Should You Have a Mock Exit?

We’ve had this question come up quite a few times. Brides and Grooms have heard about it, but want to know what it is, how it works, if it’s a good idea, and how will it affect the flow of the reception. Here’s the scoop:

A mock exit is basically your traditional reception exit. Guests line up outside, throw petals or blow bubbles, and the Bride and Groom run through the line while the photographer takes photographs. But with a mock exit, the Bride and Groom aren’t really leaving. Their photographer isn’t staying until the end of the reception, but the Bride and Groom want to get their exit photographed for their album. So, they have a mock exit.

When we do this, we make sure to announce what is going to happen. We inform the guests that it is not the end of the reception, it is being done only for photographs, and the guests should come back in and keep dancing! We stress that the mock exit isn’t the end of the night.

The problem we usually see is that, even though we’ve clearly told the guests that it’s a mock exit, they still end up leaving. The only people that tend to stay will be the immediate family members of the Bride and Groom, members of the Bridal Party, and a few die-hard drinkers and partiers. But, they don’t always stay either. Sometimes, everyone calls it a night and goes home, thus ending the reception. Why? Look at it from their point of view. Since all the formalities of the reception will be done before the mock exit (such as toast, cake cutting, first dance, bouquet and garter, etc.), they’ve seen everything. They see no reason to stay. And often, they still have to pick up their children from the babysitter, or their kids at the reception are getting tired, they’ve had a long day, or they have a long drive home. Since they’ve seen it all, they might as well leave.

Of course, most newlyweds would love to have their photographer stay until the end of the reception. But sometimes, their budget just won’t allow for it, and that’s okay. Just remember that if you have a mock exit, it will signal the end of the reception for many guests, no matter how much we announce to them that they should stay.

There are other options to a mock exit. Do your exit photos as you leave the church. Or have the guests line up and get an ‘exit’ shot of you entering the reception. Or, don’t worry about getting an exit shot. You could always take a picture of the two of you sitting in your getaway car and use that for the last page of your album. I hope this helps!