How to Integrate Sparklers to your Wedding Setting July 12 2015

Night time weddings are all about romance; completing them with sparklers will enlighten and intensify all emotions! Sparklers are no longer fun accessories for Christmas; they have become allies to improve the atmosphere of any night wedding. Make sure you include them in your wedding and let their magic be part of your special day!

Unique and original lighting alternatives are becoming very trendy when it comes to weddings. While some couples prefer candles, chandeliers, or other types of lightning, more and more are opting to go with sparklers. Why? Because using sparklers will allow your guests to be part of your wedding as romance and illumination are the main characters in it. Besides, they do look great in your pictures, and who doesn’t love exceptional and memorable pictures?

You will find many options to include sparklers. Basically it will depend on your wedding’s theme and how or when you want to use them. For instance, you may ask your invitees to take a wand as soon as they enter the reception and ask them to draw a special figure later by using the light. You can also have someone hand the wands so the guests can light them while you are kissing or walking down the aisle.

Another great idea is to include the sparklers in your wedding cake. So, when the moment of cutting the cake comes, light them: the effect will be magical. Oh! Make sure your photographer is ready to take a lot of shots. A cake full of light is something you want to remember.

Now, if your plan is to get everybody’s attention, what you can do is, instead of having traditional centerpieces, use have jars and place the wands inside. Have someone in charge and, at the appropriate time, ask that person to light all the sparklers at once.  You will definitely ‘wow’ your guests!

The most popular option is to having your wedding MC ask all guests to participate while you and your new spouse leave the reception. They can form two lines and --just before you two get close-- light up their wands to say good bye to the happy couple while the photographer catches all the light effects.

As you can see, sparklers can make your wedding unforgettable as long as you know how to use them. Feel free to use these ideas or come up with your own, and sparkle up your big day!

Tips for Planning the Big Send Off August 26 2014

 

Photo: Ruffledblog.com Tuckahoe Plantation Wedding

One of the primary uses of sparklers in a wedding is to shower the newlyweds with light and shimmers as they head off from the reception to embark on their honeymoon...and the rest of their lives together! It really is a rather spectacular role to play, and sparklers really are a striking way to end the night.

So, how do you have the perfect sparkling sparkler send off go off without a hitch? Here are some tips!

1. Gather Up Supplies: Make sure to have everything you need on hand so that there won't be any scrambling, awkward waiting, or accidents. Some suggested items: two+ buckets lightly filled with water along the bottom, four lighters, all the sparklers, and safety cups for kids.
2. Know who is doing what: For the send off, it is a good idea to assign jobs. Have two to four people handing out sparklers, another to light them, one person to act as a go between for the couple and the guests, and two people to be in charge of the buckets with water to collect the sparklers. Now, of course people handing out sparklers can also be collecting them, but the point is to assign specific jobs.
3. Fill in the Guests: Have someone gather the guests together where they can hear and announce to them any directions. This is good to do after the bride and groom have left, but before guests, overly-excited, start heading off in different directions to send off the new couple. This is when you would tell them where to stand, who they will be getting their sparklers from, where to dispose of them when they are done, where kids can get safety cups, or any special requests like holding the sparklers up to create an arch or to swirl them around. 
4. Tip Off the Photographer: Make sure your photographer knows in advance that you are doing a sparkler exit and all of the nitty-gritty details. This will give them the opportunity to set up the shot and make sure they capture the magic of that glittering moment.
5. Enjoy the Limelight:  You should take this to mean two things. First, don't worry about any problems that do arise. Just get changed and enjoy a few quiet moments with your new spouse. Everything will work out. Then, second, don't rush through it. If you run through the send off, chances are your photographer won't have too many good shots, and it will be over too soon. There is no need to go in slow motion, but take your time. Strike a pose. Kiss. Have fun! Your guest will love it, your photographer will have a lot to work with, and you will get to end the night in a shower of light, fun, and glam.

How to's for light painting and sparkler photography July 10 2014

There is no doubt that sparkler photography is absolutely breathtaking and can really make your wedding photos magical. If you are featuring wedding sparklers in your wedding decor or as a part of your send off, it is almost a necessity to have it a part of your wedding photography. If you have never done light paining photography or your wedding photographer has never done it, it may take some extra time to get it right.

In a search to figure out just how light painting photography works, we were able to find some great how to's.

1. Introduction to Light Painting in Photography by Kara Wahlgren, Kiwi Photography                                                                             This tutorial by Wahlgren is straight forward and kept simple (though the shots are spectacular!). It is easy enough to understand if you are an amateur photographer that brushes up on how a camera functions outside of the point and click, and a breeze if you are an experienced photographer. She has several examples and explains what she did, why, and how it works. So, if you are wanting sparkler photography and it is the first time your photographer is doing it, this would be a great article for them to read - and just expect it to take a few trys! 

2. Commitment To Sparkle Motion: Sparkler Portraits and Light Painting by Lomo-Camkage, Lomography                                                                                                 (The photo above from Lomography would be so great used for wedding shoot!)                                                       This how to is not quite as straight forward, but it is very detailed and has a ton of examples. It is not focused on wedding photography per se, but has a lot of great ideas that can inspire some beautiful photos. Also, it has some great info and tips on what kind of sparklers to use and how it really works behind the scenes.

3. Sparkler Fun - Tips & Tricks by Corine, StudioTran Photographers                                                                                                     This article is less of a step by step, but still has some great info. It is very detailed and can fill int he gaps where the other blogs might be vague. 

The absolute basic to know how this works is that it involves having a long/slow shutter speed so that the light can be captured and having a 'painter' to run your light around.