The tradition of throwing confetti has been around for hundreds of years. Historically in the UK, it was tradition to throw rice over the newlyweds as it was a symbol of fertility. In modern times, confetti has been mostly pieces of coloured plastic or paper.
As we become more aware of our effects on the environment, many couples and wedding professionals favour 'natural' or eco-friendly alternatives.
Some venues don't allow confetti throwing, particularly those of a historic nature; so we've included a few options that work well as alternatives to throwing confetti too!
Lavender
For a heavenly scented first walk hand-in-hand as newlyweds, lavender is a lovely idea. It's 100% natural, biodegradable, and very pretty. If you're going for a rustic theme or your colour scheme features lilac this one is for you.
Ribbon Wands
A great alternative for venues that don't allow the throwing of confetti, ribbon wands make for an amazing photo opportunity. These are an easy DIY activity and guests can take them home as a nice memento of the day. Use ribbon made with recycled materials such as these on Etsy to keep them eco-friendly.
Top Tip: The Ribbon Wands are reusable, so you can use them several times on your wedding day. For your ceremony, entrance to your reception, your first dance, your departure at the end of the evening.. the options are endless!
Leaf Clippings
Fallen leaves can be transformed into a unique and low-cost confetti. All you need is a bag of foraged leaves and a craft punch like this one from Hobbycraft. Create your own homemade confetti by simply punching shapes out of your foraged leaves.
Our Top Tip: If you want to keep the leaves green, this is a last minute job for the days before your wedding. Buy a few craft punches and your bridesmaids and groomsmen can pitch in! For a more autumnal feel, do it further ahead of time and let them dry out.
Tinkling Bells
A sweet sounding and rather elegant alternative to traditional confetti is using tinkling bells. Create a DIY display or simply place them on the seats ahead of your ceremony.
Our Top Tip: These adorable little bells also make for a lovely keepsake for your guests.
Dried Petals
If you love the idea of traditional confetti, this may be your favourite. Dried petals are a natural and biodegradable alternative. Available in different colours, you can match them to your colour scheme.
Our Top tip: When buying your dried petals, be sure to check they're actually 100% natural. There are lots out there that claim to be 100% natural petals but they're often dyed with something harmful to the environment.
Shropshire Petals are the queens of dried petal confetti in our opinion. Their real biodegradable delphinium and wildflower petals are handpicked & hand packed on their Shropshire Farm. Being 100% natural and dye-free, they're the best in our opinion.
If you've been inspired by our suggestions we would love to hear it. Tag us on Instagram @birdevents
To hear more about our wedding planning or floral design services click here.
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