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What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?

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Orbital199 Posts : 92 Registered: 10/12/09
What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 18, 2010 7:19 PM

I didn't really think about it until I looked at a list of photos that
should be captured on your wedding day. The last one said to capture the
'get away' moment, when the bride and groom exit the reception. I never
really thought about the best way to do this as every wedding I've been
to has fizzled out before the bride and groom could make a grand exit.
Is this something that is usually announced? How is it initiated and what is the best time to do it?

april_2011 , florida
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myras Posts : 396 Registered: 2/26/10
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 18, 2010 9:11 PM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

I vote for standing up--not so drunk that they have to be carried out!

Seriously, like you, at most receptions I've seen many guests leave before the bride and groom do. I think that the bride and groom leaving their reception in a shower of rice and running off to their wedding night is kind of passe. Most couples want to enjoy every minute of their own party, so I've never really witnessed a "grand exit." I have seen many bands or DJ's signal the end to a party by the music that they play ("Goodnight" songs or "Hit the Road Jack," or something similar), then starting to pack up.
myra@classysassyweddings.com

april_2011 , november_1975 , florida
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carebearny1999 Posts : 1,254 Registered: 9/21/07
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 18, 2010 9:41 PM Go to message in response to: myras

I forget what song we used but we did a "last dance" and honestly, 90% of the people were gone! It was the few close family members/friends left and it was kinda nice to have that moment with them! I wish my photographer had stayed to capture it!



florida , november_1975 , july_2008 , april_2011
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ArtBride Posts : 4,841 Registered: 5/9/07
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 19, 2010 7:00 AM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

I don't like grand exits. In order to do it before people start leaving, you really need to cut your wedding short. The only time I've seen one recently was at a wedding we went to in March. Honestly, it felt like one minute we were dancing and eating cake...and then the next, we were being handled bubbles and herded outside. They had the guests stand along the walkway outside the building and blow bubbles as the couple walked past. It was cute, but it felt like a rushed end to the wedding, as everybody just left with no 'wind-down' time.

We were among the last people to leave our reception. Near the end, about half the guests were inside dancing and the other half were outside smoking cigars and socializing. When the first shuttle came by to pick people up, the people hanging out outside hopped on. Someone let the indoor people know that the shuttle was running and pretty much everyone made it out. We stood outside and said goodbye to everyone as they left. Us, my parents, and the WP were the last ones to leave. After that, we joined some of the guests at the hotel bar. We did not make a grand exit from there, either - we just sort of left. But the crowd had really thinned out by the time we left.

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april_2011 , florida
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MsDenuninani Posts : 3,963 Registered: 3/16/07
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 19, 2010 10:42 AM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

I've only been to one wedding with a grand exit, and it was really cool.

The wedding ended around 11:30 (I think, I honestly don't remember), and there were still a good number of people there, I'd say at least 50, including the entire WP. Chances are, these were the people who were all being shuttled back to the hotel (the bride and groom provided shuttles to and from the wedding site, as it was 45 minutes outside of Austin, TX.)

Anyways, at the end of the night, we all lined up outside in the dark, and lit sparklers as the bride and groom ran out. It was fun, everyone was tipsy, we all whooped, and the photographer got a lot of great pictures (I know, I saw them -- they were beautiful).

I think this exit worked for several reasons, but mainly because people were not leaving early because free transportation was being provided. This meant everyone pretty much kept drinking straight through the evening, and we were all pretty merry by the time the bride and groom took their exit. Man, that wedding was fun. And the pics of the sparklers in the dark evening as the bride ran through were pretty cool.

__________________________________________

"I'd hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, or insanity, but they've always worked for me." Hunter S. Thompson

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starfish701 Posts : 465 Registered: 12/10/08
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 19, 2010 11:53 AM Go to message in response to: MsDenuninani

We had a last dance and then left. Short and simple. By that point there had been more than enough phot ops!
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washington_dc
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CheetahAngel Posts : 2,017 Registered: 11/29/08
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 19, 2010 12:14 PM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

I've never stayed all the way until the very end at weddings. I have noticed that after the cake is cut and after all the main events happened that people tend to leave. Pretty much the only people that stay until the very end I think is the wedding party and the parents. Someone made a good point about the photographer. They usually leave way before the reception is over because there is nothing else to capture. If you want a grand exit and still want pictures I would suggest you have a family member or friend take pictures of you leaving. When my reception ends it will be around sunset time. Instead of a grand exit I will just enjoy taking pictures at sunset (if it's not raining lol).

 

                           
                                          CIMG7482-1.jpg picture by CheetahAngel81

 

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florida , april_2011 , connecticut , october_2010
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Lori82 Posts : 151 Registered: 3/21/08
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 19, 2010 5:47 PM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

We didn't have an exit at all. We stayed at the reception until every single guest had left. Toward the middle of the reception, though, our photographer took us outside of the reception hall and got a few shots of us waving goodbye underneath the moon.



florida , april_2011 , illinois_chicago
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BartlettBride2Be Posts : 3 Registered: 11/17/09
Re: What is the best way for a bride and groom to exit the reception?
Posted: May 20, 2010 12:11 AM Go to message in response to: Orbital199

I plan to have our "get-away" photo op after the ceremony. I want to have everyone lined up outside of the church and as we run thru they can throw rice or birdseed. As for photo purposes I think it is ideal, as your not all hot and sweaty like you would be after the reception. In a few old Southern weddings I've seen that was the norm as they didn't really have the grand receptions we have now.

And that way we can stay for the entire reception and after-party!

Edited by: lovetoloveya on May 20, 2010 12:11 AM

june_2012 , tennessee , april_2011 , florida
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