The best and safest way to light wedding sparklers is with a butane barbecue lighter. However, lighting large quantities of sparklers can be a logistical challenge--unless you have the right supplies. Follow Wedding Sparklers Outlet’s guidance for an event that goes off without a hitch, whether you’re orchestrating a sparkler send-off, first dance, toast, cake cutting, or photo session.
Step 1: Buy fresh, high-quality sparklers.
- Wedding sparklers, in general, are designed to light more easily compared to the ones you may see pop up around Independence Day.
- The best sparklers have gold metal wires, rather than bamboo, that produce a bright, smokeless, ash-free flame.
- Quality sparklers have been stored in dry conditions, away from direct sunlight, and are sold fresh.
- You’ll want to buy the right size sparklers for your party. For a sparkler send-off tunnel or photographs, we recommend a minimum of 20-inch wedding sparklers (which burn for two to three minutes) to have sufficient lighting time.
- Fortunately, you don’t need to overpay for quality sparklers. Buying through a wholesaler that gets the product directly from the manufacturer can result in lower prices without compromising quality and safety.
Step 2: Know what NOT to do.
While thousands of celebrations have used sparklers without incident, it is important to remember they should be used with care.
- Do not use paper or wood matches, which burn down too quickly.
- Do not allow unsupervised children to light their own sparklers.
- Do not attempt to light a handful of sparklers all at once.
- Do not light the sparkler indoors with a candle.
- Do not try to shield the flame from the wind by holding the sparkler close to your body.
Step 3: Plan ahead with the right supplies.
- Buy multiple butane barbecue lighters. Be sure to hold down the safety child lock button on top of the lighter as you pull back the trigger to release the flame.
- Many wedding sparkler packages come with free 10” sparklers to kickstart the lighting.
- Buy a few metal sparkler display buckets to fill with sand or water for extinguishment.
Step 4: Divide and conquer.
- Pick a location out of the wind to do the lighting.
- Do not use paper or stick matches to light sparklers. Sparklers often require a fairly long period of time to light once their ignition source is applied to the tip of the sparkler. Matches generally do not burn long enough to raise the composition of the sparkler to its ignition point. Additionally, the hand of someone attempting to use matches will be uncomfortably close to the sparklers when it does light.
- Butane lighters, barbecue lighters and propane torches can be used. Especially safe are lighters in which the flame is away from the hand holding the lighter. The instant push-button type of propane torches, if available, are the quickest and best lighting method.
PRO Tip: If using 20-inch or 36-inch wedding sparklers
If you are using 20-inch or 36-inch sparklers at your wedding, we suggest that you select 2-4 people to be your “designated lighters”. Pass out the sparklers to each person and line them up down the sides of where the bride and groom are going to walk. In your order was a box of smaller 10-inch sparklers, these are much easier to light than a 20-inch or 36-inch sparkler. What we suggest is you light one 10-inch sparkler using a lighter and touch it to your designated lighters 20- or 36-inch sparklers, which will light them instantly. They should then move down the line of people, touching their lit sparkler to your guest sparklers, lighting them instantly.
PRO Tip: If using 10-inch wedding sparklers
If you are using 10-inch sparklers at your wedding, we suggest that you select 2-4 people to be your “designated lighters”. Pass out 2 sparklers to each person (all 10-inch wedding packs provide 2 sparklers per guest) and line them up down the sides of where the bride and groom are going to walk. What we suggest is you light your designated lighters 10-inch sparklers. Once they have a lit sparkler they should move down the line of guests, touching their lit sparkler to one of your guest sparklers, lighting them instantly. Due to the short burn time on 10-inch sparklers your guest should be told to touch their lit sparkler to their unlit sparkler when the first one is almost done burning.
How Should I Handle Sparklers Once Lit?
- Always keep lit sparklers at arm’s length, away from the face, body, or clothing of yourself or people nearby.
- A sparkler can safely be waved about in front of the person holding it if there is adequate room to avoid contact with other people or objects. Lit sparklers should never be held near the face or eyes. Young children should be monitored so that they do not throw sparklers or run into a sparkler being waived by another person.
- As with anything involving fire, such as cigarettes, matches, or lighters, sparklers are very hot when burning, especially at the point where the composition is adhered to the wire. Never bring the burning sparkler in close contact with any other material, as it will leave scorch marks or possibly ignite the material. Be especially aware of highly flammable materials, such as gasoline, hair spray, nail polish or alcohol that may be in the vicinity. Do not attempt to use sparklers in proximity to these types of substances.
How to Dispose of Sparklers Once Spent?
Sparklers will remain hot for a lengthy amount of time after they have stopped burning. Users should be cautioned never to grab or touch the burned portion of a sparkler after it has completed its effect as the residue will be unpleasantly hot. Have a bucket filled with water or sand, or a metal tray available as a place for the people to dispose of the burned-out sparkler wire.
Buy wedding sparklers from Wedding Sparklers Outlet today. We offer different size bulk packages of 10, 20, and 36-inch sparklers for weddings.
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