I don’t know about you but the confetti toss is one of my absolute favourite parts of a wedding. Some people think it’s corny or cheesy but when I get to toss that clammy-clutched-handful of flower petals aloft to rain down as the happy couple skip passed, beaming at their newly-married-ness, my heart fills to bursting with happiness.
What is it about the confetti toss that makes it such a beautiful moment?
We asked a few of our friends and this is what they had to say:
“The couple are both feeling the most incredible, overwhelming sensation of love and realisation of what they’ve just done as everyone shouts for joy and congrats! It’s electric!! And always a moment full of so much emotion to shoot”.
– Bron, Vanilla Photography
“As a photographer, I am constantly looking for the reflection of emotion and the confetti toss is one such moment where true and honest emotion is revealed. No matter how nervous, emotional or overwhelmed the couple feels during the service…elation breaks through it all when they turn to face their cheering loved ones “.
– Derryn, Derryn Schmidt Photography
“It screams joy, celebration, love, fun and everything you want a wedding to be all in one photo. It’s definitely a highlight for me and one that I love to share”.
– Casey, Casey Pratt Photography
“The ceremony is such a formal situation, where everyone is sitting there quietly watching two people they care so much about, make quite possibly, the biggest commitment of their lives together. You want to get up out of your chair and shout and whoop-whoop and cheer for them. But that is not the time.
The confetti toss is a celebration of everything you are feeling. That rush of joy that makes you want to scoop them up in your arms and congratulate them. This is your time to shower them with love and “whoop whoop’s”. This is your time to manifest your emotions. It always leaves me a little speechless and in awe – it is quite possibly my most favourite moment in the whole wedding day”.
– Christy, Christy Hosking Photography
“I love the confetti toss because it’s such a celebration. It’s so happy, straight after the formalities of the ceremony. Also, it makes for phenomenal photos and everyone is simply delighted”.
– Carolyn, Adore Weddings
What’s the deal with confetti anyway?
Turns out, the whole concept of confetti actually developed in Italy. Here’s the progression…
Middle ages
People at Italian carnivals are throwing fruit, eggs (gross), mud balls (ouch!) and coins into the crowd at parades and other celebrations.
1500s
Noblemen and women start throwing sweets, flowers and egg shells filled with perfume into the crowds. This didn’t work out so well as the peasants thought it’d be funny to sarcastically start throwing rotten eggs back at them. Needless to say, the whole practice decreased in popularity for a while.
1700s
Confetti throwing is back and we see the rise in popularity of sweet throwing (think seeds covered in sugar) and, for people that couldn’t afford sweets, chalk balls and mud balls (again, ouch!)
1875
An Italian businessman sees a gap in the market for inexpensive, non-painful (about time) things to throw ahead of an upcoming carnival. Paper (a byproduct from local silk manufacture industry) is the perfect option and people LOVE it. Its popularity explodes through to the rest of Europe over the next few decades.
So, long story short, you can thank the Italians for the development of this loved tradition. Grazie!
Fast forward to current day
In 2017 there is a plethora of (non-painful) options available for your wedding day. Little flags with quirky sayings, ribbons on sticks, bubbles wands… But, in my humble opinion, nothing beats launching something into the air to shower down onto the couple. Be it air-popped popcorn, raw rice grains, flower petals, metallic cupid shapes or a beautiful mix of coloured paper, the showering of confetti signifying the love of friends and family surrounding the couple, is a symbolic and memorable moment.
As a bride, it may get into your beautiful up-do, it may squeeze its way between your cleavage and into your partner’s ears or down his socks but one thing is for sure, it ain’t a celebration until there is confetti in the air.
Looking for chic and beautiful (non-sweaty-palm-inducing) confetti? Hooray stocks confetti poppers in an array of colours and all of our confetti is lovingly hand-cut by our confetti connoisseur David Schmidt. Give Dave a follow on Instagram – he is likely to follow you back and is very generous with Instagram likes 
@mongomuffin.
