The tradition of throwing rice at the newlyweds began as a means to symbolize rain, which is said to be a sign of prosperity, fertility and good fortune. However, nowadays, there is a rumor out there that throwing rice at newly married couples is bad because birds try to eat the dried rice and it ends up killing them. A group of ornithologists did a study on this and found no reason to support this claim. However, like poufy sleeves and sateen dresses, throwing rice is best left in the 1980’s. It’s not necessarily on trend these days to have your guests funnel out of the church and wait there for the new couple to make their exit as they did back in the day. That is if the couple is even getting married in a church because as we know, that has gotten less and less common as well! It’s easy to make your wedding ceremony exit just as exciting as your entrance with a little help from your guests and some creative rice alternatives like confetti, flower petals, bird seeds and paper streamers. Once you’ve said “I do” and nailed your first smooch, kick-start your happily-ever-after with one of these rice-alternatives!
Wedding Pom Poms: For a whimsical touch, opt for homemade pom poms in your wedding day colors. They are super inexpensive to make, won't get stuck in your hair or dress, and can even be taken home as gift favors!
Confetti: A good confetti toss creates a photo backdrop that is as gorgeous as the bride herself! Plus a few vases full of confetti sticks can totally double as decor until it is time to make your grand exit! You can also provide guests with paper cones full of chunky paper confetti which isn't too much of a pain to clean up afterward.
Flower Petals: Some venues don't always allow the mess that comes along with glittery confetti, so why not opt for a more natural "confetti." Dried flower petals are a beautiful way to be kind to the environment while still giving you that magical send-off you have been dreaming of.
Bird Seed: Bird seed is a fun natural way to incorporate the outdoors into your big day, while also feeding some of the local birds near your venue. Plus, there are so many cute ways to bring this idea to life!
via Etsy
Lavender: Lavender is a great option for brides wanting to incorporate wildflowers into their decor, plus it smells fabulous! Lavender not necessarily your thing? Pick out crushed fresh herbs to stay natural and still get a fabulous aroma!
via Style Me Pretty
Bubbles: Guests will have as much fun blowing bubbles as you will walking through them for your grand exit! You can easily personalize inexpensive bubble wands with ribbon, paint or twine for that extra special personal touch!
When to toss it? If you are having an outdoor ceremony, you could have people toss something for the photo-op as you are exiting the ceremony space. Either have it waiting on the seats for the guests or have people collect it as they come in. What’s more common these days is to toss something for the sendoff at the end of the night. Same idea, but sparklers are most common for this option because the pictures will turn out better if it is dark outside!
Whatever you choose, these send off alternatives are sure to make some really great back drops for your pictures to look back on for years to come!