What’s the last thing guests remember from a wedding? It’s the way in which the bride and groom leave. So if you’re planning to get married, you should follow the tips listed below to plan the perfect exit.
Plan an Exit Song
Talk with your fiance and choose an exit song for this final part of the wedding. Exits should be fun and memorable — and the right song can help. If you need help choosing a song, ask your DJ for recommendations. Being that professional DJs work tons of wedding, he or she probably has some ideas. Furthermore, a DJ can also announce your exit to guests, tell them when and where to stand.
Prepare Your Getaway Vehicle
No wedding exit is complete without a getaway vehicle on standby. Ask your maid of honor or groomsman to bring your vehicle near the exit so you and your newlywed spouse can leave in fashion.
Get the Photographer Involved
Make sure your photographer is positioned and ready for your wedding exit. It only takes a minute or two for the bride and groom to exit, leaving a very narrow window for photos. A good photographer, however, must capture this special moment on camera.
Recessional Tosses
It’s a little-known fact that recessional tosses — or what’s more commonly known as throwing things at the bride and groom when they leave — is a time-honored tradition with roots dating back to Ancient Rome. The belief is that showering the newlywed couple with rice as they leave gives them good luck. While rice has traditionally been used for recessional tosses, there are many alternatives now available (we’ll get to that later).
What’s Allowed and What’s Not
Of course, you should always check with the venue to see what’s allowed and what’s not with your wedding exit. Providing guests with confetti to toss at you and your newlywed spouse as you leave the reception may seem harmless enough, but it could be against the venue’s terms and conditions. Many venues prohibit the use of confetti, silly string, artificial flowers, etc., as it requires additional time and labor to clean up. Failure to follow your venue’s rules could result in forfeiture of your security deposit, so read through the contrast before planning the recessional toss.
Assuming the venue allows rice for recessional tosses, avoid buying “wedding rice.” It’s nothing more than regular rice that’s been repackaged and resold at a higher price. And don’t worry about rice injuring birds, as studies have since debunked this myth, indicating that rice is completely harmless to wildlife.
Photo credit: Phil Richards