Confetti is traditionally a collection of small, plastic-based flakes that are absolutely pretty and a staple of celebration. In recent years, a conversation has started about how harmful confetti can be to the environment in a similar fashion to traditional glitter, so biodegradable and environmentally-conscious alternatives have emerged on the scene. As a bride, if you're considering throwing something in the air on your special day to punctuate the occasion, you have options other than glitter or traditional confetti that won't leave a carbon footprint.
Confetti cones are a DIY bride trend
One of the reasons I decided to broach this subject is that confetti cones are on the rise for 2021 brides. Like those pictured here (@run.wild.flora), a confetti cone is essentially a paper cone filled with confetti of some variety that is offered to your guests as they enter. This way, all your guests can participate in the confetti-throwing moment and they have a handy receptacle to hold it in in the moments leading up to it. Confetti cones are a rather adorable and affordable addition to your wedding!
Petals can leave the smallest carbon footprint
Flower petals - dried or fresh - can leave a very small carbon footprint (even compared to biodegradable confettis), especially if you do as @walterandblossom is doing with their unused flowers. I read that they're taking the roses they don't use in their floral arrangements and they're drying the petals (as you can see here) so they can be used as confetti later. They're actively reducing waste and re-using the flowers creatively! What can you do to mimic this idea? Try asking your florist to save the flowers they don't use in their bouquets for other weddings. You could offer to dry the petals yourself or ask if your florist is willing to go that extra mile for a small fee. If your florist isn't going to be using enough of your bouquet flowers to make an adequate amount of confetti for you, consider asking other local florists or grocery store florists the same questions to augment your florists' petal collection.
What are all the options for eco confetti?
Obviously, I'm biased and I think that you should always use fresh or dried petals as confetti in your wedding because they can be fragrant, they match your bouquets, and flowers are a natural addition to any wedding, but there are other options that won't break the bank or the planet. Lavender confetti, for instance, is flower petal-adjacent, but is a unique option that has a fun fragrance. Paper confetti is an okay alternative to plastic, but can still take a long time to biodegrade depending on the type of paper you use. You can buy biodegradable confetti if you search for "eco confetti" or "confetti alternatives." Lastly, you could consider throwing something entirely different into the air such as bubbles, paper airplanes, ribbon twirlers, or even bird seed! Get creative with your tossing and see what kind of fun ideas you can make into a reality.
Thanks for reading!