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Alternative send offs

leelabearleelabear member
100 Comments Second Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
in Wedding Reception Forum
We cant do sparklers because of the city's code on fireworks. We are already doing a petal toss at the ceremony. Our venue doesn't allow confetti. Rice seems dangerous in the hands of the wrong drunk guest (I don't want to get pelted in the eye). Bubbles seem too 90's. 

If it wasn't technically a destination wedding, I would be tempted to hand out swords to guests to make one of those tunnel things you walk under. I know its more dangerous than the rice but it would be so cool!

Any other ideas? 
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Re: Alternative send offs

  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    edited September 2014
    leelabear said:
    We cant do sparklers because of the city's code on fireworks. We are already doing a petal toss at the ceremony. Our venue doesn't allow confetti. Rice seems dangerous in the hands of the wrong drunk guest (I don't want to get pelted in the eye). Bubbles seem too 90's. 

    If it wasn't technically a destination wedding, I would be tempted to hand out swords to guests to make one of those tunnel things you walk under. I know its more dangerous than the rice but it would be so cool!

    Any other ideas? 
    No sendoff?  We didn't have one.  We stayed until the very end with the guests who stayed till the end too and then helped pack up everything.  

    How do the logistics of a sendoff even work?  Most people don't stay till the end.  So does the DJ announce an hour or so before that you're leaving?  Does everyone go outside and then go back in to continue the party?  Do you really want to leave early?  All things to consider.  I've been to many weddings and I've never seen a sendoff.  

    ETA -  Are you talking about a sendoff from the ceremony or the reception?  I may have misread, I thought it was the reception.
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    leelabear said:
    We cant do sparklers because of the city's code on fireworks. We are already doing a petal toss at the ceremony. Our venue doesn't allow confetti. Rice seems dangerous in the hands of the wrong drunk guest (I don't want to get pelted in the eye). Bubbles seem too 90's. 

    If it wasn't technically a destination wedding, I would be tempted to hand out swords to guests to make one of those tunnel things you walk under. I know its more dangerous than the rice but it would be so cool!

    Any other ideas?

    Don't do the sword thing because that's for the weddings of military officers. 

    Honestly, you don't need guests throwing things or setting off fireworks to have a nice send-off.  You're saying good-bye to your guests.  Just hug and kiss your parents and your closest relatives and friends, shake hands with others, and let it go at that.
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  • Alikat9614Alikat9614 member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Our DJ announced that it was the last song of the night once he knew that our car had been pulled around to the front of the venue. We all danced and belted out "Afternoon Delight" (the Anchorman version). We said a a few goodbyes before we left as our "exit" song was played. Some of friends thought it would be cheesy and funny to make a bridge with their arms for us to walkthrough--totally unplanned and cracked us up. We said more goodbyes/hugged family and friends, and DH helped me in to the car. Then we drove away. Simple as that :)
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  • wrigleyvillewrigleyville member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    Streamers.

    image
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  • Lauderdale PinkLauderdale Pink member
    250 Love Its 500 Comments Second Anniversary First Answer
    Ribbon wands like the picture from wrigleyville.  
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  • ohannabelleohannabelle member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer First Anniversary
    I honestly don't get the streamers on a stick thing. Everybody lines up and shakes a stick at you?

    The "sword tunnel?" Nope. That's the saber arch, and it's a military tradition. Not just a hand out swords to guests thing.

    Truthfully, most "send offs" look contrived and cheesy. Reading about Alikat's made me laugh, because it was spontaneous and fun and silly.

    But for the most part, they're a posey photo opp kind of thing. Hug and kiss your guests goodnight, and be on your way. Especially if you already did the petal toss after ceremony.
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  • leelabearleelabear member
    100 Comments Second Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    Sorry, I thought I already said that I wasn't going to do the sword thing. I just thought it was cool. If that even was an option, I wouldn't do it with sabers. I'm not trying to knock off the military tradition as much as the renaissance fair thing. 

    @alikat9614 - I think I like your idea. Just play it by ear. Plus we are doing a boat instead of a limo at the end of the night which is already pretty cool. Most people don't have that option. 

    I cant say I've been to a boatload of weddings but I've been to a few and about half of them had some sort a send off. Ya, only half of the original guests are still there but thats ok. After the send off, thats usually the signal that its time for guests to leave soon because the venue is going to do their breakdown. 

    The ribbon stick - ehh. I think some guests would like it but a lot of my family wouldnt. Every crowd is different. 
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  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    I vote for no send off.  All the weddings I have been to (about 20+) and there was only one with a send off.  They used sparklers.  It was so contrived and ridiculous.  The photographer had the couple run down the aisle of people/sparklers 3 times so he could get multiple shots.  And once that was over with the couple just stood around rather then leaving.  It was kind of pointless.

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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    I've been to countless weddings and not one ever had a send off. 
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  • BlueBirdMBBlueBirdMB member
    250 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited September 2014
    I think if you're already doing one after the ceremony, there is no point in doing this.  You can either choose to leave early or choose to leave when everyone else does.  I wouldn't do another big show of it though.

      I did a send off with biodegradable confetti.  It wasn't the least bit "contrived".  It was the end of the wedding and we left first, that's all.  There were bags of confetti at the door and the DJ made an announcement we were leaving.  The photographers didn't run back and forth- that's absurd.  The whole thing lasted a few minutes, which was fine.  And yes, most of our guests were still there are the end of the 5 hour reception, sands a few elderly guests who left early.


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  • BlueBirdMBBlueBirdMB member
    250 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Here was ours.  H hates this photo though because of his expression lol.
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  • leelabearleelabear member
    100 Comments Second Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    Cool. Thanks you guys. 
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