5 Wedding Grand Exit Ideas that aren’t Sparklers
You’ve just had the best day celebrating your marriage and the night is winding down. Will you be ending the night with one last special song? Sharing a private last dance with your spouse? Or are you dreaming of a fun, photo-worthy send-off? That’s what we call a Grand Exit!
Typically, a grand exit happens at the end of the reception to send the couple off as they depart the venue (though we’ll let you in on a little secret, many “grand exits” are staged and happen earlier in the evening!). Guests will line up to create a tunnel or walkway for the couple and as they cheer and bid you farewell, they usually wave something flashy or fun overhead.
Your first thought is probably – Sparklers! We admit, we love sparkler exits. It’s a classic and elegant send-off and those glowy photos are to die for! BUT, what you don’t see in all those pretty photos is the chaos that is actually happening as we try to get every sparkler lit and continually have to remind guests to hold their sparklers high enough to not catch your hair on fire! Because of fire hazards and safety concerns, some venues won’t even allow couples to use sparklers. We can honestly say, it is so difficult to wrangle a large group of people (especially after an evening of celebrating) and ensure they’ve understood our instructions to make your send-off FUN and SAFE.
If you want that swoon-worthy grand exit to go a little more smoothly, here are just a few of the best sparkler grand exit alternatives:
1 — BUBBLES
This list is in no particular order, except for bubbles. A grand exit with bubbles has got to be our Number 1 alternative to sparklers! When you (we) think of bubbles, we immediately think FUN. We love bubbles because of the silly faces guests make and the laughter that always ensues with this type of grand exit. Plus, bubbles can be a fun guest favor to set out during the reception. You can also make your exit even more impressive with a bubble machine!
2 — CONFETTI
Confetti is especially great when you want a sudden burst of colors! We always recommend biodegradable confetti. You can purchase loose flower petals or seed paper shapes that guests can take handfuls of and throw into the air, or buy confetti poppers if you want that extra oomf. Confetti tends to work best when there is still some daylight left, which is actually why a lot of couples choose confetti to be thrown after their ceremony (but you could totally bring the confetti back out for your grand exit, too!). A few other things to consider… it can be tricky to get everyone to throw their confetti at the same time and wind can sometimes be a pain. You will also need to determine who is responsible for cleaning it up after your event ends – always check with your venue if they allow confetti and if you will need to sweep it up!
3 — RIBBON WANDS
Ribbon wands (also called wave ribbons) are completely mess-free and super easy to photograph (no need to worry about your guests throwing their confetti too early or too late!). Guests will continually move their ribbon wand through the air, creating a lot of motion and a fun blur to your photos! If you are having flower children, sending them down the aisle with a ribbon wand during your ceremony is also super cute! Ribbon wands work well any time of day and in any weather conditions, making them an all-around great option.
Photography by: Omar Lopez
4 — GLOW STICKS
Photography by: Omar Lopez
If you’re set on a lighted grand exit, glow sticks are for you! You can hand out glow sticks to your guests on the dance floor for extra fun, then take these outside to create your glowing exit tunnel! We do have to note that glow sticks are another item you definitely need to confirm your venue allows; sometimes due to the risk of breaking and staining their floors, these are on the restricted list.
(You can also have guests turn on their phone lights for a similar look!).
5 — PAPER AIRPLANES
Love is in the air and so are paper airplanes! This is a fun grand exit we don’t see too often. It can be a fun nod to your childhood hobby, an aviation career, or like at Mariah and Danny’s wedding, his service in the military. It does take some prep work to pre-fold each plane, but for the unique send-off, it’s worth it!
As with most grand exit elements, after throwing paper planes for your send-off, someone needs to pick these up. Since they’re not tiny pieces of confetti, it’s an easy task to ask guests to help with. If you want to make this grand exit even more fun and sentimental, you can have your guests write little notes for you on each plane during the reception! After your send-off, the planes are collected and put in a basket or tote with your cards and gifts for you to open later!
A paper airplane exit for Mariah and Danny at the Dakota Lodge // Michaela Paige Photography
Can you imagine exiting your wedding with one of these grand exits!? If you think a sparkler exit is most you, we will make it happen! Or, if you’d rather make a classic Irish exit, don’t worry, you’ve got my promise we’ll help you sneak out!
