Steer clear of petals that pollute
By Never teh Bride
At my aunt’s wedding in 2006, the individuals charged with decorating the reception space scattered a great many faux rose petals indoors and outdoors. The plastic petals that landed on carpet and tile were easily swept up at the end of the event. As for the fate of those that landed outdoors…who can say? My guess is that they blew away in the wind and found their way into some sorry gutter somewhere.
Not exactly the environmentally friendly choice, eh? For outdoor tossing, you’re better off going with something like fresh or freeze dried rose petals, lavender buds, or “ecofetti,” a biodegradable, water soluble confetti wedding toss created by Ecoparti. The third option flutters gently to the ground like traditional confetti, but can be hosed away or left where it falls to be cleaned up by the next rainfall.
Ecofetti is the new safe and accepted wedding toss with no cleanup worries. Water-soluble and completely biodegradable confetti - either hose it away or let nature help with the cleanup…The perfect alternative to rice or birdseed, no slipping or staining, and ecofetti flutters easily to the ground. The vibrant colors are lighter and fluffier than the pastels - the pastels look more like colored rice!
I’m of the opinion that dried petals are best because they’re natural and relative easy to fish out of one’s bodice after landing in inappropriate places, but if you’re dead set on something more confetti-ish you could do worse than ecofetti.
What did your guests toss at your nuptial celebration?
December 18th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I very specifically didn’t want anything thrown at all. Unfortunately, two friends of Mr. Twistie took it upon themselves to do up packets of birdseed and passed them out behind my back. Then they organized an ambush while we were separated and not quite ready to leave the reception. It’s the one wedding memory that still makes me very grumpy.
If any of you are thinking of birdseed, just keep in mind, that stuff can hurt when you get pelted by it! Also, I was still getting it out of my hair three days later. That’s painfully straight, baby-fine hair, too.
Now if a barrage of soap bubbles had been suggested, that I would have kind of liked. Dried rose petals would also have been fine with me. As it was, I spent a long time wanting to kick two women I otherwise really like.
These days I’m more devious and would probably tell them there were site restrictions against tossing things, but back then it never ocurred to me to bend the truth on such a matter. I trusted to the fact that I said I would personally kill anyone who brought anything to throw. I should have known they’d know I wouldn’t go through with that one. (sigh)
December 18th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
What a bummer, Twistie!
I didn’t plan for anyone to throw anything–honestly, it never even occurred to me–and I guess no one else thought of it either because nothing was tossed!
December 18th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
We were not allowed to toss real rose petals–even freeze-dried ones–for our outdoor wedding. Because it’s possible someone might have slipped. The venue suggested faux petals, but, as you said, not the most ecological choice. So I went with the Ecofetti. However, except for the flower girl’s basket, no one remembered or thought to toss the confetti. So glad I had my husband make the stupid petal cones. They were not the fancy ones that some people make, they were just folded tubes with the Ecofetti inside. Oh well. I was hoping for a pretty picture of us walking down the aisle, surrounded by petals, but it was not to be. And it was raining when we left, so throwing the Ecofetti then wasn’t a good idea.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Our guests threw paper airplanes!
December 18th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Just wanted to say, grats. You were named one of the top 10 wedding blogs on BridalWave. I read your blog all the time. You def deserve it!
December 18th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
We did freeze dried rose petals. Although we didn’t have a flower girl, one of my cousins was our “petal pusher”. Right before we left she went around with a basket of petals and people grabbed handfuls. They lined up on either side of the stone steps and showered us with petals. In the video you can see some of my guy cousins throwing the petals as hard as they can, and still they just gently rained down on us. It was gorgeous and magical. Really I just wanted to do it for the pictures, which were fantastic! (you can see one here http://tinyurl.com/32×44x )
I had thought about bubbles, but at a wedding a few months before mine I began choking on the bubbles people were blowing, so went with the petals.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
rosaroni, I wish I’d thought of something that cool! That sounds great!
December 19th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Paper airplanes–that sounds like fun! Did the guests each get to fold their own?
December 19th, 2007 at 10:27 am
At the most recent weddings I’ve been to, we’ve either tossed fresh petals or (my favorite) received small bottles of bubble solution to blow bubbles as the bride and groom pass. I love the second option because there’s no mess to clean up, no birdseed in the bride’s hair, and afterwards there are always some great photos of the bride and groom moving through a veil of sparkling bubbles.
December 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I was at a wedding where a very confused guest threw the tiny bottle of bubbles at the bride. It came open and stained her dress with bubble solution. Extremely strange!
December 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
We did the bubble thing. My mom even went out and bought one of those bubble-making machines. The bubbles did look really cool in the photos.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:06 am
We did bubbles. I think there’s a few good photos of them, none online, though.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I like the idea of both rose petals and lavender buds, myself. And, for the couple for whom it’s appropriate: CAT NIP! If anything lingers in the clothing, the little ones at home can share in it later!
February 7th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Cat nip! I love it…and not just because four pairs of slanted eyes are staring me down as I write this!