By Steven Inge | Mar 22, 2022

Wedding Photos with Sparklers

We bet you’ve already started thinking about photography if you’re planning a wedding soon. From the style of photography you’d like, to the props you’re planning on using. There's so much to consider as you plan how best to capture your big day.

One of our top tips for mesmerising wedding photography has got to be sparklers. Use sparklers in your photos and you’re guaranteed some amazing images.

When did Sparklers Become Popular?

Sparklers are a historic invention. While it’s not possible to say for certain who first came up with the idea of a sparkler, they’ve been proven to date back to 670 AD at least.

It’s often said that an architect called Callinicos of Heliopolis designed the first ever sparkler. At the time, it was referred to as a cheirosiphon. Fast forward to the present day and sparklers remain popular at big celebrations and festivities such as the fourth of July. They also work brilliantly at weddings, of course!

The popularity of sparklers at weddings really began to soar in the early 2000s. And that’s largely down to the huge transformations we saw in wedding photography during this era.

In the early 2000s, wedding photographers began experimenting with more unusual ways of capturing images, and found that sparklers worked particularly well. As increasing numbers of people started to see how great wedding photography with sparklers really looked, demand quickly rose.

Today, sparklers are often used to create impactful and atmospheric images featuring happy couples and their guests as they celebrate one of the happiest days of their lives.

When to Use Sparklers in Wedding Photos

If you’re planning on incorporating sparklers into your wedding photography, there are plenty of ways to do so. We’ve seen sparklers used at several different points of the day to create stunning imagery for couples to cherish. Here are a few of our favourites;

During the bride’s entrance

The bride’s entrance is one of the most anticipated moments of any wedding. If you’d like to make it even more special, you could provide sparklers to guests. The sparklers can be lit just as the bride is ready to make her entrance. Photographs can then be taken as the bride walks down the aisle, with sparklers lighting up the background for a really dramatic effect.

Writing in the air for couple photos

For a fun take on traditional wedding photography, use sparklers to write your own messages in the sky. Couples can create their own images using symbols or letters written with sparklers, and a skilled photographer will be more than capable of capturing the moment on camera as they do so.

First dance lighting

We love a romantic first dance. Create a stunning scene with low lighting, and hand out sparklers to guests as they gather to watch the happy couple take to the floor. The photographer will then be able to take shots of the dance, with the newlyweds beautifully lit by the sparklers guests are holding.

Your big exit

The big exit is another important moment, so make sure you set the scene to get some great photos as you leave your venue. Give guests sparklers to hold up in the night sky as you make your exit, and your photographer will be able to take some incredible shots of you as you bid your guests farewell and make your way into married life!

The Best Sparklers for Weddings

There are so many different wedding sparklers to choose from, with options to suit all kinds of celebrations. If you’re planning a large wedding with many guests, you might need your sparklers to burn for a longer period of time, to ensure that everyone gets one and is in position for long enough for photos to be taken. If your wedding is going to be a more intimate celebration, you’ll have no trouble creating stunning wedding photography using smaller sparklers which won’t burn for quite as long.

Look into the different sparklers available and consider the burning time, the color and the size of sparklers before you make a decision. Then you’ll be able to choose the best sparklers for your big day, and you’ll be well on your way to creating some showstopping wedding photography.

Examples of Sparkler Photography

We love seeing what couples have created with their wedding photographers. Just take a look at some of these examples of sparkler photography to see what can be done. If you find an image you like, make sure you share it with your chosen photographer to see if you can recreate it on your own wedding day.

Whether you’re open to ideas or you’re already feeling inspired, it’s always a good idea to speak to an experienced photographer about how best to capture your wedding celebrations. At WedMatch, we can help you find a wedding photographer with the skills and expertise to create unforgettable images of your big day. Take our free quiz to start the search for your perfect wedding photographer today.