How to get the most out of your confetti photos!
It is no secret (if you follow me on IG!) that I am OBSESSED with a confetti shot. Like… actually probably my favourite part of a wedding day obsessed. Why? Because if you scroll through this post you will see nothing but very happy faces! It is one of the only times during a wedding day we can smile, scream, cheer, clap, throw things and whoop all at the same time and it be socially acceptable. So I thought, seeing as it IS such a fun part of your wedding day, that I would do a little FAQ’s style write up that hopefully you will find useful when planning your celebrations!
Where does it originate from?
There aren’t a huge amount of traditions within a wedding that have aged well but confetti is absolutely one I can get behind. Let’s rewind for a second, going way back to ancient civilisations when throwing small items like grains, seeds and petals was a common way to celebrate weddings and other joyful events. In ancient Rome and Greece, people threw wheat, rice and barley at newlyweds to bless them with an abundance of fertility and prosperity. Not sure I entirely agree with the fertility part these days but it has always been a very joyous event for many many years and one that is very popular in this era!
Does your church or venue allow it?
It must be said that not all churches and venues allow confetti (it can get quite messy!) so do please check in advance what your particular rules are. Most churches allow it down the path or outside the church on the road as long as it is biodegradable and most registry offices don’t mind it outside the main doors. Not many places allow it indoors so if it is a rainy day maybe check for a back up plan!
How do we organise it?
Having been to 150+ weddings I would say I am pretty well versed in the organising of a confetti moment. I think the best time to do it is straight after your ceremony, hopefully before you start hugging everyone and chatting (as I absolutely hate to drag you away from friends and family!) Everyone is already in one place and it is pretty easy at that point to get everyone where they need to be with the promise of having a drink as soon as it is done!! It also is a great time for the couple to go hide in peace and quiet for a few minutes and actually take a little breather!! Most couples have an “omg we actually did it!” moment and it is a pretty special few minutes!!
My preference with how you do it is a confetti walk. Which is when all your guests make two lines, facing in, generally down a path and the couple walk down the middle whilst everyone throws it. I am walking backwards taking 5000 pictures getting confetti in my hair and grinning like you have never seen me grin before!! You can also do it where all your guests make a semi circle around you and on the count of 3 everyone throws! The latter tends to be much quicker, thus meaning not as many photos, but still lovely all the same.
It is always best to rope in a helpful member of the wedding party who has a loud voice and likes to organise people to help with this part. I am a one man band and although I have a very loud voice, I don’t like to frighten your guests upon only just meeting me so I fully embrace the help of someone with an equally bellowing voice!!
What type and how much do we get?
I always always say ‘get more than you think you need!’ as two handfuls are way more effective than one. Also if there is any left over kids love throwing it at each other or we can just have a fun 5 minutes later on in the day with it! I always suggest the bigger petals or circular paper confetti over the small bits as it shows up much more in photos, especially on a bright day. With the paper confetti you can choose which colour you have which is always fun, too and it looks EPIC! Or you can go for ALL the colour like above!! Paper confetti shows up real good in photos and some people go for white which looks really classy in my opinion 👌🏻
I would also opt for a big basket of it that everyone can take handfuls of over having cones. For a few reasons - 1. It is much less work for you beforehand! 2. People can really load up the handfuls whereas guests tend to just take one cone of confetti and you can’t fit a huge amount in them. and 3. Less paper / waste!
Who hands it out?
It is best to delegate to one or two people before so it definitely gets handed out! There’s been a few weddings where no one has had this role and I have ended up doing it, which is all fine but it just means I then can’t get guests in the perfect spot! It is much easier to take the basket down the line, too. Or you can have a basket at the exit doors so as guests are leaving the ceremony they can grab a handful or two! Kids quite like this role, too!
Alternative suggestions
If you venue doesn’t allow confetti to be thrown or if you are just not feeling it then bubble guns are fun (much more effective to get the battery operated ones rather than everyone blowing them!) ribbon waving or even a sparkler tunnel in the evening! The list is endless and the choice is totally up to you.
Confetti canons!
If you just can’t get enough of confetti then why not have a confetti canon or 4 go off during your first dance?! It is SO much fun and gets everyone super hyped! Really good idea if you (like me) absolutely cannot with everyone looking at you. This gives everyone another focus and definitely takes the pressure off!
HAVE FUN!
My main nugget of advice is to just have a total blast! It can be slightly overwhelming having a gazillion tiny bits of paper or flowers thrown at you as you walk on by but it is honestly just so so fun! Keep your heads up, take it slow and if you want to stop for a kiss half way then by all means go for it!!
If you are planning your wedding day then I would love to photograph it in a natural and honest way. I’d love to hear from you, please get in touch here!
Ciao!
Charlotte x