Let’s talk wedding confetti.
The non-plastic kind!

Having some form of confetti thrown as you make your way from the ceremony is almost part and parcel with today’s weddings. It’s a beautiful way for you and your guests to celebrate, and it also makes for some stunning photos. 

And as a wedding photographer, I give extra points to couples for this 😉.

But, artificial and plastic made confetti should be a thing of the past. They’re bad for the environment. Like, really bad. To throw some numbers out there, plastic or PVC confetti takes around 1,000 to decompose, and metallic based confetti can melt in hot temperatures and cause damage to the surrounding environment. You’ve also got the potential harm to wildlife to think about as well.

So while the few moments of fun and celebration might be amazing, the consequences after last much, much longer.

Hello Biodegradable & Eco-Friendly Confetti

Fortunately, there are so many environmentally friendly confetti options available that artificial confetti should no longer even need to exist.

So if you’re currently planning your wedding and want to look out for the environment at the same time, here are some of my favourite alternatives to traditional artificial confetti.

1. Biodegradable Rice Paper Confetti

If you want something that’s as close to traditional confetti as can be, then rice paper is the perfect option.

This biodegradable alternative is also water-soluble and can be purchased in a range of different shapes, sizes, and colours. And thanks to how lightweight and thin rice paper is, it’ll float slower than traditional confetti, giving you those dreamy confetti photos. 

2. Dried Lavender 

Dried lavender not only looks good, but it has a wonderful scent as well. And while it is a little heavier than the rice paper option, so it won’t exactly float, it’s still a beautiful option and super friendly to the environment.

Some couples do choose to mix their dried lavender with lighter dried flower petals, or even rice paper confetti, to get that traditional confetti look and ensure that perfect photo opportunity isn’t missed. A good photographer should be able to capture this either way.

3. Rose Petals

Dried rose petals are another beautiful floral option that looks and smells amazing. You’ll find that most of these are freeze dried which helps them to maintain a petal shape while also retaining their gorgeous colours.

Unlike the dried lavender, rose petals are a touch lighter and do float for longer which is great for creating that desired confetti effect.

4. Bubbles

If you want to do something wildly different, then having your guests blow bubbles as you walk down the aisle might be the perfect choice.

However, it is worth keeping in mind that although most bubble mixtures are predominately made up of water, some do contain chemicals and toxins that can be harmful to the environment, wildlife and children. They also require the use of plastic bubble wands and containers.

So, if you do choose to go down this route, you’ll want to choose eco-friendly, non-toxic bubble mixture and reusable plastic free bubble wands.

5. Dried or Fresh Leaves

It turns out that gum leaves, amongst most other tree leaves, can make for an amazing alternative to traditional confetti.

The first time I’d seen this option used was when I was working with a couple who had spent 2 months collecting hundreds, or thousands, of fallen gumtree leaves. They’d then used one of those mini shape cutters to cut out thousands of heart shapes from them.

Such a cool idea. And fortunately, you don’t have to collect and cut your own leaves – there are many places where you can buy ready-made packs.

6. Dried Herbs

Yep, dried herbs are also a really great alternative to traditional confetti.

Due to their size, many dried herb mixes often include olive branch leaves, or various dried flowers to add large elements and bulk them up. But either way, choosing to include dried herbs looks amazing and also has a wonderful smell.

Biodegradable Confetti Cones

And to finish things off, if you have chosen to use eco-friendly or biodegradable confetti, you should definitely go all the way and use biodegradable confetti cones as well.

If you choose to go with a paper based confetti cone, which technically are biodegradable and compostable, some do contain additional materials to help make them be water and heat resistant, so it’s worth checking that they are natural and void of these.

Additionally, you can also get very thin wood or bamboo based cones. Similarly to the paper options, they can sometimes include other materials or be sourced through unsustainable forestry practices – so check with the supplier.

With that all said, regardless of which eco-friendly confetti option you choose, your wedding day will be absolutely stunning and those confetti shots will look amazing.