Why does rice get thrown at weddings

The addition of a diamond was made popular by Sicilians who believed the stone was forged by the fires of love. Why the fourth finger on the left hand? The placement of the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand stems from Ancient Greece. The wedding ring has graced the fingers of lovers across cultures, varying in design and ritual but remaining a fundamental symbol of a union.

Eating the top tier on your one year anniversary? Because Emily Post said so. Tossing rice at the end of the ceremony is meant to symbolize rain, which is said to be a sign of prosperity, fertility and good fortune. More recently, wedding meddlers have cautioned against throwing rice because it was rumored to harm unsuspecting birds who swoop down and eat it once the crowd has left.

This has been proven false. While grain presents no imminent danger to birds, it is more common to see different items in the sendoff such as bubbles or sparklers. Being showered with love and well wishes after the ceremony is a fantastic lead-in to the reception! This tradition originated in England and France. The garter toss is one way to rally all of the gentlemen to the dance floor. In olden times, marriage meant expansion, from building a family to increasing one's assets.

Rice most likely chosen for its availability and low cost symbolized both fertility and prosperity, and tossing it at couples implied best wishes and good luck-for newborns, good harvests, and everything in between.

Alternatives included wheat the Roman tradition and oats, but regardless, the message was clear: Seeds and crops are things that grow. Nowadays, the tradition takes many forms, from candy and sugared nuts in Italy for sweetness in marriage to figs and raisins in Morocco for fruitfulness. Right here in America, things have also changed. With creative couples and a plethora of themed weddings, newlyweds have the flexibility to offer guests something less messy, slippery, and hazardous no bride wants to take a grain to the eye than rice.

Dried lavender, rose petals, wildflower petals, potpourri, dried olive leaves are fragrant and earthy, giving wedding exits a fairytale look. This option might be more expensive unless you have a herb and flower garden in your backyard to harvest from.

Try visiting your nearest local florist that grows in-season, native flowers, to avoid the energy used up in shipping and delivering. Be mindful of potential allergies your guests might have to fragrances. Image source: Megan Alcock Photography. Far better for the environment than the micro-plastic filled alternative, biodegradable confetti such as heart-shaped seed confetti flutters down on you and your partner and looks great on wedding tables at your reception.

It comes in packets of pieces and is available in a variety of colors, including pink, mustard yellow, teal, aqua, emerald green, tangerine, and more. When planted in soil, the hearts grow wildflowers which will create a habitat for important pollinators. Image Source: theknot.

Paper airplanes are playful and evocative of our childhood, imagination, travel, and simplicity. This option potentially holds a deeper meaning, especially if you and your partner met while traveling abroad or had a long-distance relationship for a year or two. Source your paper from your recycling bin or opt for biodegradable seed paper to be as eco-friendly as possible.

Having your guests blow bubbles is a beautiful option that will easily enhance your wedding exit photos. Just be sure to make an eco-friendly non-toxic bubble mix.

Image Source: weareallstardust. Throwing rice at the bride and groom was thought to bring fertility, wealth and good luck to the newlyweds. Other cultures threw different types of crops at the married couple, such as oats, wheat and corn.

These are all crops that grow, but rice was the tradition that was the most popular.