Wedding Exit Ideas: Our Favorites and Things to Consider

You’ve planned your wedding from start to finish, but when it comes to the final moment, choosing a wedding exit can be challenging. It’s important to find a way to say goodbye to your guests and to your wedding in a way that feels right for you. Today, we’re diving into some of the most memorable and unique wedding exits, highlighting our top choices and offering insight into a few that may require a bit more consideration for a seamless send-off.

Our Favorite Wedding Exits:

Flower Petal Toss

While this is often popular at the end of a ceremony as couples walk back down the aisle, this can be such a fun way to end the night with your guests as it is both beautiful and environmentally friendly. We recommend having a basket or two filled with flower petals, for guests to grab a handful or two while you are lining up for your grand exit. Just make sure someone directs your guests to throw the flowers UP and not at you. White flower petals are great for photos, but check with your photographer for other ideas. Lastly, make sure you check with your venue to make sure that they allow flower petal tosses, and if so, check on any cleanup policies for tosses. 

Fireworks 

Fireworks can be a spectacular way to end the night. Gather your guests to watch the show before making your grand exit in a getaway car, golf cart, or simply mingling as you say your goodbyes. Fireworks can be a bit of an investment and may require permits, so it’s a good idea to check with your venue about approved vendors and their policies. If you go with fireworks, we recommend a 5-minute show! 

Ribbon Wands 

Easy, cute, fun, and safe. Ribbon wands check all of our boxes when we are looking for exit ideas. You can get ribbon wands from a maker on Etsy or DIY them yourself with bamboo sticks, ribbon, and hot glue. You can even add bells for sound effects. We highly recommend ribbon wands as an exit idea. 

High Fives

No extra costs are required here. Line up your guests and direct them to create a high-five tunnel that cheers on the couple and high-fives away as the couple makes their way through their guests to their getaway car. This is an easy and free option for ending the night. 

Nothing

Last year, we were sitting in a meeting with our clients, discussing their timeline, and when we got to the end of the night, we asked their thoughts on their wedding send-off, and they responded, “Can we just leave?” Absolutely. You can have your DJ or Band announce that it is the last song of the night and end the party on a high note, dancing with your guests before saying goodbye without a formal line or photo op. We’ve done this several times in the last few wedding seasons and have found that no one is sad to not be given a sparkler to hold at the end of the night. 

Second Line

A tradition born out of New Orleans, where horn players lead the couple and their family and friends from their ceremony to the reception to signify new beginnings, you can adapt this and use it at the end of the night, too. This is a high-energy way to end the night that will be something you and your guests talk about for years to come. 

Cold Sparks

Seen in combination with a Second Line at Sallie and Grant’s Wedding last Fall in the photo above. Cold sparks are a super fun exit that is safe! It does have a bit of an associated cost [due to the materials and having a technician there to bring it to life], but it is a great way to end the night! 

Pom Poms

Big sports fan? Met in college and love your team? Or just have a favorite color? Pom Poms are a festive and safe exit idea. Have your guests hold up pom poms in whatever colors align with you and enjoy the cheers as you exit the night.

Streamers

Handheld streamers came on the scene a few years ago and were the talk of the town. These are visually stunning in photos, but we have to let you in on the behind-the-scenes; they are a mess. They can easily become like a spider web that you are stuck in, so be ready for the joy and laughter that comes with that side of streamers. Also, check with your venue to make sure they are allowed, or do them in a contained area for an easy cleanup.

Bubbles

Bubbles are a blast. They pop on camera and in real life. We recommend getting a bubble machine or two to increase the amount of bubbles in the area, and then giving your guests bubbles to blow or a few handheld bubble machines. One tip: let your photographer know your plan ahead of time to make sure they are ready to capture this moment with all the equipment they need to make sure the bubbles pop through on camera. If you have a great photographer, they will pop in real life! 

Tambourine and Other Handheld Instruments

For an easy, upbeat touch, tambourines or handheld instruments are a wonderful way to add cheer while keeping things simple. Plus, they can be a unique takeaway for guests. However, keep in mind that there is a cost for purchasing instruments, so it’s worth considering whether your guests will take them home before making a larger investment.

Exits That Require Careful Planning and Consideration:

Sparklers 

Sparklers have taken the cake for the #1 wedding exit idea for years. However, they can be dangerous and finicky. If you choose to have sparklers as your exit, here are a few tips to keep yourself and your guests safe:

1 – Don’t put out sparklers as a display ahead of time. While you would think that guests would wait when the drinks are flowing, people get excited and can sometimes start to light sparklers earlier than you planned. Only bring them out when it is time and have a responsible, sober individual in charge of this moment [like a planner].

2- Purchase the 20-inch wedding sparklers. 28” is way too long and leaves your guests waiting around for them to finish burning, while 14 inches is too short and may not give adequate time for photos. 20-inch sparklers are just the right amount of time. 

3 – Have sand buckets available to put sparklers in AFTER they have finished burning. Do not put sparklers in a bucket (sand or empty) while they are still burning. This can cause them to combust altogether. 

4- Ask guests to hold the sparklers UP. This helps keep you, your hair, and your outfits safe. 

5 – Bring torches [butane or kitchen torches] to be operated by a sober individual to light sparklers. While long lighters seem like a good idea, they can be tough to use, especially if it is windy. 

As you can see, sparklers require careful planning and safety considerations. If you decide to go this route, we highly recommend you have a planner who has directed sparkler exits before leading the way to keep it safe and orderly. Or alternatively, pick a different exit. 

LED Light Up Balloons

You may have seen these at Disney World, and they look absolutely stunning. But who knew how much time and effort it is to put them together? While there are no safety concerns with this exit, just keep in mind the amount of time it takes and dedicate someone to put them together ahead of time if possible. 

Streamers 

As mentioned above, we love streamers. They are beautiful, but they are messy and can get tangled easily. As long as you are okay with a bit of joyful chaos and don’t mind the mess, we say go for it. Just be prepared for the cleanup and try to do your exit in a contained space so they don’t blow away. 

Lavender/Rice/Bird Seed

While we love that these are all eco-friendly options [did you know that rice harming birds is actually a myth?], they are hard to see in photos at night, and many venues do not allow them because of the cleanup. Ask your venue or planner what they recommend instead. 

Glitter, Confetti, or Balloons

Speaking of eco-friendly, these are the opposite of eco-friendly. Thankfully, there are biodegradable options available now for glitter and confetti that make less of a mess and are safer for the environment. If you are going to go this route, we recommend seeking those out. In our research, we couldn’t find a good, environmentally friendly option for balloons. If you still want to have balloons, we recommend making your exit indoors [with a lower ceiling if they are helium] so they can easily be gathered afterward, and don’t float away outdoors. 

That’s all for our round-up of wedding exit ideas. However you choose to wrap up your wedding day, we believe your send-off should feel just as thoughtful and unique to you as every other part of your celebration. If you’re looking for guidance in wedding planning, reach out today to start planning a celebration that feels true to you.