Wedding History – Why Do We Throw Confetti at Weddings?
There are plenty of ways to welcome the bride and groom to their new life as a married couple. Besides standing up and giving them a round of applause, one of the most popular ways to recognize the union is by throwing confetti. However, how did this practice come about? and why do we thow confetti at weddings? Or failing that rose petals, or bubbles or even leaves?
Why Do We Throw Confetti at Weddings? – History
This practice was actually something that began in Italian weddings two centuries ago. Nobles used to throw candies and flowers during the parades while dames threw eggshells filled with essences and perfumes. In Italian “confetti” is actually not what you throw at celebrations; the term itself refers to candy-coated almonds that you hand to guests as party favours – Also known as dragée or comfit. The thing you throw is called “coriandoli.” The English language simply adapted the term despite being a misnomer.
The throwing of confetti relates somewhat to the act of throwing rice at a wedding. This is a tradition that is still being practised to this day for couples that want a family. It is a symbol of fertility and luck for the couple as parents.
The first paper confetti was produced for the Carnivale di Milano with the intention of celebrating joyous occasions. The British then adapted this and introduced it to a wedding in 1875.
Throwing confetti is laced in a rich history of taking inspiration from one culture and adapting it to a new one. Wedding traditions from various cultures around the world have overlapped and combined and intertwined to such a degree that it’s not unheard of to see confetti in weddings around the world.
It’s Fun!
Confetti was meant to bring life to celebrations and memorable festivities, so why can’t it be at a wedding? The bright colours of confetti celebrate joy and can make the ceremony more beautiful.
Some of it will get on your hair, the veil, the dress, and the suit, but that is not really something to worry about. Seeing your spouse’s suit or dress covered in it can bring a big smile to your face, which is always a great thing when you leave the aisle together as newlyweds.
It Makes Great Wedding Photographs
It’s okay to think about how the photos will turn out. Confetti brings a great visual element to your photos, bringing in bright specs of vibrant colours into the frame. Many liken the confetti to petals falling from the sky, especially when beautiful colours are chosen.
Getting good shots with confetti in the air will be tricky. It’s probably not something that your friend with no photography experience can capture on their phone. To make sure that these come out right and perhaps even more stunning than you would ever imagine, you need a professional photographer to do the job for you on the day of the ceremony.
Confetti is however not great for the Earth as it’s often made of plastic, or coloured paper that will not biodegrade well – so many wedding venues will actually charge a cleanup fee in order to allow the use of confetti or not allow it at all! Some environmentally friendly alternatives include rose petals, gumleaves that have been hole punched, bubbles, or if at night time, sparklers!
Whatever reason you want to have confetti at your wedding is valid. It’s a fun idea that is laced in many great customs that anyone can adopt to make their wedding day special. It’s a celebration of love and great joy, so go ahead and incorporate it into the ceremony if you want to. The wedding photos after will be filled with amazing colours as you walk up the aisle as newlyweds.
Make your memories last with the best wedding photos to remember them by. For the best wedding photography services in Adelaide, get in touch with Sven Studios. We capture moments as they happen, bringing the joy of weddings through our photos. Contact us now!
We also have a whole heap of other wedding custom origin stories along with the answer to why do we throw confetti at weddings?, so feel free to get in touch for a bit of a chat! We love talking wedding!
