There is nothing quite like a sparkler exit…

The soft warm glow of the crackling light, the cheering of guests, and not to mention the extra rush of adrenaline because let’s be real… you are running through fire together and you just got married! After two years of shooting weddings, we have seen almost every type of exit but with no surprise, sparkler exits seem to be one of the most popular. With sparklers being so much fun there are also a few things to keep in mind and so we have made a list of our favorite tips when it comes to these beautiful but dangerous sticks of fire! 

But first! Here are some things you will need! 

-The correct Sparklers(see below) and enough for 75% of total guests. 

-A few Long lighters to safely light the sparklers.

-Two sober people in charge of lighting guest sparklers at correct time. Maybe your coordinators or a trusty friend. 

-Someone (DJ) or a cute sign announcing the Sparkler Send Off early on in the reception. 

-One or two pails filled with sand to put out the sparklers. 

1. Know the Rules. Before setting your heart on sparklers check in with your venue. Some venues have certain rules about what you can or can’t have for your exit. With sparklers being a fire hazard it’s totally understandable if they are not allowed. Maybe our next post should be creative exit ideas other than sparklers!

2. Be safe and know your party! Chill, rowdy, responsible, lots of alcohol? The last thing you want is for the fun to stop at the exit and you definitely do not want sparklers landing you in the hospital on your wedding day. So I say, “know your crowd” and what you expect from them. Some groups can get a little wild(especially by the end of the night) and you may not want to have to give them the heavy responsibility of not burning you-which can be harder than you think after a few drinks. So think about it. Tips: Have someone in charge of making sure people are being safe as sparklers are being lit. If you anticipate your group being too wild for fire, keep a look out for our next post on creative exits! 

3. What sparklers do I buy and where do I buy them? One word…LONG. Make sure the sparklers you purchase are around 20-36 inches long. Why is this important? Not only are the longer sparklers safer (aka farther away from drunk uncle Bob’s fingertips) they also look more epic in photographs! These also burn slower so you have more time to get the perfect shot! Here is a direct link to my suggestion. 

4. Which sparklers NOT to buy? I will never forget the night one of our brides yelled out in pain as she ran through her sparkler exit. It was terrifying and these “sparklers” were the culprit-they were shooting hot sparks onto us and our bride! Please make sure that you stay away from these Morning Glory sparklers and buy the correct ones. Stay away from the short sparklers as they burn too fast to take a photo and opt away from colored sparklers that do not give off the natural pretty warm yellow glow everyone loves.

5. For best results…. Tell your guests to hold the sparklers high! This is important to 1. not catch you the bride on fire and 2. It makes for an extra glowy and light filled photo!

And voila have a blast! Thank you for reading! If you have any tips or have any valuable lessons you’d like to share, please comment below! We are all learning here. 🙂