Welcome to the first edition of “a thousand words”. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so we take the time occasionally to tell the story behind the photo. This story is called the Surprise Wedding Exit.

Tina and Charlie had been engaged for almost 3 years, and finally they began planning their wedding. They set their date, picked out the dress, and everything was falling in place. About 4 months before the big date, Charlie was laid off from his job. Though their budget was severely impacted, they decided to move forward with the planning process.

A Dream Deferred

One of the activities Tina and Charlie were most excited about was having a wedding exit with sparklers. Tina had seen numerous photos posted online, and she imagined herself in those pictures. However, the cost was around $250 with their guest list. With money getting tight, they decided to cross sparklers off their list. Instead, they would just have guests lined up with their phones for photos. Not quite as grand, but it was better than nothing.

A Plan Was Formed

Tina’s maid of honor, Julie, decided that this would be a great gift for the happy couple. She got together with the other bridesmaids and started a GoFundMe page to help raise the money. They set the target at $250 and reached it within 6 hours after sharing it on social media.

Getting the Supplies

Julie contacted us to figure out what the right sparklers for this activity would be. Considering they had a very large guest list of 270 people, we suggested our 36 inch wedding sparklers. We also shared some tips and information to help her prepare everything for the event. At the end of our interaction, Julie was educated and confidant she could pull this off.

Pulling Off a Surprise Wedding Exit with Sparklers

Tina and Charlie Holding Wedding Sparklers imageWith everything in place, Julie’s plan had come together. Tina and Charlie had been going through their normal wedding day; performing the ceremony and saying their vows. When they went to exit the chapel, that’s when things got interesting.

Tina and Charlie expected to exit the chapel and see all their friends and family holding phones to capture it from all angles. Being a nighttime affair, it should’ve been dark and seemingly uneventful; with the exception of the large crowd. Boy, were they in for a huge surprise!

As they exited, they were greeted by around 250 brightly glittering sparklers lining their path. The surprise worked perfectly, and Tina burst into tears of joy. You could feel the magic in the air as the couple giggled; chatting and shaking the free hands of each participant. After all of the sparklers were properly extinguished and the commotion had calmed down, Julie brought the bride and groom one to light on their own (see the second photo).

Though this is just a simple photo, the memories and the story behind it will last for a lifetime. What may only seem like a picture can mean so much more to the people who were there. This surprise wedding exit left a lasting impression on Tina and Charlie, as well as every guest who participated.