One of the most common ways to use sparklers at weddings is in your photos. If you keep a scrapbook, your wedding sparkler photos are sure to be among your favorites. However, there are many different ways to use sparklers in your photos. Whether its writing shapes in the air or you want to photograph sparklers in the background of your “first kiss”, how you go about capturing the photo is vastly different.
So how are you supposed to get great wedding sparkler photos with so many variables? Fortunately, we have put together these ideas for photographing sparklers at weddings. Here are several ways to use them in your photos along with tips on how to pull it off.
Writing in Air for your Wedding Sparkler Photos
Using sparklers to write words, numbers, or shapes in the air is one of the easiest ways to use them at a wedding. Unfortunately, it is also one of the hardest things to capture in a picture. There are many camera and aperture settings required for photographing sparklers while they’re in motion. That means a required photographer will be necessary. Assuming you have a professional wedding photographer, there shouldn’t be a problem. Here are a few things you can do with sparklers to “write” in your photos.
Create Hearts and Other Shapes
The easiest way to write in the air for your wedding sparkler photos is single simple shape. Hearts are a perfect candidate because they are easy and romantic. Simply draw the shape of a heart in the air using your lit sparkler. 20” wedding sparklers work the best for writing in the air because they’re bright but easy to control. If your photographer’s camera is setup correctly, you’ll get a really cool effect in your pictures!
Write Out Words
Writing out words in the air with your sparklers is a little more sophisticated. First, you’ll need to have multiple people coordinating their movements. Each person is assigned a letter to make in the air. For instance, if you wanted to spell out the word “LOVE”, you would need four people; one for each letter. If everyone draws their letter correctly, the entire word will look like a sparkler!
Write the Wedding Date
The most complex type of wedding sparkler photos is the ones that involve writing out a date. The numbers are not the tricky part, it’s the date separators. Whether you use a hyphen or a backslash to separate your dates, they are the hardest to get right in photos. Unfortunately, trying to control your movements this precisely can be a tricky task. Your best bet is to use a 20 inch wedding sparkler for maximum control and have the subjects practice ahead of time. Trust me; writing out your wedding date for a photo is worth the hassle!
Creating Cool Effects
Similar to writing shapes, words, or numbers in the air with your sparklers, you can also use them to create unbelievable effects in your photos! However, most of these effects are so extreme that they are done using Adobe Photoshop or a similar program. Imagine swirls of sparks all around you in your pictures (like in the example in this post). Though they aren’t exactly “natural” photos, you can still create some really great effects. Consult with your wedding photographer to see if they have experience in this type of photo editing before you book them.
Backdrop for Guest Photos
A simple way to use sparklers in your photos that requires no experience is as a backdrop to other photos. Imagine a “prom photo” style entrance for your guests at the reception hall. It will give them something to do, and supply you with photos of each guest. Have a few volunteers hold sparklers in the background of the pictures for an added bit of fun!
During the First Dance
First dance photos always make the scrapbook, what if yours had sparklers in the background? Imagine all of your guests surrounding the dance floor holding sparklers. Think of the love that you’ll be feeling in that moment, and how it will translate to photograph. By using wedding sparklers during the first dance, you can really make your pictures memorable. Optionally, this same technique works for the father/daughter dance and more.
Wedding Sparkler Photos at your Ceremony
The most common wedding sparkler photos that you’ll see from a ceremony are from during the “first kiss”. However, there are a few other ways to use them during your ceremony, and here are a few popular ideas.
During the “First Kiss”
Though it’s the most common, that doesn’t make it a bad choice! Using wedding sparklers in the background of your first kiss photos is a great addition to your scrapbook. You can either take the photo from the end of the aisle or from behind the couple. Either way it’s a stunning visual experience!
During the Bride’s Entrance
When everyone stands for the bride’s entrance, it is also an opportunity for some excellent wedding sparkler photos! Have each guest hold a sparkler while the bride makes her way to the altar. It’s a really great alternative to having a flower girl and will make for spectacular photos.
In Place of a Unity Candle
Some couples prefer to use sparklers instead of lighting a unity candle. It’s just a flashier way of conveying the same symbolism. Not only will it be a touching moment, but it will also be a fabulous picture.
During the Recessional
Think of this like a short send-off line. As the bride, groom, and wedding party leave the ceremony venue, have your guests stand and hold sparklers. Since recessionals can be quite lengthy, you should use 36” wedding sparklers for this purpose. They will last long enough for everyone in the wedding party to make their departure. If you use shorter ones, you run the risk of them fizzling out too soon.
During the Grand Entrance
When the couple arrives at their reception venue, they are typically announced for the first time. When they make their grand entrance, having their path lined with wedding sparklers can make for an awe-inspiring visual delight! Since the grand entrance is usually a short affair, usually only the wedding party is involved. However, the number of guests you included is completely up to you. It’s a great opportunity for some candid wedding sparkler photos.
Send-Off Line/Wedding Exit
Using sparklers during the send-off line or grand wedding exit is the most popular way for them to be used at a wedding. At the end of the night, guests traditionally line up to see the newly married couple off. Historically, items like rice or confetti have been used for this purpose. However, wedding sparklers are now the most common item used for send-off lines and grand wedding exits.
Just have each of your guests line up outside the reception venue at the end of the night. Designate people to light everyone’s wedding sparklers and hold them high in the air. This creates a sort of “sparkling tunnel” for the couple to go through as they take their leave. It’s a fun way to see off the couple, and it makes for some stunning wedding sparkler photos.
During the Champagne Toast
Many couples use sparklers to decorate their champagne bottle before the big toast. Not only is this a great way to grab everyone’s attention, but it also emphasizes how important of a moment it is. Hearing kind words from your friends and family is always a cherished moment. Best of all, it will all be captured in photos for your to enjoy for years to come!
As Photo Props
Another unique option for your wedding sparkler photos is to use them as props. You can just hand them out as wedding favors for random candid shots throughout the evening. Optionally, you can place them next to your photo booth rental if you happen to have one at your reception. Most photo booth companies allow the use of sparklers as a prop provided their attendant is present.
During the Cake-Cutting Ceremony
Many people are familiar with using sparklers on cakes for anniversaries or birthdays, but what about weddings? Using cake sparklers can be a great way to make your cake-cutting ceremony much more memorable. Just place a few on the top tier of your wedding cake for an incredible display. Shoving cake into each other’s faces can be a fun picture, but having a sparkling cake in the background takes everything up a notch! If you want to take it to the extreme, consider placing a cake sparkler in each guests’ slice.
Daytime Wedding Sparkler Photos
Most people think that sparklers are only appropriate at nighttime weddings, but they can also be used during the day. Sure, of course sparklers show up better in lower light levels. However, if you buy high quality sparklers for your wedding they will burn bright enough to be captured in pictures in daylight. For best results, make sure your camera is setup for low lighting conditions.
Tough there are many ways to take great wedding sparkler photos, these ideas are the most popular. From classic photos like writing in the air to something more unusual like using sparklers during your cake-cutting ceremony, the limits of what you can capture in a photograph is only limited to your imagination.
