), at a separate sparkler table (click here to learn what you need for a perfect sparkler table), or even having your DJ or musical entertainment announce it early on in the evening and again just before you leave.
See more of this Pink and Purple Glamping Wedding here photographed by Dylan and Sara Photography.
Scout the space beforehand
Ask your venue where they will allow sparklers to be lit. Then make sure that the space gives you enough room for two rows of guests to line up and still allows the two of you to comfortable walk between them on your way to your waiting getaway car.
See more of this Sunset Gamer Wedding here photographed by Whittaker Portraits.
How many sparklers?
Odds are you will not need one sparkler per guest. Not everyone will stick around to the very end of your reception, and some of them might be caught up doing other fun things provided at your fabulous wedding. A good guess would be to buy enough sparklers for about 75% of your guest list, and even that might be too many.
See more of this Formal Romance Wedding in Florida here photographed by Thompson Photography Group.
Whos got the matches?
Its pretty essential that your sparklers all get lit at around the same time so the best way to ensure this is providing plenty of matches. Better yet, consider this a two birds - one stone situation and give customized matchbooks or match boxes as your wedding favor. We love all the box designs you can find at For Your Party, or if you can do a quick Etsy search and find tons more options!
See more of this Fall Fantasy Wedding here photographed by Ellie Photography.
Timing is crucial
Now that you have plenty of matches for your guests, how do you make sure they all light their sparklers at roughly the same time? Not all sparklers are created equal, some burn slow, some are fast others take a while to light. Try testing a few out to see what you are up against, then you can have your coordinator or a bridesmaid/groomsmen give the sparkler lighting go ahead.
See more of this Classic and Romantic Wedding here photographed by Pinkerton Photography.
Putting sparklers out safely
So you have made your grand exit, but now your guests are left with either still sparkling sparklers or extremely hot metal sticks. Where to put them? Include a sparkler return station at your sparkler table or near the sparkler exit location. All you need is a couple galvanized buckets filled with sand. Guest can then stick finished sparklers or still lit sparklers, sparkler side down in the sand to let them cool off. Click here to download a free Sparkler Return sign to keep everyone informed and help with safety. Once they have had time to cool down you can safely throw away the used sparklers without worrying about melting or catch anything on fire.
See more of this Soft Southern Vintage Wedding here photographed by Vine and Light.