Fireworks are usually reserved for the Fourth or July or New Year’s Eve. This is due somewhat to tradition, but it also is due to fireworks laws. Many states and cities, if they allow private fireworks at all, allow them only around July 4 and in some cases on Dec. 31. However, many people like to have fireworks for other special occasions, including weddings. If you have your wedding at a large venue, you may be able to request it get a permit to do a fireworks show for you. On the other hand, there are some fireworks you can get away with doing on your own that won’t disturb others or attract much attention.
While you can attempt to have a fireworks show at your wedding, it can be difficult. The city in which you live may totally ban such private fireworks shows, and even if they don’t, getting a permit and hiring a professional company to do fireworks can add hundreds of dollars to what is probably an already-high wedding tab. A good alternative that can still give your wedding a bit of “bang” for many fewer bucks is to use wedding sparklers.
Sparklers can be a good choice because they are cheaper, safer and much less-regulated than other types of fireworks. You may be able to buy sparklers in the off season for fireworks and you even may be able to buy sparklers online.
When buying wedding sparklers, you have some things to take into account. One consideration is how long you want the sparklers to burn. A traditional sparkler only lasts about 45 seconds, but there are long sparklers that are used for weddings that last longer. Sparklers that are 10 and 20 inches long last for about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, while 36 inch long sparklers will last for about 4 minutes. The longer the sparkler, the more it will cost, so keep that in mind.
Another consideration is how many sparklers to use. The average wedding has about 136 guests, and many people have much longer ones. Having sparklers for everyone can be costly and a logistical nightmare, so you might just want sparklers for the wedding party. If you do give sparklers to everyone, whether they are long sparklers or short ones, think of safety first. Have buckets of water around to dispose of them and have children do them only under adult supervision, even older children. Kids 10-14 have more than double the risk of injury from sparklers that adults do.
Sparklers can make your wedding more fun and colorful, but you have to keep factors such as cost and safety in mind to keep problems to a minimum.
