Wedding Send Off Ideas
The first dance has been done, and the cake’s been cut—now it’s time for the grand finale. One of the best ways to show love to the bride and groom is to send them off with some good luck in their marriage. I have shot 50+ weddings and seen many, many send-offs. Some of them are beautiful and great, and some don’t do as well. Dried flowers, bubbles, sparklers, butterflies, glitter, to name a few. Some of them make a real mess, and others are beautiful! It’s just a matter of where you are or how important the send-off is to you.
Bubbles
This is the most popular send-off for weddings. They’re relatively cheap, and you can get a bunch of them fairly easily. A ton of fun without the sticky mess. You can usually find them in lots of 100 at a time from Amazon or Etsy! If you want the ultimate bubble exit, get yourself a bubble machine, and you will bring the ultimate bubbliness. Wedding send off ideas
Sparklers
Probably my favorite and the most photogenic of the send-offs is a sparkler send-off. Sparkers are the most popular and most overdone send-offs. However, you have to make sure that you get the correct type and length of time. Each foot is 1 minute long. The best lengths are ones that are 3 feet. I would also highly recommend doing these about halfway through your reception when people aren’t that drunk yet, and you have a majority of your guests present. Wedding send off ideas
Some venues don’t allow open flames as an exit, so double-check with the venue before purchasing the sparklers. If you’re looking for a no-flame sparkler, consider lighted branches, glow sticks, fiber-optic wands, or LED balloons. Battery-operated lighted branches or wands offer a similar effect to actual sparklers.
Ribbons/Streamers
This one can get kind of messy after the ceremony but can really bring the WOW factor to your exit. You can get them in all lengths and thicknesses as well as all shades of color. I would highly recommend them to be really long and in the colors of your wedding. Give them to your guests as they exit the church or the ceremony location. They can wave them as you and your spouse exit and create some stunning photos. Wedding send off ideas
Lanterns
Talk about a unique experience as an alternative to the classic sparkler exit. Lanterns are beautiful and add more of a romantic feel to an exit. These are more for your wedding exit rather than your ceremony exit. These are best to be done in an open field, and if you get lucky, you can channel your inner Tangled and get on a boat in the middle of a lake. There’s nothing more romantic than watching these pepper the sky. Wedding send off ideas
Rice
A tradition that has been used for decades and never gets old. The classic rice toss as the bride and groom exit the ceremony is a vintage wedding exit. Tossing rice will give your wedding portraits a cinematic feel. This is easy to budget and simple to find. Go to your local grocery store and buy a gigantic bag of rice to hand to your guests. Wedding send off ideas
Dried Flowers
Similar to rice, dried flower pieces have been used for decades. Usually placed in a paper cone, guests toss the petals in the air at the bride and groom exit the church. A lavender toss is more of what this is referred to as. It adds a bit of provincial French flair to any occasion. You can also incorporate other dried flowers like chamomile or calendulas to the mix. These are most popular in spring or summer weddings. Wedding send off ideas
Flower Petals
If you didn’t want to use dried flowers, flower petals are an even better choice for a send-off. They’re larger, so they’re easier to see on camera and you can use these in all seasons for weddings because certain flowers are in bloom during different months of the year. Your florist will be the best person to help get these little bags of petals. Wedding send off ideas
Oversized Glitter
Like several other items for wedding exits, Oversized Glitter can get messy for clean up. However, it adds a beautiful sparkle to a more even beautiful photo. Oversized is easier for clean-up and shows up better in photos. Just remember it is glitter, so it will stick to your skin and clothes, especially if it is hot out. Wedding send off ideas
Butterflies/Doves
Are you looking to splurge on your wedding and spend some serious money?! Monarch butterflies or doves are the perfect ceremony release or exit you can do. Please make sure the butterflies are on the larger side so they can be seen in photos. This is more popular at summer weddings because they are easier to find. Doves, on the other hand, are more common during winter weddings. The theme also plays a factor in what couples choose for this type of exit. It truly adds elegance to any ceremony or exit.