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Wedding photography for joyful couples that specializes in capturing both stunning portraits and candid moments to help you remember both the look and feel of your wedding day.
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15 Wedding Send-Off Ideas

Creative Ideas for Your Wedding Exit

For the past few years, it seems like every wedding has ended with a sparkler send-off. While sparklers are beautiful, some couples are starting to look for something more unique to wrap up their wedding day. As a wedding photographer, I get a first-hand look to all of the new ideas and latest trends. Today I am sharing with you 15 ideas for wedding send-offs!

What to Keep in Mind

There are a few things to keep in mind as you choose your wedding send-off. The first is the time of day. If your wedding ends early, and it is still daylight, some of these send-offs just won’t look great, including sparklers, glowsticks, and fireworks. On the other hand, some of these may be hard to see at night, including sprinkles and wildflowers. While a good photographer can provide lighting and capture it on camera, you might not be able to tell what was tossed.

Another factor to keep in mind are regulations. Some cities and some venues have specific regulations regarding what can be tossed. For example, downtown Raleigh, where I am based, does not let you throw things along the street that have to be picked up (including rice, confetti, etc.) Just check with your venue before finalizing your decision. They should be able to tell you what is allowed!

Now that I’ve given you some caveats, without further ado, here are 15 types of wedding send-offs!

1. Rose petals

Rose petal wedding exit in Raleigh, NC

For an elegant, romantic send off, you could have your guests toss rose petals. You can choose petal colors that match your day, or go with white for a classic, neutral look. This send-off works well both day and night.

2. Wildflowers

If you like the idea of flowers but have a more boho-style wedding, you could toss wildflowers instead. Wildflowers will give your send-off a wild and free vibe. These are typically best for day-time send-off.

3. Fireworks

For a dreamy and grand exit, consider fireworks! Make sure you check local regulations and hire a professional. No body wants their wedding to end with an injury.

4. Glow sticks

Glow sticks are a safer, more family-friendly alternative to sparklers. These are great for wedding that have many little ones in attendance.

5. Bubbles

Bubble wedding exit in Raleigh, NC

Bubble send-offs are quickly growing in popularity! There are a couple of ways to do them: you can have each guest blow from their own bubble wand, or you could have few designated people operate bubble guns. (The bubble guns tend to produce more bubbles.) Depending on the lighting, these can be tricky to see at night, but I’ve seen it work well.

6. Smoke Bombs

For a colorful exit, you can release color smoke bombs. You can choose colors that go along with your wedding palette, or go for the rainbow for fun! Some people ask if this stains your dress, but as long as your standing a few feet away (in the smoke cloud) it shouldn’t stain your dress, but keep in mind, accidents can happen.

7. Sprinkles

Sprinkles are a colorful, modern alternative to rice. They also sting less as they hit you, as sprinkles are a bit softer! Keep in mind, sprinkles can be a little challenging to see in a picture, so if you’re going for a stunning photo exit, you might want to choose a different option.

8. Confetti

There are all sorts of confetti options, from gold and shiny fleck to long paper strips. You can buy it on Amazon to keep it easy, or make it yourself for a nice personal touch.

9. Leaves

Perfect for a fall wedding, autumn leaves can be a fun exit, particularly for daytime weddings. The rich yellow, orange, and red hues can add a beautiful pop of color that help you remember and cherish the season!

10. Ribbon Wands

For an easy clean up, consider ribbon wands! Have each guest hold a wand with streamers or ribbon attached and cheer as you walk through. Just make sure your guests know not to hit you with the wands!

11. Champagne

If you don’t mind getting your dress and suit messy, your guests can make a tunnel of champagne sprays for the ultimate party ending to your day! You will get messy with this send-off, but if you don’t mind, then it can be a lot of fun!

12. Bird Seed

Bird seed is a great environmentally friendly alternative to a rice send off. You don’t have to worry about birds eating something harmful, and the bird seed is biodegradable, unlike many other tossed send off options.

13. Glitter

This is another messy option, but if you love a good sparkle, glitter exits can be stunning! For better photos, choose larger glitter pieces, as the small ones may be hard to see on camera.

14. Applause

If you just can’t pick one of the above exits, or don’t want to spend money on anything else, you can simply have your guests form a line and cheer wildly as you leave. They could also form an arm tunnel as another option!

15. Sparklers

sparkler wedding exit in Raleigh, NC

And last, but certainly not least–sparklers! While they’ve been done many, many times in recent years, there is no denying that a sparkler exit is a stunning, memorable way to end your wedding day!

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I'm Megan, a wedding photographer based in Raleigh, NC who is obsessed with telling love stories through the art of photography. I'd love the chance to tell your unique love story, too!

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