Events and Displays

Wedding Fireworks

The complete planning guide for 2026 and beyond

We’ve been helping couples plan wedding firework displays for many years now, and the same three questions come up every single time. How much will it cost? Will the venue allow it? Can we do it ourselves? So, we’ve written the below to provide some guidance –

Do you need permission for wedding fireworks?
Yes, this is always required. Your venue must agree to fireworks before you book anything else with us. This is the single most important step and the one most people leave too late.

Many venues will allow fireworks. But they may have some conditions. A noise curfew (often 10pm), a designated firing area away from buildings and on occasions restrictions on which types of fireworks can be used are examples.

Ask your venue coordinator these specific questions before you spend any money:

• Are fireworks permitted on site?
• Is there a noise curfew or time restriction?
• Where can we set up the display?
• Are rockets allowed, or compounds/cakes only?
• Do you require a professional firer like SX Fireworks, or can guests handle it?
• Are there any insurance requirements?
• Are there livestock, stables, or neighbours we need to consider?

Under UK law, consumer fireworks can be set off on private land (or land where you have permission) between 7am and 11pm. There's no licensing requirement in England, Scotland, or Wales for consumer fireworks – any responsible adult aged 18+ can fire them.

When to set off wedding fireworks?

This will depend entirely on the time of year that you are planning your event. You need darkness, and in the UK that does vary between June and December. Not withstanding the fact that SX Fireworks also have a range of exclusive Daylight fireworks if you are planning an earlier event.

For summer weddings (typically June-August), you'd be looking at 9:00pm at the earliest before it’s dark enough. Most Summer couples aim for around 9:00-
10:00pm. Spring and Autumn weddings have the advantage of earlier darkness – a September wedding can have a display running by 8:30pm. Winter weddings can be set off by 4:30pm, so you could do fireworks before the evening reception even starts.

The duration of a display is important but remember this, with wedding fireworks, people want the wow-factor from the get go, so duration isn’t as important as impact.
Your guests want to be amazed for a few minutes and then get back to the party and their drinks. A tight, punchy 2-5 minute display with the right products firing non-stop will always beat a drawn out 15 minute show with gaps and fillers.

How much do wedding fireworks cost?

This is the most frequent question I get asked, so here’s a straight and honest answer –

DIY display budgets

You get what you pay for with fireworks. If the budget stretches, go for the big showstoppers as you won’t regret it on the night. But you can equally put on a respectable, enjoyable wedding show for around £350.
The key to a DIY wedding display is keeping it simple – stick with our compound fireworks. These are the single best type of firework for a wedding. A compound is made up of multiple individual cakes chain-fused together into one unit, so you light one fuse and get several minutes of continuous firing. Buy 2-4 compounds and you’ll get anywhere from 4 to 10 minutes of display time while only having to light a handful of fuses. Much easier to set up, much easier to fire, much less to go wrong.

Orders over £350 qualify for free UK delivery, which is worth factoring in.

My honest advice: don’t complicate things by adding wheels, fountains or candles unless it’ specifically something you’re into. Stick with compounds, keep it simple, and spend the budget on fewer but bigger fireworks rather than lots of small ones.

Professional display costs

If you appoint us to conduct your wedding display is takes the setup hassle off your hands as soon as you have said yes to us.

Who’s going to fire them?

This is often the hardest part – you need someone in the wedding event to put their hand up and take responsibility for the display. Usually it’s someone on the groom’s side who’s willing to hold off the drinks until after the fireworks are done, and who’ll take charge of setting everything up and lighting them on the night.
The good news, if you’re sticking with compounds (and you should be), it’s not complicated. Set them up in the afternoon while it’s still light, and when the time comes, walk down the line lighting fuses with a portfire. That’s it. The fireworks do
the rest.

Firing options

You’ve got three choices for actually lighting the fireworks:

• Portfires – The standard option. Slow-burning sticks that let you light fuses at arm’s length. Cheap, reliable, no fuss.
• Torches – A regular blowtorch works fine. Quick ignition, but you need to be comfortable getting close to the fuse.

Choosing your fireworks

Compounds are the best option. They’re the single best choice for a wedding display and here’s why:

• Each one fires for 1-4 minutes continuously – no gaps, no relighting
• They’re self-contained – one fuse per firework, the internal chain fusing does the rest
• They produce a variety of effects in sequence – colours, shapes, heights, finales built in
• They’re easier to set up and safer to fire than trying to coordinate individual pieces

What makes a good wedding compound? Colourful effects, golds, silvers, crackling. Cascading willows and brocade crowns photograph brilliantly. And a mix of heights and tempos keeps people watching rather than reaching for their phones and losing interest. Browse our wedding fireworks collection – it’s specifically put together with compounds and products that work well for celebrations.

A note on noise

If noise is a concern and at many wedding venues it will be browse for low-noise fireworks. These focus on visual effects with minimal bangs.

Indoor options – Ice fountains and sparklers

Not everything has to happen outside. Ice fountains are designed for indoor use – cold sparks, minimal smoke, safe near food and fabric. They’re brilliant for –

• The cake cutting – stick them in the top tier for a dramatic moment
• First dance entrance – line the route with them
• Table centrepieces

Standard sparklers are outdoor use only, but they're a wedding must. The classic “sparkler tunnel” photo where guests line up and the couple walks through needs 18-inch sparklers for the best effect. Budget around £2.50 for 4 sticks.

I’ve put this near the end because most people skip straight to the fun stuff, but please read it. Fireworks are safe when handled properly and dangerous when they’re not.

• Check the safety distance on every firework label – F3 products need 25m, F2
  products typically need 8m
• Set fireworks up on stable, flat ground – never hold them in your hand
• Keep a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher at the firing point
• Light fireworks at arm's length using a portfire
• Never put fireworks in pockets or throw them
• Keep children and pets well away from the firing area
• Warn neighbours in advance – a quick note through the door goes a long way
• Clear up spent fireworks the morning after – soak them in water overnight first
• Your designated firer must stay sober until after the display

For a full rundown see Consumer Information – British Fireworks Association

Can you have fireworks at a wedding in the UK?
Consumer fireworks (categories F2 and F3) can be set off by any adult aged 18+ on private land or with landowner permission. You need your venue’s agreement, and fireworks must finish by 11pm under UK law. There’s no special licence required in England, Scotland, or Wales.

How much do DIY wedding fireworks cost?
A solid DIY wedding display starts at around £300 for two good compounds plus sparklers and ice fountains. Spend £400-600 and you'll get a seriously impressive show with three compounds and a rocket finale. Compounds range from £150-£475each. Orders over £300 from SX Fireworks include free UK delivery.

What are the best fireworks for weddings?
Compound fireworks are the best choice by far. Each compound is made up of multiple individual cakes chain-fused together, so you light one fuse and get several minutes of continuous display. Buy 2-4 compounds and you’ve got your entire show sorted with minimal setup and minimal fuses to light. Look for colourful effects like gold willows, brocade crowns, and crackling stars.

Can you use sparklers indoors at a wedding?
Standard sparklers are outdoor use only. For indoor use, choose ice fountains as they produce cold sparks with minimal smoke and are designed to be safe near food, fabric, and people. They’re perfect for cake cutting or first dance moments.