Whether you’re wanting to introduce wedding sparklers to your photos or wanting to provide a little extra fun for your guests, sparklers at weddings can add a touch of magic. They can add this special touch to outdoor summer nuptials, or bring an extra sparkle to indoor winter wedding celebrations.
But before you rush out to buy them, I’ve compiled everything you need to know about wedding sparklers in one handy little place.
This is the stuff you should know before buying your wedding sparklers so you can have an amazing wedding with no hidden surprises!
Best size sparklers for weddings
When choosing the best size sparklers for weddings, it’s important to consider both the burn time and the length of the sparkler. Longer sparklers will burn for a longer period, giving you more time to take stunning photographs or videos. A burn time of 70-90 seconds is generally a good choice for wedding sparklers, as this provides enough time for the newlyweds to make their grand exit and for photographers to capture the moment.
In terms of length, 16 or 18 inch sparklers are ideal for weddings. They are long enough to create an impressive effect, but not so long that they are difficult to handle or pose a safety risk. It’s also important to choose sparklers that are made specifically for weddings or events, as they will be of a higher quality and less likely to produce excessive smoke or ash.
When purchasing sparklers for a wedding, it’s a good idea to buy extras in case any of them fail to light or burn out too quickly. It’s better to have too many sparklers than not enough, as you don’t want to disappoint the happy couple or miss out on capturing the perfect moment.
Where to shop for wedding sparklers?
I want you to have the best wedding possible and with proper research, I think you can achieve that. With all the different sparkler types and lengths on the market, it can be difficult sorting out which ones are best for your particular needs. Use this guide as a starting point so you don’t get overwhelmed by all of your options.
Source your wedding sparklers in advance and allow shipping time. There are a lot of places selling these online. Once you’ve figured out what you’re looking for in a sparkler, it’s just a matter of picking the right one that fits your needs and budget. There are plenty of great options out there, and I hope this article helps you narrow it down. Here are just a couple of products available on Amazon.
How to light sparklers for wedding send offs?
- Prepare a safe place for everyone to stand, ideally somewhere sheltered from the wind, avoid open spaces.
- Ask your guests to hold their sparkler horizontally with the tip slightly lowered.
- Light the wedding sparkler using a butane or propane lighter or a candle. Ideally you would use multiple lighters or candles to speed up this process if you have a large number of guests. Avoid using matches.
Here is a god You Tube video on how to light wedding sparklers send offs safely and effectively:
Best time of day for wedding sparklers
Although this type of photos are often referred to as sparkler wedding send off or wedding exit, you don’t have to wait with these until the end of your wedding party. In my opinion, planning for these early on your wedding timeline when your guests are still half sober, is better. Waiting till midnight might prove it difficult to manage a group of not so sober guests waiving a burning hot sparkler in their hand.
Of course o a long summer day you would have to wait till quite late but it doesn’t have to be pitch black outside. Your photographer can work these at dusk and make it look night time.
Talk to your venue and the camera guy about timings and make sure you allow enough time in the day for your sparkler send off photos.
How many sparklers do I need?
This depends on the number of guests you want to get involved in your sparklers exit. Most of your guests would probably want to get involved and it’s a good idea to have a pair of sparklers per guest. This brings you to 100 of those for a 50 people wedding party. Please bare in mind that larger groups will take quite a lot of time to manage. A good number of guests for an effective sparkling send off is anything between 20 to 50.
Sparklers safety
Sparklers can pose significant risks when used improperly or in unsafe conditions. One of the most common risks is burn injuries, which can occur when someone touches the lit sparkler or accidentally comes into contact with it while it’s still hot. Additionally, sparklers produce flames and sparks that can easily ignite nearby flammable materials, such as clothing, decorations, or even the wedding venue itself. This can quickly escalate into a serious fire that could put everyone’s safety at risk.
Another potential risk of using sparklers is the possibility of injury from flying debris or hot metal particles. As the sparkler burns, it can create tiny fragments that can fly into people’s eyes or onto their skin, causing injury. This is particularly true if people are waving the sparklers around or trying to create patterns with them.
To minimize these risks, it’s important to follow safety guidelines when using sparklers during a wedding. For example, wedding guests should be instructed to hold the sparklers away from their bodies and to keep a safe distance from others. The sparklers should also be kept away from flammable materials, and there should be a fire extinguisher on hand in case of an accident.
- Speak to your wedding venue first to ask about the best place for your sparkler exit
- Put a responsible and sober person in charge of your wedding sparklers send off
- Keep them away from eyes, faces, skin and clothes. Definitely keep them away from the wedding dress
- Any children need to be supervised
- Make sure there is enough space between the two rows of guests for you to walk and keep a safe distance from the sparklers
- Get a bucket of water or sand for your wedding guests to put their burned sparklers and even tag it with a proper sign so there is no confusion. Don’t put a hot sparkler in a bin until they are completely cool
By taking these simple precautions, couples can enjoy the magical glow of sparklers at their wedding without putting anyone’s safety at risk.
Popular ways to use sparklers at wedding
Sparklers can be used in many ways and providing you adhere to the venue’s fire and safety policy and use common sense, you’re only limited to your creativity.
- Sparklers send off. This is by far the most popular way to use sparklers at weddings. Get your guests or your closer bridal party to form an alley for you to walk through.
- Writing in the air. You can ask your wedding guests co come and write in the air with a burning sparkler while you stand still posing. You can draw letters, numbers or shapes, get creative.
- Unity candle alternative. Sparklers could be a great and fun way at wedding ceremonies where couples light unity candles.
- Sparklers during first dance. Your wedding guests could light sparklers and surround you during your first dance.
Wedding sparkler photo ideas
I love sparklers exit photos. They are not only a fun way to give guests something different at a wedding but they can also be an amazing source of photo memories. I have gathered a few ideas for couples photos with wedding sparklers and put them in one place so that you can use these to capture some fun photos at your wedding. This is a great way to some extra shots to your wedding gallery.
Alternatives when planning a wedding sparkler send off
There are various reasons why you would want to consider alternatives to a wedding sparklers send off. It could be that your place does not allow sparklers or you don’t want to mess with fire on your wedding day. Whatever the reason here are a few ideas for what to use as an alternative to wedding sparklers:
- bubbles
- glow sticks
- fiber optic wands
- LED balloons
- pom poms
- smoke bombs
- poppers
- fireworks
- confetti
- paper airplanes
Final words
In the end, I hope that you find the perfect sparkler set for your wedding. Whatever they may be and whatever they may look like, as long as they give you both the sparkle you need to make it to the finish line together that’s what counts. Remember all that information you just read though, especially about safety. Now go out and shop for some sparkler packs and remember, if you have any questions or concerns about your sparkler photos, just drop me a message. I’m here to help!