You’ve seen those fantastic wedding pictures with guests holding sparklers. Then, the couple happily walks through a sparkler tunnel and stops halfway through to kiss. The newlyweds then continue to get into their getaway car and… wait! What?! How many hours of photography did they pay for? During our consultation call, I tell all my gems that sparkler exits (or any exit) are usually right before the photographer leaves. NOT when the wedding ends. You read that right! It’s a “fake” exit where the pictures are taken, and everyone continues dancing and celebrating. Today I’m sharing my top tips for an AMAZING sparkler exit!
Sparkler Exit Tips & Tricks
1. Buy LONG sparklers
These look amazing in photos and last 3-4 minutes, giving you plenty of time to light them all and walk through the tunnel. Many of my gems opt for 36-inch sparklers and love the result! It gives them plenty of time to walk through the tunnel several times and try something different each time! If you’re looking for something more affordable, Amazon offers 20-inch sparklers.
2. Consider a “Fake Sparkler Exit”
Maybe you’re planning to party until midnight, which is a blast to celebrate all night long – but in reality, most of your guests will probably leave before then (unless it’s a Hispanic wedding and the venue allows late weddings). However, if you want more guests to participate, you could always do a ” fake exit” right before your photographer leaves. So instead of paying for 3-4 more hours of coverage, you can gather your wedding party and close family and grab some “sparkler exit” photos before the photographer heads out! Then, no one will ever know, and you can continue to dance and celebrate.
3. Light them up from the bottom
Instead of lighting the sparklers from the top, try lighting them up from the bottom! That way, by the time everyone has their sparklers lit and is ready in place, the light will be approaching the top instead of being almost down to the bottom.
4. Take it all in
Slow down! Give yourself permission to walk slowly, look at all of your guests, walk down the tunnel, and take it all in! It’s the final moments of your wedding day, so don’t feel like you have to rush and run down the tunnel!
5. Go with the flow
It’s ok to kiss, dip, twirl, spin, a mix of all of them, whatever your body feels like doing! But if nothing comes to mind, I encourage all of my gems to stop about halfway through and kiss. That moment makes for the most beautiful photos!
While I’m no longer photographing weddings, I’m still here to capture beautiful moments for families and business owners! Whether you’re looking for heartfelt family photos or branding images that truly reflect you, I’d love to help. Let’s create a session that feels natural, fun, and uniquely you—get in touch today to start planning!
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