Six Things To Throw Instead of Rice

I honestly have never been to a wedding where rice was thrown; I think that rice as the item to be tossed is a tradition that is on it's way out due to a few factors.  Some venues do not allow rice to be thrown due to the myth that rice can be harmful to birds (which has been largely debunked).  Hard rice on a flat surface can be very dangerous as it is very easy to slip on, and you certainly don't want Grandma breaking a hip at your wedding.  Also, brides these days are looking for something unique or that fits the theme of their wedding.

Here are six ideas for items to be thrown at your wedding as an alternative to rice:

• Lavender buds are the hot ticket to be thrown and a plethora of ways to purchase them can easily be found through a google search. 
• Bubbles can be a fun alternative for all guests young and old, but be careful, we heard one story a bubble popping on the photographer's lens and all the pictures from then on being blurry.  
• Sparklers are a festive idea but one that you need to be careful with.  Many localities require you to notify the local fire department if you will be using sparklers and may even require that a fireman be present.  Check with your venue before planning to use sparklers.
• Birdseed became a popular item to throw after the rice rumor and I'm sure the neighboring birds would be very appreciative.
• Dried Leaves would be lovely at a fall wedding.
• Butterflies, while popular a few years ago, have fallen out of favor because many of the butterflies don't survive, which puts a damper on the fun of the moment.  Consider having white doves released by a professional -- what a beautiful picture at a very special moment.

Happy Planning-

Julie Daniel, Splash Consultant