What Happened to Throwing Rice at Weddings? How the Wedding Rice Toss is Changing at Modern Weddings

It's one of those old-fashioned images we all remember from childhood: a newly married couple rush down the steps of the church to their car while their friends and family shower them with wedding rice. The idea of throwing rice at weddings may still be in our popular consciousness, but if you've attended any weddings in the past 20 years chances are you've seen few, if any, actual examples of wedding rice in practice. Although people have been tossing rice at weddings for thousands of years, its use at the contemporary wedding is in decline. Fortunately there are a couple of eco-friendly wedding rice alternatives for all you modern brides that's bringing back this traditional image in a unique way.

History and the Decline of the Wedding Rice Toss

But before we discuss alternatives we're left with the questions, "Where did the wedding rice toss come from, and where did it go?" Weddings are nothing if not an outlet for traditions, and throwing rice is one of the oldest that's still practiced today. Tossing rice at weddings owes its origins to the ancient Celts, for whom it was a symbol of growth and fertility. This special symbolism, possibly combined with the fact that it's simply fun to throw confetti and it looks beautiful airborne, has made throwing rice a ubiquitous part of weddings in western culture for most of its history.

Two developments have changed that in recent decades. First is the popular misconception, sometimes attributed to Ann Landers, that the rice tossed at weddings gets eaten by birds, expands in their stomachs, and hurts or kills them. The good news for birds is this myth is completely untrue -- birds actually eat grains of rice in the wild to supplement their diets, with no ill effects. Unfortunately for the tradition, however, this myth continues to be widely circulated.

The second and most significant reason for the practice's decline is simply that many churches and venues prohibit it. Tossing all that rice at your wedding can make a huge mess, one that the venue is left to clean. There is also an issue with the shape of rice grains, which are usually round, as they can roll underneath shoe heels and create a slipping hazard, making rice an insurance liability that many churches are unwilling to accept.

Bubbles as a Wedding Rice Alternative

If you were contemplating a wedding rice toss at your ceremony, don't worry, because there are wedding rice alternatives you can try instead. If you were ever a kid you should already be familiar with our first suggestion, and that's blow bubbles. That's right, bubbles are an airy, almost dream-like wedding rice alternative that look spectacular and leave nothing to clean up. You can even find wedding bubbles that are packaged in bottles with shapes like hearts, doves, and bells to distribute to your guests. Imagine 30 or more of your friends and loved ones, all blowing bubbles simultaneously, and you can get a sense of just how grand this practice can look.

And if you're worried about that soapy water getting in your hair or on everyone's nice clothes, don't be. Most wedding bubbles are made from a solution that is non-toxic and non-staining, making them safe for kids and your dress. In fact, you can even place a few kids in charge of the bubble blowing on your big day. This is a great way to make children feel like an important part of your celebration, and we guarantee you won't find a more enthusiastic group of blowers.

Biodegradable Wedding Rice Alternatives

The second wedding rice alternative gives the tradition a real 21st century makeover. Ecofetti is a water soluble tossing confetti that's also fully biodegradable. Ecofetti can be thrown like wedding rice, only it's lighter and tends to stay airborne a little longer. It's described as being safe for the environment, does not present a slipping hazard, and once your wedding is over it can be hosed away in minutes or, according to the manufacturer, left to dissolve on its own within about 48 hours.

Ecofetti has the texture of finely cut paper, much like traditional confetti, but is also available in a variety of "rice cuts" that look and feel a little more like classic throwing rice. Ecofetti also comes in a wide variety of colors that can be mixed, matched, and combined -- it still comes in white, too.

Compressed Wedding Rice

But if these wedding rice alternatives just don't do it for you and you're still committed to the original tradition, there's a modern day option for you here as well. Designer wedding rice is available that uses a process to compress rice grains into a non-round shape, usually something like hearts. This compressed rice lies flat when it hits the ground and can be crushed under foot, minimizing the risk of falls. It also breaks down faster than regular rice grains and will gradually dissolve on its own. Like regular rice it's also safe for birds, so don't feel bad if the local wildlife does a little of the post-wedding cleaning for you.

Talk to Your Venue about Your Options

Many venues that prohibit wedding rice tosses are willing to make exceptions for these alternatives, so be sure to discuss your options with the administrators of yours. Chances are you'll find a way to make those indelible wedding images a part of your special day, and you'll be helping to revive a timeless tradition that's been around for almost long as there have been weddings.

About the Author:
Brian Cross regularly writes articles and guides related to do-it-yourself wedding planning for BridesVillage.com, a wedding accessories retailer. He is also a freelance writer, researcher, and content developer.

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Annapolis - Wedding or Disaster of the Year?

Best Man - President George Bush - and Matron of Honour - Condoleezza Rice - are becoming increasingly frustrated as the reluctant bride - Israel - and a very impatient groom - the Palestinian Authority - continue haggling over the substantial dowry the groom is demanding from the bride’s family before the wedding of the year can go ahead in Annapolis this month - or maybe next month.








Dr Rice says the bride and groom are going through “knotty discussions” which appear to be heading anywhere but tying the knot. Bridesmaid Tzipi Livni has publicly admitted there are “problems”.





This is certainly not a match made in heaven - rather a catch hatched in hell. The body language and forced smiles say it all. At the moment alarm bells - not wedding bells - are ringing.





President Bush and Condoleezza Rice are both suffering from work overload as potentially catastrophic events in Turkey and Pakistan rapidly unfold to put President Bush and Dr Rice under great stress. Annapolis is probably the last place they want to be thinking about at this moment.





These latest crises are an unwelcome intrusion into Dr Rice’s crowded appointment book as she ponders whether - and when - to send out the wedding invitations. Five years of fruitless diplomacy have stymied efforts by President Bush to get the bride and groom together to conceive the President’s godson - a new Arab State between Israel and Jordan.





The bride is not yet quite convinced and wants the fourteen years old engagement to continue. The groom wants the wedding now and has downgraded his expectations of having the baby within six months from then to a date no later than January 2009. Conception and birth within that ambitious time frame would be miraculous - even by the Holyland’s standards - given the groom’s sterile performance up till now.





Who to invite and what to talk about at the wedding has presented President Bush and Dr Rice with real headaches. How to get people to even come is an even greater challenge.





Bickering guests are the last thing one wants at Annapolis. Who will sit next to who might be tricky - but a creative events organiser like the State Department will probably come up with suitable table placements to make sure no one feels too uncomfortable.





The pecking order will be important too. Who sits - or stands - to the left and right of the President and Dr Rice- for even a cameo appearance - must be dominating lots of time behind State Department doors.





The timed arrivals of guests and the proceedings will also be watched closely by the myriad press corps assembled behind strategically located barriers. Media placement must also be of great concern to avoid any diplomatic crisis. Will al-Jazira get a better barrier position than CNN, ABC, the BBC or the XYZ?





Should there be a head table or not? Maybe protocol will best be served by having a round table which would symbolically reflect the ever increasing circles the President and Dr Rice have been running around in trying to get this wedding off the ground.





Last minute cancellations are bound to occur causing more grey hairs at the State Department. This is not a wedding to be organised by the faint hearted.





Most weddings suffer from too many speeches usually leaving the guests thoroughly bored. At Annapolis we are told the guests will listen to a joint speech written by the bride and groom which will be either very detailed on the core issues of their future relationship or downright boring and devoid of any material content - depending on which unidentified reliable source you are prepared to believe.





Whilst the bride and groom grapple with what they are going to say, the matchmaker - President Bush - should have no such problems. Indeed he wrote his speech years ago. Hopefully he will dig it up, dust it off and remind those who come to Annapolis of the following three pledges he made to the bride’s father Ariel Sharon on 14 April 2004 to persuade him that this union could even be a remote possibility:





1. The groom’s family have to give up the idea of living in Israel.





"It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the settling of Palestinian refugees there, rather than in Israel."





2. 450000 members of the bride’s family will not be booted out of their homes in the West Bank.





"In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli populations centers, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949, and all previous efforts to negotiate a two-state solution have reached the same conclusion. It is realistic to expect that any final status agreement will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes that reflect these realities."





3. The groom will not get every square metre of the West Bank as part of the dowry.





"As part of a final peace settlement, Israel must have secure and recognized borders, which should emerge from negotiations between the parties in accordance with UNSC Resolutions 242 and 338."





Come to think of it, Dr Rice should consider limiting her guests to those who are prepared to drink a toast in honour of these three pledges. Guests can tick three appropriately worded boxes placed next to the one requesting their dietary requirements on the return prepaid acceptance card - to ensure they don‘t get to the wedding under false pretences.





Otherwise the probability is that the bride will be left at the altar and no one will get to catch the bouquet.





Sadder still - diplomatic and security reasons will prevent the wedding customs of the bride and groom being celebrated at Annapolis. Jews break a glass at weddings to solemnly remind them - in their moment of extreme happiness - of the destruction of their two Temples in their capitol Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. Arabs choose to fire bullets indiscriminately in the air, sometimes wounding - and even killing - innocent wedding guests and bystanders.





Allowing the possibility of either to occur could turn this wedding into the disaster of the year - if it isn’t already before it has even been held.

David Singer is an Australian Lawyer, a Foundation Member of the International Analyst Network and Convenor of Jordan is Palestine International — an organization calling for sovereignty of the West Bank and Gaza to be allocated between Israel and Jordan as the two successor States to the Mandate for Palestine.

Previous articles written by him can be found at www.jordanispalestine.blogspot.com

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What Happened to Throwing Rice at Weddings? How the Wedding Rice Toss is Changing at Modern Weddings

It's one of those old-fashioned images we all remember from childhood: a newly married couple rush down the steps of the church to their car while their friends and family shower them with wedding rice. The idea of throwing rice at weddings may still be in our popular consciousness, but if you've attended any weddings in the past 20 years chances are you've seen few, if any, actual examples of wedding rice in practice. Although people have been tossing rice at weddings for thousands of years, its use at the contemporary wedding is in decline. Fortunately there are a couple of eco-friendly wedding rice alternatives for all you modern brides that's bringing back this traditional image in a unique way.

History and the Decline of the Wedding Rice Toss

Rice

But before we discuss alternatives we're left with the questions, "Where did the wedding rice toss come from, and where did it go?" Weddings are nothing if not an outlet for traditions, and throwing rice is one of the oldest that's still practiced today. Tossing rice at weddings owes its origins to the ancient Celts, for whom it was a symbol of growth and fertility. This special symbolism, possibly combined with the fact that it's simply fun to throw confetti and it looks beautiful airborne, has made throwing rice a ubiquitous part of weddings in western culture for most of its history.

Two developments have changed that in recent decades. First is the popular misconception, sometimes attributed to Ann Landers, that the rice tossed at weddings gets eaten by birds, expands in their stomachs, and hurts or kills them. The good news for birds is this myth is completely untrue -- birds actually eat grains of rice in the wild to supplement their diets, with no ill effects. Unfortunately for the tradition, however, this myth continues to be widely circulated.

The second and most significant reason for the practice's decline is simply that many churches and venues prohibit it. Tossing all that rice at your wedding can make a huge mess, one that the venue is left to clean. There is also an issue with the shape of rice grains, which are usually round, as they can roll underneath shoe heels and create a slipping hazard, making rice an insurance liability that many churches are unwilling to accept.

Bubbles as a Wedding Rice Alternative

If you were contemplating a wedding rice toss at your ceremony, don't worry, because there are wedding rice alternatives you can try instead. If you were ever a kid you should already be familiar with our first suggestion, and that's blow bubbles. That's right, bubbles are an airy, almost dream-like wedding rice alternative that look spectacular and leave nothing to clean up. You can even find wedding bubbles that are packaged in bottles with shapes like hearts, doves, and bells to distribute to your guests. Imagine 30 or more of your friends and loved ones, all blowing bubbles simultaneously, and you can get a sense of just how grand this practice can look.

And if you're worried about that soapy water getting in your hair or on everyone's nice clothes, don't be. Most wedding bubbles are made from a solution that is non-toxic and non-staining, making them safe for kids and your dress. In fact, you can even place a few kids in charge of the bubble blowing on your big day. This is a great way to make children feel like an important part of your celebration, and we guarantee you won't find a more enthusiastic group of blowers.

Biodegradable Wedding Rice Alternatives

The second wedding rice alternative gives the tradition a real 21st century makeover. Ecofetti is a water soluble tossing confetti that's also fully biodegradable. Ecofetti can be thrown like wedding rice, only it's lighter and tends to stay airborne a little longer. It's described as being safe for the environment, does not present a slipping hazard, and once your wedding is over it can be hosed away in minutes or, according to the manufacturer, left to dissolve on its own within about 48 hours.

Ecofetti has the texture of finely cut paper, much like traditional confetti, but is also available in a variety of "rice cuts" that look and feel a little more like classic throwing rice. Ecofetti also comes in a wide variety of colors that can be mixed, matched, and combined -- it still comes in white, too.

Compressed Wedding Rice

But if these wedding rice alternatives just don't do it for you and you're still committed to the original tradition, there's a modern day option for you here as well. Designer wedding rice is available that uses a process to compress rice grains into a non-round shape, usually something like hearts. This compressed rice lies flat when it hits the ground and can be crushed under foot, minimizing the risk of falls. It also breaks down faster than regular rice grains and will gradually dissolve on its own. Like regular rice it's also safe for birds, so don't feel bad if the local wildlife does a little of the post-wedding cleaning for you.

Talk to Your Venue about Your Options

Many venues that prohibit wedding rice tosses are willing to make exceptions for these alternatives, so be sure to discuss your options with the administrators of yours. Chances are you'll find a way to make those indelible wedding images a part of your special day, and you'll be helping to revive a timeless tradition that's been around for almost long as there have been weddings.

What Happened to Throwing Rice at Weddings? How the Wedding Rice Toss is Changing at Modern Weddings

About the Author:
Brian Cross regularly writes articles and guides related to do-it-yourself wedding planning for BridesVillage.com, a wedding accessories retailer. He is also a freelance writer, researcher, and content developer.

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Wedding Rice: The Dark Side

For many years it was a tradition to throw rice on the newlyweds as they left the church after the ceremony. Then the unthinkable: We discovered that in our enthusiasm to celebrate the joining of this couple we had unknowingly been killing our little feathered friends as surely as an Exxon oil-tanker with the third-mate at the helm. Well, not really.

The truth of the matter is that many people believe this to be true because it has been stated as truth by celebrity advice-givers such as Ann Landers and Martha Stewart. The public apparently has yet to learn that advice from celebrities isn't necessarily any more "expert" than advice from the crazy old lady who lives down the block and is absolutely certain she can tell whether the baby will be a boy or a girl by how the mother sits down. In fact, rice is harmless, and even nutritious for birds.

Over the years this urban legend has been debunked on a regular basis but for some reason it is the fiction which has stuck in the minds of Americans, perhaps due to its gruesome nature. These days you're more likely to see wedding bubbles, rose petals, confetti and with startling irony: birdseed, at weddings by a longshot. The formerly ubiquitous rice is nowhere to be found. Yes, with the advent of birdseed we've actually gotten to the point where it is more important to make sure the birds are well-fed than whether or not the bride has to spend three hours getting birdseed out of her hair.

Ironically, it actually is bad idea to throw rice at a wedding. It's just that the reason has absolutely nothing to do with birds. Grains of rice are tiny, hard and tubular, and when they're carpeting the ground they make a pretty good mobile surface to roll-around on. Great if you want to roll-around. Bad if you're not expecting to. Many some severe injuries have wedding rice to blame.

So it's not such a bad thing that this tradition seems to be over, but now you know the truth. Spread the word and please, please suggest your engaged friends and relatives leave the birdseed at home.

Alex is a consultant for online gift shop, Gifts and Otherwise. The family owned store offers cheap wedding favors and all sorts of other wedding stuff as well as personalized gifts for men and women. Alex is recently married, but no kids on the way just yet!

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Wedding Day Tips For Alternatives to Throwing Rice

It has been found that showering the newly married couple with rice, as part of a wedding tradition is no longer the best selection for several reasons. It has been reported that rice being showered on the couple often remains on the ground causing many birds to be injured or even die because the birds could not digest the rice correctly. Rice is a very hard grain that is difficult to dissolve and as a result it remains on the ground long after the celebration day is over. This can cause potential hazards to people who may slip on rice while enjoying the wedding celebration or after the celebration when the area is not adequately cleaned up. The hard rice has also been found to be a rather forceful substance that can find its way into the eyes or even ears of the guests or the bride and groom. Here are some alternatives to showering or throwing rice on the newly married couple.

Birdseed
Birdseed can be used to shower the bride and groom. Throwing birdseed is an effective alternative to throwing rice. The couple is still able to be showered with the birdseed, it can be handed out to guests in much the same manner as the rice would be, and it can be safely eaten by birds. There would still remain a concern that the birdseed could cause a guest to slip or fall on the seeds that remain on the ground. Birdseed is also found to be rather forceful when thrown at the bride and groom; so it should be tossed or showered rather than directly thrown at the couple or other guests.

Bubbles
Bubbles are another alternative to using birdseed or rice to shower the newly married bride and groom. The little bottles of bubbles are budget friendly and can be a decoration with ribbons that display the names of the bride and groom. The bubbles make a beautiful exit for the couple as they climb into their awaiting vehicle and head off to the reception. The bubbles generally melt before they affect any garments but they may tend to be messy for those wearing very elegant gowns. The floor or ground may also become slippery if there are spills from the small bottles.

Wedding Confetti
The newest environmentally friendly alternatives to throwing rice for the bride and groom are called eco-fetti and wedding confetti. Using the eco-fetti and the wedding confetti requires no clean up and it is water-soluble and completely biodegradable. The wedding party that uses the eco-fetti will not have to be concerned with stained garments or guest slipping. Many eco-fetti colors are available to complement any wedding theme.

Rose Petals
Rose petals are a romantic eco-friendly alternative to throwing rice at the bride and groom. The rose petals used are freeze dried so that they look fresh and will not cause stains. Slipping and falls will not occur when you use rose petals instead of traditional rice. The petals are also naturally biodegradable and are not dangerous to birds. Rose petals give a wonderful romantic look outside during the wedding commencements.

Releasing Butterflies
Releasing butterflies as an alternative to throwing rice is so beautiful and romantic. It is also an eco-friendly solution that provides a beautiful memory for all in attendance. There may be a mass release of the butterflies where two or three dozen are released at one time. The box holding the butterflies can be decorated to match the wedding color theme. Often guests leave with a butterfly sitting on their shoulder. The looks on the guest's faces offer beautiful wedding photo shots as well.

Rice throwing alternatives such as the throwing eco-fetti, blowing bubbles, releasing butterflies, throwing bird seed, and tossing rose petals are becoming increasingly popular. Many people are selecting one of these alternatives as they are safer and cleaner; and they offer a harm free eco-friendly, beautiful celebration for family, friends, the venue and nature.

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