My Top 5 Tips to Having the Best Sparkler Photographs on your Wedding Day by a professional wedding photographer
When it comes to having your Sparkler moment on your wedding day, follow these tips so you have the best photographs to document this.
My First Tip for having the best Sparkler Photographs:
Order the sparklers that have the extra long burn time. We want to make sure that we have time to light them and then for you to be able to do your tunnel. They are a little more costly but trust me when I say that they are worth it
My Second Tip for having the best Sparkler Photographs:
Lighting them can be difficult. If you are at a venue like a Cripps&Co such as Grangefields or Hazel Gap you can use their fire pits to light the sparklers easily. However, if your venue doesn’t have this feature invest in a few lighters and I’ve even seen blow torches being used and these are handed to members of staff from the venue to be in charge of(matches look cute but they very rarely work).
My Third Tip for having the best Sparkler Photographs:
You want to be having your sparkler tunnel when it goes dark- this can be a slight problem during the summer season when a night sky doesn’t appear until around 10pm and you might be paying for later coverage with your photographer and videographer to achieve this. So some couples do opt for a more dusk sky in summer months.
When planning when you will be having your sparklers think about the month you are getting married and how dark it will be at that time. If it will be pitch dark buy more sparklers so everyone has 2 or 3, this is so you are all lit up. If you are getting married in summer and planning a dusk sparkler shot 1 each or 1 between 2 will be enough.
My Fourth Tip for having the best Sparkler Photographs:
Take your time to walk through your tunnel. Interact with each other, have a kiss or a little twirl. Look at each other and look at your family and friends to give those natural laughs and high energy moments.
My Fifth Tip for having the best Sparkler Photographs:
Safety. You want to make sure everyone is safe, you are after all waving around a flame. Make sure your venue knows about your plans so they can give out buckets of water and sand for after your sparkler tunnel.
Bonus Tip for Sparklers:
Don’t waste your money. I see so many couples have a sparkler station set up with their sparklers and then lovely cards on each sparkler with a matchstick and some cute quote or writing. This is an added expense to your wedding day that you don’t need. The matchsticks very rarely work and all people do is take off the card and note and discard it instantly. A simple tub set up with your sparklers for people to grab on their way outside is what’s needed. Save that money for a few cocktails in the evening.
I love photographing sparklers at wedding days. I think it’s a lovely addition to your finished galleries and a great photo opportunity for you and your family and friends.
I also love the celebration that sparklers bring. Everyone has such a good time.
Something that crops up a lot during meetings with couples is what to do if it’s raining? We can’t control the weather unfortunately but I remember lots of bonfire nights as a child where we would stand outside in the rain waving our sparklers. If you want to make it happen, we will. If you’d prefer not to get wet then just have that in your head when planning this- i.e if it’s raining it won’t be happening.
Have fun, and stay safe.
Alex
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