This is the sparkler exit that never actually ended the night.
At The Wilds in Bloomington, after eight hours of photography coverage had officially wrapped, we only had one more thing on the timeline, a faux sparkler send-off. We grabbed the 36-inch sparklers, rallied the guests outside the venue, and created this absolute fire (literally) of a photo. But here’s the secret: we never once called it a “send-off” or “exit.” Those are magic words that make people think the party is over and start grabbing their coats. Instead, we just said, “Hey, everyone, come outside for one quick group shot!” And because the couple walked straight back down those stairs and onto the dance floor, almost every single guest followed them right back inside for hours of celebrating.
The Wilds is perfect for moments like this. That outdoor staircase behind the building is one of my favorite sparkler spots in all of Indiana. Guests line up on the outside of the railing, which does two brilliant things:
The result? A perfect tunnel of light that frames the newlyweds like royalty and the night sky is pitch-black for maximum sparkle pop.
Faux exits are my favorite kind of magic trick: we get the iconic shot, nobody leaves early, and the party keeps rolling. Your guests think they’re giving you a grand finale. You know it’s actually an encore.
At The Wilds, the night never has to end… and with the right wording, it won't.
Captured with the Nikon Z9 and a 35mm prime lens with on-camera flash set to 1/8 power and edited to look like film.
Location: 6483 Kent Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401.