Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

We Don't Want Bubbles and Can't Do Rice...help???

We're trying to figure out what we can do after the ceremony in lieu of bubbles or rice for pictures.  We don't want bubbles and the church won't allow us to do rice.  While rose petals would be pretty...they're expensive and not exactly heavy enough to actually go anywhere when they're tossed.

My mom thought of a balloon release, but FI thought it was cheesy.  Any other ideas of what would be cute and look good on pictures, too??  We want something creative but nice, too.  Help!
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Re: We Don't Want Bubbles and Can't Do Rice...help???

  • There isn't really a list of things the church won't allow.  The rice is more of the - it can kill birds - outlook.  And the women at the church that would be cleaning it up are pretty old.


    Little bells are a cute idea...same with the biodegradable confetti.


    I just thought of something like a streamer or something like that?  I don't know.

    Anniversary
  • how about those cracker things that you pull the string and a little bit of confetti shoots out? 
    You could get silly and give everyone those noise makers that unfurl when you blow into them...or kazoos :)
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  • Will they allow birdseed? 
  • How about wands with streamers on them?

  • Sausages.

    Really, I'd just have the guests clap and cheer.  It's free, easy, and not lame.  Good luck.

    Oh, and I work at a church, and we don't allow stuff "thrown".  Someone has to clean it all up after the wedding-rice, confetti, streamers, ticker tape all needs to be cleaned up.  Bird seed attracts way too many birds who do leave their mark everywhere.  Bird seed is also a slipping hazard.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
  • I went to a wedding a couple weeks ago where they made little flags for people to wave. They printed things on them like "hooray!" and "yay!"

    It was delightful.
  • Birdseed is slippery to walk on too.  Please don't do butterflies - they fly off and die because they are out of their native environment.  Applause is always appropriate.
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  • I know there are those who disagree, but I think ribbon wands and little flags are goofy.  The preschool girls I teach would love a ribbon wand, but I'm hard pressed to imagine my DH, son, or SIL waving a stick with ribbons on the end, or little "Yay flags."
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_dont-want-bubbles-cant-ricehelp?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:08b2d0c1-c584-4dc8-8025-2970ccd5fb5aPost:6b205572-ad92-4306-8292-10f94904a909">Re: We Don't Want Bubbles and Can't Do Rice...help???</a>:
    [QUOTE]Birdseed is slippery to walk on too.  Please don't do butterflies - they fly off and die because they are out of their native environment.  <strong>Applause is always appropriate.
    </strong>Posted by LesPaul[/QUOTE]

    Lol. I thought this said "applesause" is always appropriate. Reading fail.

    Anyway, I like the idea of sparklers if your wedding is at night, and birdseed if its in the morning/afternoon. I really like bubbles though...
  • i'm torn on this same thing...

    do bubbles leave water stains on dresses?  i am so scared of that.
  • dolan:  when my DD was married, we went to our dry cleaner (who is amazing!) and asked her about bubbles staining dresses.  She grinned and said they had just picked up the bubbles for her DD's wedding.  I figured if the professional wasn't worried about bubbles, it was fine.  There were no stains on DD's dress.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
  • How about Butterflies..You can release them in between your ceremony (if outdoors) or after your ceremony
  • Thank you so much for all of the ideas!!!  I love the sparklers idea (my best friend used that at her wedding) but we're getting married in the afternoon and this is something I want to do between the ceremony and the reception.  I think we'll probably do the confetti poppers.

    Thanks everyone!!
    Anniversary
  • Bells are fun! The guest can ring the bells in celebration as you and your new husband walk through!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_dont-want-bubbles-cant-ricehelp?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:36Discussion:08b2d0c1-c584-4dc8-8025-2970ccd5fb5aPost:2951c1de-f2bd-4678-89ed-933e09db6bfc">Re: We Don't Want Bubbles and Can't Do Rice...help???</a>:
    [QUOTE]How about Butterflies..You can release them in between your ceremony (if outdoors) or after your ceremony
    Posted by celinexc[/QUOTE]


    Please don't do this.  This is just an awful idea.  If you do some research, you'll find a million reasons why this is a bad, bad idea.  And I agree with them all.  But my overriding objection is that living things should not be props for anyone's wedding.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
  • I posted in the DIY boards a while ago, and had some reasonable objections to it, but I'm using origami lucky stars. They are easy to fold, and my FSIL and I are making them in my wedding colors. Afterward, we are enlisting the flower girl and ring bearer to pick them up and they can keep them if they wannt. It is a bit tediuos and it is somewhat time-consuming, but if you have the time, they aren't hard to make and I think the colors will look great in pictures. Whatever you decide, I hope you find something you love, and have a wonderful wedding day!
  • NukkeNukke member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    Rice doesn't kill birds.  If it did, I'd have a mountain of dead birds in the rice fields beside my house.  I'm so tired of the persistence of this old wives tale.

    Have you considered asking your church why they don't allow rice?  If it's just clean up, then that's one thing, but if they are afraid of hurting the birds, please inform them that birds love rice, and it does them absolutely no harm.
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  • Thanks for all of the replies, Ladies.  We've actually decided to go with Lavendar buds.  It's cheap, biodegradable, and smells lovely.  :)
    Anniversary
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