Successful Sparkler Send-Off Tips for your Wedding!

You’ve planned a grand entrance, but what about your grand exit??!!!?  You can make a great last impression in style with a wedding sparkler send-off!  In honor of the New Year's Eve Holiday, I had to share a few tips on sparkler send-offs that I have learned along the way.  You want your sparkler send-off will go off without a hitch … and you’ll have plenty of photos to enjoy! Wedding sparklers are a fun way to engage your guests and give your photographer an opportunity to capture some really fun and memorable shots. 

 

• Make Sure Sparklers are Allowed!  Before you get to far into your planning, make sure that sparklers are allowed at your wedding venue! 

 

• Have a "Lighting Plan!"  Sparklers are hard to light.  Never try to light them using matches that require two hands or in windy conditions, as it is next to impossible and very frustrating.  The easiest method to light the multiple sparklers at one time is to ignite just one sparkler using a lighter and then using that person be the "designated lighter" with the sparkler to light other sparklers in turn.  I suggest stationing your bridal party approximately equal distances from one another down the "aisle" your guests create and having them be your designated lighters that light their own sparklers when cued when all guests are in place.  They then become the sparkler that the other guests ignite their sparklers from.

 

• Invest in the Sparklers that last longer!  When the work that goes into lighting the sparklers for a great picture, you want to invest in the sparklers that last a little longer time than the short amount of time you have with regular sparklers.  You can get really long three-minute ones that may be too long and may be too close to the two of you and your wedding dress.  I would suggest the shorter length three-minute sparkler that is thicker and burns slower.  They will last longer and make for a better photograph with your guests sparklers lit from the start to the end of the aisle.  If you are a location that has stairs, then use those stairs for the exit so you can see more of the guests with their sparklers. 

 

• Safety Matters when it comes to using Sparklers!  Make sure it’s in an open outdoor location away from anything potentially flammable or hazardous, for obvious reasons. Also, make sure it has enough room for guests to form two lines, through which you’ll walk down the center of together.  Remember that if you have children during the send off, children must always be closely supervised when using sparklers.  Be sure to have a huge bucket of water or galvanized pail with sand on either side of the lines for the guests to put them after use.

 

• Don't Over Spend on Sparklers!  If you are using sparklers at as a send-off at the end of the night, remember to order less sparklers than your original guest count.  If your guest count was 200, maybe you order 75 or 100 sparklers.  Remember that not everyone stays at the wedding until you leave.  Older guests, families and friends traveling long distances will leave before you and won't need as many sparklers as your original guest count.   

• Leave a Sign for the Time of your Sparkler Exit!  Guests like to know the upcoming festivities, so they can plan ahead.  Leave a little sign, "Sparkler Exit at 10:00 PM."   You’ll want as many guests as possible to be present at the sparkler send-off, so let them know what time it’s happening so they stick around.  Make sure to do a little research on when it will be getting dark as well to know when you will be able to see the sparklers for pictures.  Timing is essential: in the summer, it gets darker much later, so keep that in mind. Also, make sure the time you select isn’t at the exact end time as agreed upon by the venue: you want to take your time (and you may have a few odds and ends to take care of before leaving). Likewise, your timing shouldn’t be too early so you don’t feel forced out of your own party.  Most wedding have a timeline, so make sure to have the sparkler exit in the itinerary and make sure your venue, vendors, photographer and videographer know in advance and plan ahead. 

 

 

And, last but not least . . . make sure you get plenty of photos of your wedding sparkler send-off!  It makes for some pretty incredible photos.  Enjoy!  XXOO, Kristin