How to Plan a Magical Sparkler Send Off For Your Wedding

As wedding photographers, we've seen many sparkler send offs over the years. They can be a beautiful way to end your wedding day and create some incredible photo opportunities. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to make sure your sparkler send off is perfect.

Check with the Venue

Before you start planning your sparkler send off, it’s important to check with your venue if they allow it. Some venues may have specific rules to ensure everyone's safety. Remember, sparklers get really hot, so it’s important to follow the rules.

Get the right sparklers

Not all sparklers are created equal. You’ll want to pre-purchase sparklers early enough to run a test on one to see if they are too smoky or burn out too quickly. Avoid purchasing sparklers with wooden handles because they produce more smoke. Go for sparklers with metal handles, the longer the better, so that you have plenty of time to go through the sparklers before they burn out.

Coordinate the send off

Assign someone to coordinate the send off to ensure that everyone gets into two lines with enough room for the two of you to run down the middle without getting too close to the hot sparklers. You'll need to make sure you have a clear path to walk through and that all your guests know what they're supposed to do.

Light the Sparklers

Lighting all the sparklers at the same time can be tricky. The most efficient way is to have at least two people go down each line with a long lighter and light a few strategic sparklers. The people with the now-lit sparklers can then share by using their sparklers to light others.

Enjoy the moment

Walk and smile at each other and at your guests. Go ahead and go in for a slow kiss in the middle – and while you’re at it, how about adding on a dip? Take in the moment and enjoy yourselves. The longer you take, the more fun you will have, and the more photos you will get.

Do it again!

If the sparklers are still going strong at the end, go back and do it again! There’s no rule about only going through once. This is where it pays off to have the longest sparklers you can find – ditch the 7-inch sparklers and go for 18 inches.

Timing is everything!

It’s a great idea to do the sparkler send off earlier in the evening before too many of your guests have left. You can stage the send off for when the majority of your guests are still present so that they don't miss out on this part of your wedding – and you get to have more people in the photos which will be more fun to look back at in the future.

Safety first

There needs to be a plan for everyone to dispose of the used sparklers safely. One easy way to do this is to have a big bucket of water ready for everyone to drop their sparklers into after the send off is done. Assign someone to be your sparkler coordinator because they can take on this task with pre-planning and let everyone know what to do with the sparklers after.

Capture the moment

It’s important to have a photographer who is experienced in photographing sparkler exits as they can be technically tricky to pull off. The right photographer will be able capture the fun of your sparkler send off with photos you’ll love.

We hope that these tips will help you plan the perfect sparkler send-off for your wedding. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in Arizona we’d love to chat with you. Please contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help make your entire wedding day unforgettable.

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Planning a wedding ceremony? Check out this post on Six tips for a perfect wedding ceremony.