How to plan a Sparkler Exit for your wedding
There’s something undeniably magical about ending your wedding night with a sparkler exit. As the sky darkens and your celebration winds down, this glowing farewell creates a perfect, photographer-worthy finale. Not only does it add a burst of excitement, but it also invites your guests to share in one last unforgettable moment. With golden lights twinkling all around, you and your partner are sent off into your new life together.
Sparkler exits have quickly become a favorite among modern couples, and it’s easy to see why. They’re fun, festive, and incredibly photogenic. More importantly, they bring everyone together for a final celebration before the night ends. Sometimes wedding exits can be a bit of an unorganised affair with no official goodbye. Sparklers turn the moment into a celebration of its own.
Of course, planning a sparkler exit takes more than just buying a few boxes of sparklers. Timing, location, and weather all play essential roles. You’ll want to coordinate with your photographer and venue to ensure everything goes off without a hitch. From choosing the right type of sparkler to organising your guests, a little preparation goes a long way.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to create the perfect sparkler exit. So, if you’re dreaming of a magical, light-filled ending to your big day, you’re in the right place. Let’s get started and spark some ideas!
Buy the big ones!
You definitely want the extra large sparklers for maximum effect and burn time. The little ones are good for a birthday cake but you don’t want them flaming out before the bride and groom appear! The long sparklers give you much more to play with and greater effect. Guests can also raise them higher for an archway effect as the bride and groom pass through.
Displaying your sparklers
Here’s a little secret about distributing sparklers. They’re hard for guests to grab! Our best advice is some large metal pails filled partway with sand. The sparklers will stand up in the pails beautifully and it will be easy for guests to grab their individual sparkler quickly. Place the pails directly in the path of where guests will pass through and have a Sparkler Attendant ready to help to make it faster.
Light me up
This is not the time for matches or an old gas flicker you grabbed from the second drawer at home. Buy at least half a dozen brand new gas fire lighters or “flickers” and have them fully tested and ready to go. These items are also easily misplaced at weddings so ensure the person in charge of your sparkler exit knows where they are and who they’re to be handed out to.
Appoint a sparkler coordinator
Yep, you heard us right! It’s essential someone is in charge of your sparkler exit and knows what’s going on. You need someone you can trust who knows what is going to be happening, what time and who needs to be where. Good organisation is essential for a sparkler exit or the magic will be lost in disorganisation. Not to mention your photographer will struggle to get a cohesive picture.
Have multiple lighting assistants
This is a big one. If you leave the sparkler lighting up to one person or trust guests to light each other’s the result will be a mistimed mess – trust us on this! The trick is to have your guests organised into two roughly even lines. Your lighting assistants then space themselves evenly along each line and light every few sparklers. The guests in between then light each others. The result will be a sparkler exit that’s lit quickly with all guest sparklers burning at the same time for maximum effect.
Polite requests
These are not photos you want Uncle Dan capturing on his iPad. Leave these special photos to the professionals. To coordinate this, have your MC make an announcement prior to guests being invited outside. Politely request that all guests take part in the exit rows or steer clear of the end of the sparkler tunnel to make way for your photographer. Your photographer does not want to be juggling getting the magic shot while avoiding Uncle Dan and his iPad!
