Wedding Send Off - Part Bubbles, Part Sparklers?

knottie0a37ed8f79742d9c

Hi friends!

I'm almost at the end of planning for the big day, which is about a month away! I can't wait!

I need some advice about the send off. We'll be in my church gym (ambitious, I know, but I have someone who is going to drape and hang lanterns), and I really want to do sparklers, since it can help illuminate the send off for the photographers. At the same time, setting off sparklers indoors seems a little hazardous!

What do you guys think of having the wedding party and immediate family (~20 people) light off the sparklers, whereas the rest of the guests can blow bubbles?

Thanks for the advice!!! 

artbyallie

Sparklers (and even bubbles for that matter) are NOT for indoor use!!! I guarantee you'd be breaking the fire code if you lit sparklers inside, and bubble soap would make a gym floor super slippery! If you want both/either, the send off is going to need to be OUTSIDE.

That said, I've been to a wedding where they did a sparkler send-off. The sparklers took too long to get lit and by the time the bride and groom came out... maybe two or three were still going? It was kind of pathetic looking, to be honest. I really don't think you're going to get the sort of photos you're envisioning.

MyNameIsNot

We did a sparkler send off, and it worked great. The photos turned out pretty cool. The trick is that you have to get the extra long ones and have one lighter for about every 10 people so that the first ones aren't burned out by the time the last ones are lit. However, I would never do them inside. Outside of the obvious fire hazard, you won't get the fire in twilight look you want. 

If you can move this outside, go with one or the other. Some bubbles and some sparklers looks like you couldn't make a decision, or you wanted to do all the ideas from pinterest. 

flantastic

Yeah, you can't do either of those things inside.

PPs have made good points about choosing one and how to make sparklers work in time.

However, the point I want to add is that I've never enjoyed a "grand sendoff" as a guest. Whether it's standing around waiting outside a church to blow bubbles, creating a tunnel, or trying to coordinate a sparkler-lighting time, it's always super contrived, either to create one more instance for the couple to feel important, or for pictures.

I'm totally down with cheering them out of the building, if the DJ makes an announcement that they're taking off. I'm happy for them, and that seems like a natural thing to do. But anything that requires me to stop dancing, set up, wait for the right time, and then focus on my bubble-blowing or whatever to create a photo op - rather than just getting to actually say goodbye to the couple - is borderline annoying.

Since you can't do this safely inside, and your guests definitely don't want to wait around outside for said contrived photo op in late November unless you're in San Diego or something, my advice would be that you don't need this. Your photog can get some good pictures of your friends and family joyfully clapping behind you as you leave.

MobKaz

knottie0a37ed8f79742d9c said:

Hi friends!

I'm almost at the end of planning for the big day, which is about a month away! I can't wait!

I need some advice about the send off. We'll be in my church gym (ambitious, I know, but I have someone who is going to drape and hang lanterns), and I really want to do sparklers, since it can help illuminate the send off for the photographers. At the same time, setting off sparklers indoors seems a little hazardous!

What do you guys think of having the wedding party and immediate family (~20 people) light off the sparklers, whereas the rest of the guests can blow bubbles?

Thanks for the advice!!! 

As others have said, both are without a doubt, outdoor choices ONLY!

The sun has to set for sparklers to have any decent impact.  If your send off is that late, then bubbles won't really be effective in the dark.

At outdoor ceremonies, I have seen bubbles blown immediately after the couple is introduced.  It was fun and made for some lovely pictures.  I do agree, however, that if an actual "set up" is necessary, I think it might be more work than it's worth.

banana468

I would probably opt for neither.   Those ARE both outdoor options and in general, I think clapping is just easier to orchestrate.

knottie0a37ed8f79742d9c

Okay! Thanks guys. That confirms stuff for me. I think I might get some metallic streamer wands. I'm trying to find something that would show up on camera at night! Metallic streamers would probably catch the flash?

missJeanLouise

knottie0a37ed8f79742d9c said:

Okay! Thanks guys. That confirms stuff for me. I think I might get some metallic streamer wands. I'm trying to find something that would show up on camera at night! Metallic streamers would probably catch the flash?

Glow sticks work too. 
ask your photographer if they have any ideas. They will probably know what will work best.

flantastic

missJeanLouise said:

knottie0a37ed8f79742d9c said:

Okay! Thanks guys. That confirms stuff for me. I think I might get some metallic streamer wands. I'm trying to find something that would show up on camera at night! Metallic streamers would probably catch the flash?

Glow sticks work too. 
ask your photographer if they have any ideas. They will probably know what will work best.

Yes, and both these ideas are simple enough for guests - grab it, [break it,] wave it.

If you're still inside (because November) - does it matter whether it's night? Ditto PP that you should tell your photog what the lighting situation is and ask what will show up.