I Carry Your Heart: Goodnight, Sweethearts

While Mr. Rucksack and I were sharing a private moment on the dance floor with Michael Buble, our remaining guests were awaiting our arrival outside with beer and sparklers in hand. (I think you can see where this is going, yes?)

Despite my irrational fears of actually holding a sparkler, I knew that it simply had to happen. I mean, what's a little fire when you have the potential to end up with some gorgeous glittery photos, am I right?

And so it was settled. There would be fire and I would brave it!

 

As it turns out, there wasn't much fire to brave. I should have remembered Mrs. Unicycle's post about drunk guests and sparklers because she too had great visions. I also should have known better than to use the cheap 4th of July sparklers from Target. Why didn't I have the foresight to buy the extra long ones online?

 

So instead of being Pinterest perfect, our photos are a tad more real. Yes, people seem a little distracted and clumped and yep our friends are chugging beer in the background. 

But Mr. Rucksack and I were clueless at the time. All we knew was that we were married and happy and there were shiny firey objects being passed to us.

Plus I've learned that with the magic of Photoshop, anything is possible.

From a little cropping:

Bye Bye Beer Chuggers!

To borrowing some other brides' sparklers:

Hello 3 foot sparklers!

Ok, so maybe the last one is too big of a stretch, but I think the other adds just enough extra sparkle without setting off the liar liar pants on fire alarm.

I'd still do the sparkler exit again in a heartbeat, but take my advice planning bees and buy the long sparklers! I'd also have each guest hold two sparklers: both to maximize the sparkle effect and to minimize the beer drinking. Lastly, tell your coordinator or photographer to wrangle the guests and keep them focused like they do with small children sitting for Sears portraits.

Are you having a special post-reception send-off? Sparkler brides, any other advice for picture perfect sparkler exits?

(All photos by Abigail Scott unless otherwise noted)

Previously on the Rucksack Recaps:

• I have ALL the feelings
• I admit that wedding planning kind of sucks
• We run a million errands
• We practice how it’s gonna go down
• We have a big fat Italian rehearsal dinner
• A little rain won’t get me down!
• The girls get pretty
• The guys do whatever guys do
• I hang out in the hotel bathroom and make a bunch of bouquets
• I get my bride on!
• We exchange kisses and gifts during our first look
• I’m a runaway bride
• The bridal party processes and the ring bearer gets distracted
• I take my final steps as a single lady (and get stuck on a rose bush along the way!)
• We kick off the ceremony with some sweet words from The Princess Bride
• We share our love story and get our hands blessed
• We do!
• We miss cocktail hour for the sake of family photos
• We get everybody to join our first dance
• We frolic on the beach at sunset
• We have a beach-side ’90s dance party
• We eat cake and auction off our single friends
• We end our reception with a romantic private dance