The history of confetti really dates back to the middle ages. In more recent times circa 1875, the first paper confetti was manufactured in Italy. It took the form of small paper discs, not unlike the kind of confetti we use today. It didn’t take long for this type of confetti to catch on elsewhere throughout Europe when it was first used at a wedding in 1895. That same year, the word even made it into the Oxford English Dictionary!

Throwing confetti is designed to be lightweight, so that it ‘flutters’ as it falls through the air and doesn’t hurt when it lands on your head. Paper confetti is the traditional kind. It’s made from coloured tissue paper, and cut into shapes such as hearts, stars, squares or circles.

Nowadays, many modern wedding venues, including churches and hotels, don’t allow confetti. There are a few different reasons for this. Firstly, confetti thrown indoors creates a huge clean-up problem. Confetti pieces are tiny, and notorious for sticking to floors and tables, making them difficult to vacuum or sweep up. Plastic and metallic confetti can also leech out dye when wet, staining wooden surfaces.
If thrown outdoors, traditional paper and plastic confetti is unfortunately not environmentally friendly. It can be eaten by wildlife, such as birds, causing stomach impactions. Not only that, but plastic confetti isn’t biodegradable. It sits on the ground until rain washes it away into rivers and ponds, causing pollution. Though paper confetti eventually rots away, it can take a long time, leaving an unsightly mess in the meantime.
Some venues will allow eco-friendly confetti, such as dried petals or rice paper, to be scattered outside. But many venues have placed a blanket ban on confetti of any kind. Fortunately, if this is the case for your venue, there are plenty of alternatives. Best advice is to check with the venue in advance.