As a wedding planner you probably get a lot a strange, different, or interesting requests from your couples. But what happens when they request something that may be illegal? I have seen this several times, and with the summer comes the request for Fireworks. Yes, fireworks are to summer as rain is to Seattle. People look forward to the big firework displays around the area. Being from Georgia where you can buy fireworks literally anywhere and everywhere I have ceased caring about seeing a big firework display or really any firework display. I mean we would just shoot them off in our backyard whenever we wanted to see fireworks, looking back probably not the best idea. However, here, in the Seattle area. Fireworks seem to be banned nearly everywhere. So people are resigned to waiting for a city to host its 4th of July display or hitting a Mariners game.
Weddings are a summer staple, so it goes to reason that one may want fireworks at their wedding. Depending on the how and where it may be illegal. If your client really wants fireworks they may be able to get a permit to have them. This is the reasonable and responsible way to go about this. Unfortunately this client was apparently trying to be unreasonable and irresponsible and just buy some stuff and set it off (great movie by the way). Umm no. We don’t want that. That is probably illegal but extremely dangerous as well.
So if you want to have fireworks or you are a planner and are being asked to provide illegal fireworks under illegal circumstances, channel the 80s and “Just Say No.” The liability is too great. You risk not only injuring yourself, but someone else, your property, someone else’s’ property, or even starting a fire. Oh, and did I mention that it is ILLEGAL?
Planners should make sure they have clauses in their contracts regarding illegal activities of all kinds and a way out if the client decides to go rouge. If fireworks are that important for a wedding maybe you can get married at the end of a Mariners game.
