The Wonderful World of Confetti
Why do we throw bits of shredded paper or flowers to celebrate?
I’ve done a deep dive into the history of Confetti, so you don’t have to! Although to be honest, you probably didn’t need to…
It originates from the Italian word for “small sweet”, Confetto and the plural of that, confetti. Whilst it may have started with throwing sugared almonds, it’s thankfully evolved since.
Back in the days of our parents, they may have thrown grains, such as rice. This sounds harmless, but there are problems with throwing rice, so we’ve largely moved towards paper or flowers. For years there was a myth that Rice would kill birds by swelling in their stomachs. This as it turns out, isn’t the issue, birds eat rice and other grains regularly. The real issue is that it attracts pigeons, seagulls and rodents to the wedding venue. There are also some concerns that the hard rice grains can lead to a higher risk of guests falling, particularly in the smooth-soled shoes we often wear on wedding days.
Confetti Etiquette (or Confettiquette)
I’m quite proud of that…
What happens after the confetti’s thrown? Where does it go?
If you’re considering using confetti at your wedding, the first thing you should do, is check with your venue. Almost every venue will have its guidelines on what they’ll allow. This will likely be based on past experiences at the venue, so if they don’t want confetti to be thrown outside or in a particular room, there’ll be a reason for it.
Avoid Rice, Grains or plastic confetti. The reasons for not using Rice or Grains are discussed in the section above, but not using plastic should be obvious. I’m grateful that all of my couples to date have been sensible enough to avoid plastic, it would make for a very awkward conversation on the day, and I expect the venue wouldn't be happy with it either.
The reality is that even the most premium of biodegradable confetti is messy, at best. Understanding that going into your own wedding will keep your venue happy, and set you up to do the best confetti tunnel, in the right way!
Crafting the Perfect Confetti Moment
The main reason to click on this blog post!
First of all, which type of confetti to use?
My personal favourite is dried flower petals. The more local, the source the better! These tend to have more weight than paper (easier to throw), provide a vivid colour and if a small amount gets blown away, it’s unlikely to cause harm to the local environment.
I’d suggest - Flower Confetti, Shropshire Petals or Cotswold Confetti.
It could also be worth speaking to your wedding flower supplier, as they may be able to create a package to provide everything!
Or if you’d like to use paper confetti, try Little Green Paper Shop, Proper Confetti or Your Confetti.
I’d also suggest having a large supply of confetti, if you do end up with too much, you can just hand out the extra!
Including a note here, it was at this point that the word “Confetti” lost all meaning to me, after reading it too much.
How do we organise our guests?
The easiest way to organise a confetti tunnel is right after the ceremony. You can leave the confetti parcels on the guest’s seats or have a member of the wedding party handing it out as the guests enter/leave the ceremony location.
I’d also recommend having your celebrant brief the guests on your confetti plans, where it’ll happen, how to arrange themselves, and it can be a good time to provide them with some tips for a good throw. I’ve found in the past, that if you don’t tell the guests to throw underarm, and to aim slightly above the couple, you’ll end up with some enthusiastic overarm throws from a metre away. This leads to the couple keeping their head down and won’t look as good in the photos.
How do we make the most of the experience?
As for the wedding couple, how do you get the confetti photos like the ones you’ve seen on Instagram or Pinterest?
I’ll tell you exactly what I tell each one of my couples on the day of their wedding, pre-confetti tunnel;
Heads up, not trying to shelter yourself from the confetti
Hold hands, or link arms
Before you enter the room or area where all the guests are, take a second to appreciate all that’s happened today
Take your time, walk slowly, and enjoy the moment
Make it your own, if you want to cheer, dance or do something weird, go for it! It’s your day, own it.
For bonus points, stopping for a kiss mid-way down the confetti tunnel always looks good!
Confetti Alternatives?
Like the concept, but keen to do it differently?
There are plenty of alternatives to confetti, such as bubbles or vintage bells. You could also use sparklers in place of a confetti tunnel, although I’d recommend checking with your venue on this, and doing so in the evening or at night if you decide to go ahead with it.
You’ll find as you plan your day, everyone will have opinions on what you need to do, and it can be overwhelming at times. The best thing you can do is speak with your partner and prioritise the parts of the day that mean the most to you, and lean on your wedding vendors for advice if you’d like an experienced (if biased) opinion.
Confetti at your wedding isn’t a must, and it’s not for everyone. At the end of the day, it’s totally up to you how you’d like to structure your day!
Want to see some behind-the-scenes from a real wedding day confetti tunnel?
If you’re planning a wedding or yet to decide on the kind of confetti you’d like for your day, don’t hesitate to get in touch and I’m always happy to help!