Wedding Grand Exit Ideas
and Tips
Picture this. It’s your wedding day and you’ve just finished twirling around during the last dance of your wedding reception. It’s time for you and your new husband to make a grand exit, and hit the road for your honeymoon. As a Dallas wedding photographer, I know a thing or two about setting the stage to capture the perfect wedding grand exit photo. Go out with bang and leave your reception in style. Read our best wedding grand exit ideas and tips below.
Know Your Venue Grand Exit Policies. The grand exit policy of your wedding reception venue will dictate what you can or cannot use for your grand exit. Some venues located inside city limits are bound to city fire ordinances and sparklers may be off the table. Many venues charge extra cleaning fees for confetti or glitter left behind because it is nearly impossible to clean up.
Talk to the venue manager and double check your contract for any grand exit rules. Then make a list of what is allowed, asking even to see photos of what other couples at that venue have done in the past. In lieu of sparklers, I’ve seen glow sticks, bubbles, streamers, and biodegradable confetti! All of these make beautiful photos.
PRO SPARKLER TIP: If your venue does allow sparklers, make sure you purchase sparklers of the appropriate length. The longer your guest list, the longer the sparklers need to be. If your guest list is over 100, the short sparklers won’t stay lit long enough for you to make it down the line.
Go Slow. In Fact, Maybe Go Down Twice. This is where a little movie magic comes into play. No matter how you choose to exit, go down slowly, giving your photographer time to grab THE SHOT. One of my biggest tips is, half way down and kiss and then kiss again once you’ve reached the end of the line. You can even do slow twirls half way down the line, too. Just remember when you do get to the end of the line, double check with your photographer that they did indeed get the shot. And just to make sure, turn around and do the whole thing over again. As adults, we don’t get enough cheering on, so go down twice and soak up every minute of it!
Put Your Parents At The End Of The Line. If you are truly leaving the reception after you go through the line, put your parents and besties at the end so you can give them a hug before you head off to your honeymoon. It’s a special moment and in this instance, you are most definitely saving the best for last!
Plan a Faux Exit. A faux exit is a fake exit. This is a perfect way to still get the grand exit photo you deserve without leaving your venue for the night. If you think guests will clear out before the end of the evening, or you plan on partying ALL night long but don’t need 5 million dancing shots, we suggest adding in a faux exit earlier in your wedding reception timeline. Be careful though. Adding it in too early will give the cue that the wedding is over and guests really will start clearing out. A good DJ and/or wedding planner can explain the faux exit experience to guests so they know that indeed, the wedding reception is still in full swing. Another idea that several of my couples have chosen to do is an exit immediately after the ceremony. Typically after the couple exits the ceremony, they reenter from the side while friends and family are lined up outside of the church or venue. This is an easy way to get that exit photo knocked out early!
Rent a Vintage Getaway Car. Rent a vintage getaway and have it waiting for you at the end of the grand exit line. This is a sophisticated wedding grand exit idea that always adds the most amazing shots to your wedding photography album. If vintage isn’t your style, opt for whatever your dream car is. PRO TIP: Ask your wedding coordinator or a bridesmaid to have your essentials (purse and bags) taken to the car right before your grand exit. If you do need to gather things yourself, drive the car around the block and back around to the side of the reception hall and pop in a side entrance so you can truly make a quick getaway.
Pick a Grand Exit Song. This is one of those times where you are surprising your wedding reception guests with something unexpected. I suggest choosing a grand exit song that’s fun and will get your guests really cheering you on. Your DJ is sure to have a few wedding grand exit song ideas that have worked well in the past, too. If whooping and hollering isn’t your style, no worries! Whatever you choose, pick a song that you and your groom both love. It will be one that you cherish and remember forever.
Whatever wedding grand exit idea you choose, a little pre-planning will help you close out your wedding day in style. Just remember to communicate with your photographer in advance so they can strategize lighting and positioning for wedding grand exit photos that you’ll love!
If you’re still in need of the right person to help you capture your perfect day, lets get on a call together!