Necessary or Not: Grand Exit?

I want to party with my guests at some sort of after party, so I feel like it is only a necessity for pictures (which I plan to do) and those couples that are leaving their wedding and going straight on their honeymoon.

Not necessary. We r staying until the end of our reception. Then going to after party with remaining guests.

Not necessary. I wanted a sparkler exit, but that's because I love fireworks.

Ours was fake anyway. We went back in to keep dancing.

Not necessary… IMO, it's rude to your guests. It takes too dang long to round everybody up and make them wait just so you can get a "pretty pic".

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I think I agree with that, Danielle! I'm not usually someone who does something for the pictures, but the ones I've seen of grand exits do make me wonder if maybe that would be a good move for me.

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LOL, the phrase "herd of cats" comes to mind.

Not really necessary for us. We'd like to enjoy every month with our guests until the very end!

Not at all. We were only going to have one so we could get everyone out side in order to have a secret last dance. Recently we have decided to cut both because it saves us hundreds of dollars by not keeping the photographer, videographer, and coordinator that late.

I have never in my life actually seen a grand exit at a reception. So no, absolutely not necessary! With our reception ending at midnight, what was the realistic expectation that anyone would stick around for that (and be sober)?! We did a photo-opp exit at our ceremony when we walked to our limo. That was it. And it was because it was a nice photo opp, but I would hardly call it a "grand" exit.

We are doing something after the ceremony, like confetti or rice. Then our guests will go to cocktail hour. We are ending the night with a local bagel company stopping by to give everyone some yummy bagels. They are a huge hit in our area for bar goers and I think at some point or another we have all had a Winston bagel after heading home from the bars while in college.

It my situation, no. Everyone will probably leave before us, lol!

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Mm, bagels. Are you telling me you don't want everyone to get bagels and send you well wishes as you go off into the sunset to eat your bagels?

We skipped this. We didn't need a forced grand exit 2 hours before the reception actually ended for picture purposes.

We are still debating on this one. We want to stay until the end of the reception.

Not necessary but I think they are fun and we're planning on doing one!

Honestly, I think they make for some gorgeous pictures and videos, but I haven't figured out how to incorporate it for myself. We're staying overnight at the venue with our wedding party and inviting some of our guest to stay a little later for an after party... I feel it'll look a little funny doing a grand exit and then... staying haha

View Quoted Comment 😆 I don’t think all of our guests would want pictures taken of them at this point in the night that might get hung on my wall forever. Lol! I think by 10pm hair will be a mess, makeup will be long wiped off and I’m sure some will be walking around barefoot holding their heels.

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Lol, me. You've just described me at 10pm at the last wedding I went to.

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Just because you do a grand exit doesn't mean you have to leave the reception necessarily. In fact, a lot of the grand exits happen before the party is over so that the photographer can go home.

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Could you do a grand exit-esque event leaving your ceremony? Or are you having your ceremony and reception at the same place?