A lot of photographers have mixed feelings about a much-loved trend the last few years in weddings: the sparkler exit. Sparkler exits can be gorgeous and fun, however there are definitely some downsides to them as it is VERY hard to organize hundreds of slightly (or not slightly ;) ) intoxicated guests and have them hold fire in their hand (have definitely seen people get burned), line up in perfectly straight lines and wait for the couple to walk through them. Instead we have encouraged the last few years that if you’re dying to do a sparkler exit maybe do it WAY before the end of the night when it’s easier to organize and people aren’t distracted by drinking or dancing. The other alternative is to just have some alone time as a couple and grab a sparkler and have fun without all your guests around. Wedding days can be crazy and it’s actually surprising how little time couples do spend together, so this is a great opportunity to sneak out of the reception and get a few quiet moments alone while we capture the fun. As you’ll see below Mark and Meagan chose to do this at their Camden, Maine wedding last fall and got the cutest photos from it! This, in addition to throwing petals or something after the ceremony as the couple processes back down the aisle, is one of our favorite things to do to encourage something fun and super photogenic as an alternative to the sparkler exit!