Sparkler exits are so popular at weddings! If you are planning a wedding with sparklers, you definitely want to make sure your photographers capture that. As a photographer, one of the problems that I’ve seen my couples run into is making sure they have enough photography coverage to get the sparkler photos at the end of the night. Most receptions are around 5 hours long, and then photography coverage usually starts at least 5 hours before that. So you are looking at about 10+ hours of photography coverage in order for the photographers to stay til the end of the reception to capture that sparkler exit. That’s a lot of money to spend when half of that is just candid dancing photos. Do you really need 400 dance photos? So I wanted to present another option- Consider having a staged sparkler exit at your wedding!
What is a staged sparkler exit?
A staged sparkler exit can take place at any point during the reception. I usually plan for it during a time when majority of your guests are distracted with dancing and socializing. I’ll sneak the couple and the wedding party outside for some fun sparkler photos for about 5-10 minutes before they go back inside to join the party. Now my couple has some awesome sparkler exit photos without having to pay us photographers for an extra 2 hours of circling the dancefloor.
Here are some big pros of doing staged sparkler photos:
- You’ll get more of a variety of photos! You both can run through the sparklers a couple times, group together and smile, and really get creative.
- You only have to have to buy 20 sparklers vs. 200
- Save $500+ by allowing your photographers to leave early
- It might even be a bit safer! By doing the sparklers earlier, participants have had less time to drink. This means less drunk people with fire sticks.. haha
I’ve photographed both end of the night sparkler exits with 200+ guests, and staged sparkler exits with just the couple and the wedding party. With both options you’ll get beautiful photos! Considering a staged sparkler exit at your wedding is just another option if you want to be a little more efficient with your photography coverage time. Below are some example of staged sparkler exits I’ve photographed over the years.
I hope these wedding planning tips are helpful! Check out my tips when choosing a getting ready location HERE!
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