Wedding Tips & Tricks: Planning A Grand Exit
/Welcome to Episode One of my new series: Wedding Tips & Tricks from Your Photographer
Today’s topic is the Grand Exit!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. When it comes to grand exit's at weddings, you are usually doing your “grand exit” about an hour into your reception so that your photographer can capture the big send off. Very rarely do you hire your photo and video team to stay until you actually leave your reception. Instead, we do it part way through and then we say goodbye for the night. Those photos typically end up at the end of your gallery even if they weren’t the last photos taken. As a wedding photographer, your gallery is a story and so sometimes we reorder photos to make the flow nicer.
So the grand exit you see in photos is usually a staged exit, or just a fun activity to do with your guests during the reception. If you have hired a photographer to stay until the very end of your wedding or you’re having a shorter reception then you can make your grand exit a little more exciting. Literally the sky is the limit. Seriously… leave in a hot air balloon! How cool would that be? The true grand exit is where you are not coming back to your wedding. It’s a send off!
Here are some ideas for the grand exit for the truly extra people, that is not a Sparkler Send Off:
Change into some matching bathing suits and slip and slide outta there (do not recommend for Canadian winter weddings)
If there is any body of water… jump into it! (this is on my bucket list)
Have your guests spray you with water guns
Rent a vintage car
Run through a foam tunnel, it looks like clouds!
Change into matching wedding sweatpants and use any of these ideas
Now, it takes a very special type of couple, guest willingness, (and the right weather) to do some of those crazier ideas. If you want something a little gentler, and less out there there are a lot of options that also don’t involve sparklers! The next list is ideas that can be used as a true Grand Exit or for something I am now calling the Photographer Send Off! So instead of faking your own exit, send your photo and video team off in style. This is a great way to get people hyped up and ready to party. You can do it outside in the parking lot for some of the ideas or inside on the dance floor. Both look amazing in photos and as a bonus, makes your photo and video team feel special!
Here are some ideas for you Photographer Send Off:
Smoke bombs
Hand held fireworks or flares
Environmentally friendly confetti poppers/canon
Champagne spray
Streamer toss
Ribbon wands
Glowsticks
And my personal favourite:
Bubbles
If you are one of my couples, I bring my own bubble machine (soon to be two bubble machines) to use at any point on your wedding day, whether that be for your Photographer Send Off, the wedding processional or recessional, or just during couples/wedding party photos! Bubbles are a great eco friendly, easily organized way to add a lot of fun to your photos.
No matter what you decide to do, whether it’s sparklers or another activity, make sure it fits your personalities! This is always going to be my biggest piece of advice for wedding planning: plan your wedding around YOU! What do you and your fiancé like to do? Are you outgoing? Adventurous? Shy? Silly? Don’t do something just because it’s expected of you. You don’t even have to do a grand exit or send off if you don’t want to! And if you want to jump in a pool fully clothed, go for it! Your wedding is a day of celebration of your relationship and the life you want to build together.
It’s also important to note that you ask permission from your venue for any of these ideas! They might have rules or would like to anticipate any mess clean up!
Happy wedding planning!
Love,
Your adventure loving, risk taking photographer who will always always vote yes for using any kind of water on your wedding day.
A Year in the Life of a Photograhper
/One of the biggest blessings in my life is being able to do what I love for a living. While there are definitely areas of my job that I would rather not do, I LOVE being a photographer. Being able to celebrate life’s major milestones over and over again is indeed a blessing.
Being a photographer in Ontario has it’s own challenges. We have less impressive landscapes than other areas of Ontario but after travelling quite a bit this year, I’ve realized that without the distraction of mountains and canyons, oceans, and the focus of photography can actually be on people. I can focus on capturing those moments, creating those moments that you’ll remember and that you will be the focus of those memories.
Plus we get all the best seasons, especially those glorious fall colours! In spring we can go to the Guelph Arboretum for cherry blossoms in your engagement or family session. In the summer we can head to Burlington beach for some super fun beach sessions, In the fall, everywhere you look has the most beautiful reds and oranges and yellow. Then those winter sessions which are few and far between are so magical! We are so luck to have the array of different seasons here and being able to capture everything from engagements to weddings to maternity sessions, and family sessions, and solo sessions. I have the best job in the world.
And I could not do what I love without the support of all of the local wedding vendors in the areas. This year every wedding was incredible and so special shout outs go to Cellar52, Cambridge Mill, and Langdon Hall, thank you for having such incredible venues in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region!
Thank you to all my couples, families, and entrepreneurs for supporting my business. For trusting me with capturing your life and you as you are, thank you!
My favourite unique wedding venues in Kitchener Waterloo
/As a wedding photographer, I have had the opportunity to explore and photograph beautiful wedding venues. It really is magical how you can tie together a venue so perfectly for the wedding couple and see their vision come to life. I always try to suit the couple’s style when shooting photos for a wedding or an engagement, and I love seeing venues come together for the same purpose. On your wedding day, it is important to have every aspect reflect you and your partner’s personalities to make for a special and unique day, perfect for the two of you!
After shooting at so many venues, I may have discovered a few favourites as well. I love taking photos at unique venues because I live for the creativity and fun-loving nature of them. With that said, here are a few unique wedding venues in Kitchener Waterloo that may be perfect for you!
Descendants Beer & Beverage Co
Descendants Beer & Beverage Co. is a brewery in Kitchener that prides themselves on being a fun community, welcoming everyone to experience their unique space. Although they have more than just beer available, they are convinced they can change all the beer-haters’ minds! In terms of wedding venues though, they can host semi-private events up to 80 people and private events up to 150 people. The atmosphere here is more of an industrial, well, brewery type of vibe. Similar to our first wedding venue, this can make for lovely wedding photos as well. I don’t know many people who get married at breweries like this one, so it is definitely unique if that is the style you are going for! This is one wedding venue in Kitchener Waterloo you should check out.
Pine Valley Chalet
Pine Valley Chalet is located on River Rd E in Kitchener, Ontario and suits a very rustic environment. They have a beautiful log-style venue with over 9,000 square feet of space to host anywhere from 20 to 125 guests. There are indoor and outdoor options to suit either taste, or to provide a back-up plan in case the weather does not pull through on your wedding day – I know, every couple’s worst fear! The exposed wooden beams outdoors and high-ceilings inside make for stunning backdrops to any type of décor you would like.
I always feel that rustic styled venues make for beautiful wedding photos with tons of photo opportunities and that is especially true for this venue. Pine Valley Chalet is bright and has a stunning colour story, so your photos are bound to be perfect. You can find a virtual tour of this venue on their website if you’d like to see for yourself!
Langdon Hall
Langdon Hall is a stunning venue that is something out of a fairytale. Nestled in the gorgeous countryside, there are a ton of beautiful, natural settings for photos across the venue. This award-winning venue has a prestigious reputation and features luxurious accommodations & fine dining experiences for your guests.
The newest event space is the Firshade Room & Summer House which can fit up to 120 guests. There is a lovely garden view with elegant wood paneling across the side walls. For a smaller wedding of up to 20 guests, Colonel Langdon’s Room & Adjoining Conservatory is a perfect option. This has an antique dining table, large windows and a fireplace.
This is the most traditional venue on the list and definitely on to check out!
DTK Chapel
Transform how you think about city hall weddings with the DTK Chapel. The DTK Chapel has been newly renovated and is a fantastic option for an inclusive downtown Kitchener wedding venue. All love is welcome here! The chapel is bright & minimalist with a beautiful white millwork feature wall and concrete floors. You can easily personalize it with florals and decor to make it your own. With a total capacity of 40 in the chapel, this is a beautiful option for a small, intimate wedding.
The DTK Chapel pride themselves on lighthearted and meaningful ceremonies. There are a couple of different ceremony options and the venue includes your marriage officiant. They love to ensure that the ceremonies are relaxed & fun for both you and your guests. They do also have packages that include your ceremony at the DTK Chapel with your reception at the nearby Walper Hotel.
As far as nearby photo locations, you have a ton of options such as Vogelsang Green, Goudie's Lane, the Walper Hotel, King St. and of course, the Victoria Park Clock Tower.
Cellar 52
Last but certainly not least, Cellar 52 is located in St. Jacob’s, Ontario. The two lovely ladies who own this venue are not afraid to push traditional wedding limits, bringing a creative and unique flair to the industry. Cellar 52 is a very charming venue with a cozy vibe delivered through their fireplaces, string lights and wooden tables. The accommodations with this venue are impressive as well. Cellar 52 can make any wedding vision you have come to life effortlessly. They are able to host up to 165 people with up to 20 tables for your guests.
I seriously love looking at unique wedding venues in Kitchener Waterloo and trying to find the best ways to capture special moments of every couple’s wedding day! If you are interested in any of these particular venues, I would totally check them out and you will not be disappointed. If you are interested in talking photos and need a Kitchener Waterloo wedding photographer, I would love to work with you. I love working with fun-loving and creative couples and getting to know them personally to help bring their wedding photos to the next level.
