I’ve written about my love of daylight exits before, but I wanted to expand on that topic and talk about the different kinds of daylight exits that exist.  In the past six years, I’ve photographed several different types of daylight exits and these are my favorites:

1. Rose Petals – this is, by far, my favorite option for a daylight exit!  The petals are large enough to be seen in photos, they aren’t hard or painful when thrown – so there’s no risk of ugly “owwww” faces in the photos, and they are light enough weight-wise so that the petals stay in the air for a bit after being tossed.  I always recommend using light colored petals, like white or light pink… but you could certainly use bright + colorful petals that match the wedding colors if you wanted!  Petals are also relatively easy to clean up + biodegradable, so that’s a bonus!

2. Paper Streamers – paper streamers are another fun option with a lot of benefits.  They are relatively easy to clean up, they are light and “float” in the air for a bit, and you can use all kinds of fun colors!  I always LOVE my couples’ reaction when walking through streamers… look how happy they are!!!

3. Lavender – don’t get me wrong, I LOVE lavender.  It’s my absolute favorite scent because it is so soothing and relaxing! But, in my humble opinion, it’s not the best thing to toss for a few reasons… first of all, it’s hard to see lavender in photos because the buds are very small.  The buds are also pretty hard, so if guests throw it too hard, the bride + groom may cringe or wince… leading to photos that look not-so-happy.  If you don’t care about being able to see what’s being tossed, lavender is a good option because it smells SO GOOD!!  But if you want to see what’s being tossed in your photos, lavender may not be the best option.

4. Confetti or Dried Rose Petals – similar to lavender, both of these options are on the smaller side and may not be easily seen in photos.  It just depends on exactly what you toss, what color it is, and what colored background it’s being tossed against.  Both of these options can be a little more difficult to clean up, so if that is an issue with your venue, this probably isn’t the best option.

5. Tinsel streamers/poppers – I love these, but I think they should be used sparingly if you want to have clear photos of your faces!!  They can pack a LOT of punch if people are bunched together in a line and pop them all at the same time, as seen below!

6. Bubbles – they are light, float in the air for a while, and they are another good option for a daylight exit.  They can be harder to see in photos than other options, but I think it’s still a fun option!

I’m sure there will be even more new ideas down the road, but these are the ones I’ve seen so far!  If you have a fun idea for a daylight exit, feel free to let me know!  I’m always on the look out for new ideas to share with my couples!!