Sacred Send-Offs: Traditional Wedding Exits
Leaving Your Ceremony with Grace and Blessing
After you say your vows and are finally husband and wife, the big moment isn't quite over! How you leave the church or your ceremony venue is a special tradition. We're going to talk about some wonderful, classic wedding exits. Think about things like ringing bells, blowing bubbles, or having guests toss flower petals or rice. These send-offs are beautiful ways for your family and friends to bless your new marriage and send you off with joy and grace. It's the perfect ending to your sacred celebration and the beginning of your new life together.
Why the Send-Off Matters
The moment you walk back down the aisle after saying 'I do' is so special. It’s
the very first time everyone sees you as a married couple, a new family unit
stepping out into the world. My husband and I still talk about that feeling, the
mix of pure joy and excitement as we walked through our cheering family and
friends. It's not just an exit; it's your grand entrance into your new life as
husband and wife, a moment that truly sets the tone for your marriage.
Your wedding exit is a beautiful picture of love and support from your guests.
As they shower you with rice or blow bubbles, they are really giving you their
prayers and good wishes for your future. It's a powerful and heartwarming
experience to be literally surrounded by the blessings of everyone who loves
you. This collective act of celebration is a memory that warms my heart whenever
I think about my own wedding day.
Choosing a traditional send-off is a wonderful way to honor the generations of
happy marriages that came before you. When you participate in a custom that your
parents and grandparents also shared, you are connecting your own love story to
a timeless legacy of family and commitment. It reminds us that marriage is a
sacred institution, one that has been the foundation of society for centuries,
and that we are now part of that beautiful history.
As a former photographer, I can tell you that the photos from the wedding exit
are always some of my favorites. They capture such genuine, unscripted happiness
on the faces of the bride and groom, and on the faces of their guests. The
movement, the smiles, the celebration—it all comes together in pictures that you
will frame, put in albums, and show your children for many, many years. These
are the moments that truly tell the story of your love and the joy of your
special day.
The Classic Rice Toss
The tradition of throwing rice is one of the oldest and most meaningful wedding
customs. It comes from ancient times and is meant to be a wish for the new
couple to have a prosperous life and to be blessed with many children. It’s a
symbol of a full pantry and a full home, a simple prayer for abundance and
fertility as you start your family. It's a humble gesture with a very deep and
beautiful meaning.
One of the best things about a rice toss is that it's so easy and affordable for
everyone to be a part of. You can prepare little satin pouches or paper cones
filled with rice for your guests to grab as they leave the ceremony. It doesn't
cost much, but it allows every single person to actively participate in sending
you off with their good wishes, making the moment feel very communal and
inclusive.
For years, people have worried that throwing rice at weddings is harmful to
birds, but I'm happy to tell you that this is simply not true. Scientists and
bird experts have confirmed that uncooked rice is perfectly safe for birds to
eat and does not cause them any harm. So, if you love this classic tradition,
you can choose it with a clear conscience and enjoy this beautiful, time-honored
blessing without any worry.
Bubbles of Joy
If you’re looking for a simple and beautiful way to celebrate, bubbles are a
fantastic choice. They are completely mess-free, which your wedding venue will
certainly appreciate, and they disappear on their own without any need for
cleanup. It’s a clean, easy, and wonderfully lighthearted way for your guests to
shower you with joy as you make your grand exit as husband and wife.
From a photographer's point of view, a bubble exit is a dream come true,
especially for capturing the beauty of the bride. The way the light catches the
iridescent bubbles creates a magical, shimmering halo around the couple. The
photos look like something out of a fairytale, full of whimsy and romance. It’s
a truly enchanting scene that makes for breathtaking pictures.
Bubbles are also a huge hit with guests of all ages, but especially with the
little ones. Giving children a bottle of bubbles is a great way to make them
feel included in the celebration and keeps them happily occupied. My own
children love being part of a bubble send-off. It brings a sense of innocent fun
and playful energy to the moment that everyone can enjoy.
Many churches and wedding venues have strict rules about what guests can throw,
often banning rice, confetti, or even flower petals to keep the grounds clean.
Bubbles are the perfect answer in these situations. They give you that
wonderful, celebratory exit without breaking any rules, ensuring you can have a
beautiful send-off that is both spectacular and respectful of your chosen
location.
Flower Petals and Lavender
Tossing flower petals is an incredibly romantic and beautiful choice for a
wedding exit. There is something so lovely about being showered with soft,
fragrant petals as you walk hand-in-hand with your new husband. It creates a
stunning visual, like a path of flowers is being laid before you as you begin
your new journey together, and it looks absolutely gorgeous in photographs.
A wonderful touch is to use flower petals that match the colors of your wedding.
You can have your florist save petals from the same types of flowers used in
your bouquet and decorations. This creates a beautifully coordinated and
polished look that ties your whole day together. It’s a thoughtful detail that
shows how much care you put into making your wedding day perfect.
For a unique and fragrant alternative to flower petals, you might consider using
dried lavender buds. The scent is absolutely amazing and fills the air with a
calming and lovely aroma. In the language of flowers, lavender represents
devotion and loyalty, which is the perfect sentiment for a wedding day. It adds
another layer of meaning to your send-off, blessing your marriage with its
beautiful symbolism.
A Sparkling Send-Off
For a truly spectacular end to an evening wedding, nothing beats a sparkler
exit. As the sun goes down, having your guests line up with lit sparklers
creates a breathtaking tunnel of light for you and your husband to walk through.
It adds a touch of glamour and magic to your departure, making it feel like a
grand finale to your perfect day.
The photographs from a sparkler send-off are always some of the most stunning
images from the entire wedding. The golden glow of the sparklers on your faces,
combined with the beautiful trails of light they create in the darkness, results
in dramatic and unforgettable pictures. These are the kinds of photos that look
like they belong in a magazine, capturing the energy and excitement of the
moment.
A sparkler exit is more than just a send-off; it’s a fun and exciting event for
your guests. Everyone loves to participate, waving their sparklers and cheering
as you pass by. It builds a wonderful energy and creates a final, shared memory
of the celebration. It is a truly memorable and joyful way for your family and
friends to send you off into your new life together as a married couple.