The False Exit - Is it worth it?
YES! Holy smokes, I have so much to say about the false exit. As some of you know, I work as a wedding planner on the side. It’s been a wealth of knowledge and experience in the wedding industry. I recently planned a wedding where the photographer suggested we do a false exit, and boy, do I have a lot to say about this ingenious suggestion.
I will start with this example from a couple of weeks ago. The photographer’s timeframe was eight hours, starting around one or two. The bride and groom wanted a bubble exit at the end of the night (10 pm). They could have the photographer stay until ten, but that would mean missing out on getting ready and portrait opportunities at the beginning of the event. To accommodate this issue, the photographer suggested she be there at 1:30 pm until 9:30 pm, and then to do a false exit around 8:30 pm.
Some might consider a false exit disingenuous, but there are several reasons it’s definitely the way to go. First, let’s talk about the types of exits there are: glow sticks, bubbles, flower petals, ribbon wands, confetti, sparklers, fireworks, smoke bombs, and paper airplanes. When you consider each of these, they always go better with the volume of people participating. This brings me to my first point: a false exit earlier in the night means more people will still be present. There are plenty of guests who leave before the end of the night. Secondly, this differs per venue, but typically your rental contract ends around 10 or 11 pm. By then, everyone has been dancing for several hours, leaving them sweaty and exhausted. Lastly, this specifically has to do with photography, and I will just state my personal opinion on the subject. Dancing photos. There are only so many of them you can take before they get redundant, time-consuming to edit, and they tend to be your least favorite photos when you receive your album. Having a break in dancing to do a false exit means you get the most out of your wedding day photography!
I saw a post from another photographer recently stating, “Oh sure, I will stay to take redundant dancing photos for three hours just so I can take your exit photos.”. That was before my recent planning experience, and the moment this photographer brought up a false exit, I was on board. As your photographers, we want you to get the most out of your day with us. I think a false exit is a great way to do it!
As always, thanks for being here,
Kate
