The year 2020 changed the face of the world forever, and it’s echoing into every tradition we hold dear. Most weddings that year were cancelled or postponed, and now practicing social distancing at a wedding has become the new normal. The culprit, of course, was the COVID-19 pandemic that rocked the very foundation of every culture in the world. Though wearing a mask help to slow the spread of this deadly virus, vaccinations and social distancing are by far the best resources in our toolkit.
However, many people find it challenging to practice social distancing at a wedding; and that’s easy to understand. Inherently, these types of events are about coming together and being close to our loved ones. So, hiding our faces and staying at least six feet apart seems anything but natural. Fortunately, people are finding new ways to cope with the situation. One of the most popular new trends is using sparklers for weddings to come together safely at these types of events, and its working out quite well. Here is what you need to know about doing it correctly so you can celebrate in a safe way.
The Importance of Social Distancing at a Wedding
Social distancing is important in every aspect of life, but weddings present unique challenges. First off, people naturally want to get close to each other to hug, chat, and dance at such events. Furthermore, people often come from all over the state or country; meaning the risk of infection is higher than in your local community. Lastly, there is typically a wide range of age groups present at ceremonies and receptions. Since the elderly are particularly vulnerable, your wedding guest list may get smaller because people are afraid.
With so many things stacked against you, it’s important to follow all the proper CDC guidelines. It’s easy to get lost in yourselves when planning this type of occasion. However, it’s important to remember that lives are much more important than any formal ceremony. If you do it correctly, your guest will feel comfortable and the event will be a success!
How Wedding Sparklers Enabled Social Distancing
To successfully enable social distancing, you need to stick with activities that can be done at a distance. Most activities at these types of gatherings require people to be in very close quarters; such as dancing and conversing with other guests. However, wedding sparklers do a great job combating this problem by their very nature! Here is a breakdown of how they can help you keep your guests safe.
Coming Together While Staying Apart
One of the best parts of a wedding is that it’s a time when you come together with loved ones. However, COVID-19 made that extremely difficult and dangerous. Fortunately, sparklers by their very nature require a certain amount of distance between people, so there’s safety built right in. Since you never want to stand too close to another person holding one, keeping apart comes naturally. It’s not a complete fix, obviously, but they certainly allow you to come together while staying apart better than any other item.
Best Sparkler Activities to Maintain Social Distancing
Though our products already support the concept, there are certain activities that will keep your guests at safer distances. By far the best option is to use sparklers for your wedding exit to help space out the people. It’s the most enjoyable way to celebrate near each other, but not too close. Additionally, some people use them as props in their photos or leave them at each table as a souvenir. Whatever you decide, the best activities are the ones that don’t require any direct human contact.
Safest Way to Distribute Your Sparklers
One of the most difficult parts of pulling this off successfully is distributing them without potentially exposing others. All the social distancing at a wedding in the world is useless if you over look details like these. Here are some simple ways to eliminate or reduce the chances that anyone may get infected.
Individual Sleeves
The most important thing to do is to not allow cross-contamination during the distribution process. To achieve this, I suggest placing the desired amount of wedding sparklers into individual “sleeves”. You can print out cards or simply wrap them in a decorative ribbon; both methods work great. The main thing you want to avoid is placing them in a community vessel like a sparkler display bucket where everybody reaches in the same place. By portioning them out into individual packs, you can effectively separate each person’s possible exposure.
Place Them at the Tables
No matter how you decide to package them, placing them at the table settings is by far the smartest move. If you have a community table for guests to pick them up, it pretty much defeats the purpose. Assuming you have set up your reception tables for social distancing, this should be a fairly easy process. Just make sure sanitize your hands and wear gloves when you put them together and distribute them. By doing so, you are giving yourself the best chance of success.
Delegate a Vaccinated Person
If you are stubborn and want to have a real person hand them out to each guest, at least do it as safely as possible. First off, you need to delegate the right person for the job. They should be vaccinated, wearing a mask, and wearing gloves to cover all the bases. In fact, everyone at your wedding should be required to do the same if you’re serious about safety! While it’s not the most ideal approach, it will at least allow you to have the highest chance of staying safe.
Best Type of Sparklers for Promoting Social Distancing at a Wedding
One you figured out how you want to distribute them, you need to settle on which type of sparklers are best for your wedding. Since there are multiple different ways you can use them, the type you choose should correspond with the activity. Here a breakdown of the three types that are best suited for promoting social distancing at a wedding. Additionally, I’ll explain why they are a great fit. Enjoy!
36 Inch Sparklers
For sendoffs and exits, you want to encourage people being as far apart as possible. Any size item will do this. However, the bigger they are the more distance they’ll naturally need to keep. For this reason, I always recommend 36 inch sparklers for weddings instead of any other size. Since you need to be at least 6 feet apart to use them, it’s an easy way to build-in good social distancing practices at your event.
Bottle Sparklers
Another popular way to give a dazzling show without physically mingling the guests together is during the champagne toasts. When the champagne is brought to the head table, it’s always a big production. However, there is no comparing any other method to when you use sparklers on your champagne bottles! These special devices attach to the champagne and create a magnificent show. Best of all, the display is views from a distance; which supports your efforts of socially distancing at a wedding.
Cake Sparklers
Lastly, the cake-cutting ceremony can be a great way to make a cool display from a safe distance. Instead of having a traditional cake topper, the bride and groom light special sparklers for wedding cakes that create a fun show. This adds another layer of fun while keeping everybody far away from each other. Overall, this is my personal favorite option.
Safest Method for Lighting Your Sparklers
After you’ve selected the right sparklers, you need to figure out a safe way to get them lit. Of course, I’m not talking about burns or other injuries; I’m talking about keep social distant in an awkward situation. Fortunately, there are two easy methods that work great if executed properly. Here’s a breakdown of your options.
Plenty of Lighters for Each Party of Guests
By far the easiest way to do this safely is to provide a way to light then to each group. Since most people come as a family unit, you should be able to hand out one device for an average grouping of 4 people. Overall, the best choice is a sparkler torch lighter since they do the job so quickly. That means people only have to be close together for a small amount of time, plus they are already in the same family unit. However, this is also the most expensive option since you’ll need dozens of lighters to pull it off.
Delegate a Vaccinated Person
If spending money on lighters isn’t in your budget, there is another option you can pursue. Simply delegate a person that is vaccinated and healthy to be the designated lighter! Of course, they still need to mask up for safety, but it cuts down greatly on the risks. Obviously, everyone should be vaccinated and masked up anyway; but this still cuts back drastically on the variables.
Other Important Safety Measures Beyond Social Distancing at a Wedding
Obviously, using wedding sparklers to promote social distancing at weddings should never be your only tool in the toolbox. Always follow your local guidelines. Additionally, you should strongly consider requiring proof of vaccination from your guests and require masks; especially indoors. Lastly, you can consider having a forehead thermometer to check people out before they are allowed inside. If you follow these practices strictly, it greatly reduces any chance of an outbreak being linked to your event.
COVID-19 has hampered many of our traditions, and it hasn’t been a fun experience. Fortunately, we now know a lot more about this virus and have found ways to live safely. With the proper social distancing methods in place, requiring vaccinations, and wearing masks, you can mitigate most of the risk. Hopefully, you can still have the celebration of your dreams; just make sure to put the lives of your guests first. Best wishes!
