To create a truly spectacular and memorable fireworks show, you need just the right backdrop. A pitch black sky against which the lights and colours really come to life. But have you ever considered something a bit more unusual, such as a display held over water?

Fireworks set off over a body of water, such as a lake or river, can give you twice the spectacle. Water is the perfect reflective surface upon which to magnify the lights, sparkles and ripples of colour of a typical fireworks display. It acts as a shimmering mirror, allowing you to experience each explosion twice – in the dark night sky and again, upside down, in the water.

When to choose an over-water display

Fireworks on water can be a good way to celebrate any occasion, but the unusual nature of the setting and the particularly beautiful effects created make them the perfect choice for truly special events. For example, a display held over a lake in the grounds of a stately home can be a wonderful way to mark the end of your wedding day. Or, if you’re holding a corporate event and you have a venue full of delegates to impress, a display over water can really add some extra impact to bowl them over.

A real-life and very famous example of the incredible spectacle which can be created by the combination of fireworks and a body of water is the New Year’s Eve fireworks organised by the City of London every year. The backdrop of the London Eye and the sparkling water of the Thames, which appears virtually on fire with lights and explosions during the expansive, ambitious display, makes for a truly one-of-a-kind event.

Now, for the practicalities…

If you love the concept and want to incorporate it into your own display, you’re going to need to get your head round the practicalities of setting fireworks off over water. There are a few crucial things to consider:

• The place. You need to choose your location very carefully. You need a body of water with a shoreline upon which spectators can safely watch the display, access to launch the fireworks and of course – permission from the owner of the property and/or the local authority to hold the display. Some gorgeous scenery or a breath-taking cityscape doesn’t hurt either.

• If you store your fireworks near water, it’s likely that they’ll get wet and ruined – so you’ll need a safe, dry location.

• The launch point. This is likely to be the first question that forms in your mind when you start planning your display – how will I actually launch the fireworks, with a great big body of water in the way? It is recommended to consult an expert such as 1^st Galaxy Fireworks, who have experience of planning displays over water, to choose the right launch point, the right angle to launch at and a safe and environmentally friendly fallout zone.