Having your wedding in the winter can be a really great beautiful decision. Snow can be a magical backdrop as your guests arrive, and everyone can be warm and toasty inside the reception hall. However, many brides make the mistake that performing a sparkler exit in the winter. Fortunately, there are plenty of great tips that will help you enjoy that activity even in the cold!
In reality, winter is actually the perfect time to use sparklers during your wedding send-off. Most of the time, we see depictions of sparkler send-offs happening outdoors. However, they are also safe to use inside your venue with the proper product selection! Of course, many of us live in areas where weather is just fine for an outdoor exit. Here are some tips for performing a sparkler exit in the winter and deciding whether you should do it indoors or outdoors.
Performing an Indoor Sparkler Exit in the Winter
Choosing to perform your send-off line indoors is the most popular choice during the winter months. Most people live in colder climates, and the snow and ice is often an unwelcome obstacle. However, it’s very important to choose the right location for your activity, as well as pick the right type of sparklers. Here is a breakdown of things to consider as you plan your event.
Indoor Send-Off Location
When you are performing a sparkler exit indoors, choosing the right location is incredibly important. Unlike outdoor send-offs, there are many obstacles that can present challenges to the activity. First off, ventilation can be a huge issue if you don’t choose the right products; but I’ll dig into product selection more in the next section.
More importantly, physical obstacles can be a challenge when doing your activity indoors. Remember, your guests are going to want to hold their sparklers high in the air as you progress down the pathway. So, even the ceiling can be a problematic factor! Additionally, tables and walls can limit the available options for a safe experience. Just make sure you have plenty of space when choosing your indoor send-off location, and also have the water and a quality fire extinguisher handy.
Best Sparklers for an Indoor Wedding Exit
Most people shy away from performing a sparkler exit in the winter because they associate our products with a smoke-filled room. Obviously, most of the sparklers that you find in your local stores create a lot of smoke; and having all the windows open at your venue isn’t an ideal situation! Luckily, there are plenty of great smokeless wedding sparklers available that completely eliminate those concerns.
Most importantly, you need to choose a variety that is comprised of a metal wire handle. Versions made with a bamboo core are likely to create smoke as the stick smolders. Additionally, you don’t want sparklers with color pigments in them because they also produce copious amounts of smoke. Instead, opt for a version that sparkles without creating any smoke. Overall, the best sparklers for an indoor wedding exit will always be the color gold.
Performing an Outdoor Sparkler Exit in the Winter
Sadly, most of us don’t live in a very warm climate; and that can limit your options when planning activities for your big day. Nobody wants to be outside in below zero temperatures or battle the elements of snow and ice. Conversely, many people do in fact live in warmer climates; or plan a destination wedding in California or other warm region. For those individuals, performing an outdoor sparkler exit in the winter is second-nature. However, in the northern states, it can still be an option, too. Here’s what you need to know to have the outdoor send-off of your dreams in the middle of the winter.
Outdoor Send-Off Location
If you are lucky enough to be in a warm region, you really don’t need to take any special considerations. However, for those of us in colder climates, the best location for an outdoor send-off in the winter must meet certain criteria. First off, areas with overhead shelter are obviously ideal. Sadly, many venues are completely exposed to the elements; which produces a whole slew of potential challenges.
Additionally, you need to make sure that the area is shoveled completely and free of all snow and ice. I suggest using a high quality ice melt product to make sure the pathway is 100% clear. Lastly, you need to have a contingency plan in case there are extremely cold temperatures or blizzard. Overall, if there isn’t an area indoors you can use as a fallback, you shouldn’t be performing a sparkler exit in the winter.
Best Sparklers for an Outdoor Wedding Exit
Unlike indoor send-offs, performing one outdoors allows for many more options. However, since your “contingency plan” is likely indoors, I still urge you to choose smokeless sparklers for your send-off line. However, if you live in a warmer climate, the list of options becomes considerably larger.
First off, doing it outside means you can use sparklers that create colorful sparks instead of just gold. You can create some pretty cool color effects in your photos, too! You can get sparklers in almost any color that you can imagine; even ones that create vibrant neon colors! Unfortunately, these great products create too much smoke for indoor use. However, since you will be performing your sparkler send-off outside, smoke isn’t a concern. I suggest choosing a color that compliments your wedding theme to keep things matching.
Easiest Way to Light Sparklers in the Winter
No matter what the weather conditions are, you need a reliable way to light your sparklers. Sadly, items like custom matchbooks look great on tables; but they don’t work well for lighting things quickly. Instead, consider a purpose-built solution such as a sparkler torch lighter to do it right.
Unfortunately, not everyone has that specialty tool on hand. So, a good alternative would be a propane torch or several basic butane lighters. In a pinch, you can snag some BBQ lighters from a nearby dollar store and they will get the job done. However, I would avoid kitschy items like customized matchbooks because they simply aren’t a time-effect way to do it.
Alternatives to Sparklers When Performing a Send-off in the Winter
Of course, some people will want to take the easier path and ditch the sparklers all together. Fortunately, there is a great alternative that will create a very similar feel to using the real thing! Consider choosing LED wedding sparklers instead of traditional versions to eliminate all the hassle.
First, you can use then anywhere and there is zero risk of fire or injury. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, they always work the same. Also, you don’t need any lighters and the batteries are built right into the LED wands. Furthermore, they feature multiple lighting patterns so you can choose how your send-off line is illuminated. Lastly, LED sparklers can be used for many other occasions; so you will get more use out of them in the future. Overall, they are a great option if you dislike the uncertainty surrounding the real thing.
Winter-Specific Wedding Sparkler Safety Tips
No matter what time of year you are having your wedding, you should always follow the basic sparkler safety guidelines. However, there are a couple of winter-specific safety tips that should be a major priority. First, ice and snow should not be around the area where your send-off will take place. If someone slips while holding a sparkler, the result could be very serious. Additionally, extremely cold temperatures can make people very uncomfortable and lead to an increased risk of human error. When you combine those factors, you need to be on your game.
However, as long as you have contingency plans in place for an indoor location, you may be able to have a beautiful outdoor wedding exit. Just make sure to place safety as the first priority so you can have an incident-free celebration.
Is Performing a Sparkler Exit in the Winter Right for You?
Hopefully, you have a better understanding of what it takes to perform a sparkler send-off during the winter. Climate will play a major role in your decision. However, ultimately you’ll need to decide if the potential hassles and risks are worth the reward. In the end, it will be a decision that you have to make as a couple. But before you decide, I suggest you take a look at our inspiration gallery for sparkler send-offs. Between this guide and that gallery, I hope you have the resources to make the right choice. Good luck!
