Saturday, September 6, 2008

Wedding Rice

Nothing is more nostalgic when thinking of weddings than to think of throwing rice as the couple leaves the church. This long time tradition started as a blessing of fertility and prosperity for the couple. Somewhere along the line an urban legend started that throwing rice was not environmentally friendly and people started throwing birdseed, flower petals, or blowing bubbles. Flower petals are beautiful but expensive, bubbles are also pretty but they just float away they don't have the same effect, and birdseed just doesn't have the same feel.

Now that rice is acceptable again I was excited to participate in a long standing tradition but our church will not allow rice or seeds to be thrown. Most likely this rule is in place so that rice isn't left all over the entry way to the church that people could slip on. One option we had been looking into was the designer rice in heart shapes that easily disolves when wet and is flat so it won't roll when walked on. However we still would have to clear this with the church.

Recently I came across a solution that I think will solve the rice issue: lavender. Lavender is the exact same shape as rice and has the same effect when thrown. Lavender would easily blow away in the wind, is a plant so environmentally friendly, and is slip proof since it crushes when stepped on. Additionally lavender is wonderfully fragrant so as it is being tossed into the air and when crushed under people's feet will release its wonderful aroma around everyone. Lastly the icing on the cake is that lavender is purple and fits perfectly into our color scheme.

You can buy lavender wedding rice but I am hoping to try to find bulk lavender somewhere to dry for the wedding toss and also maybe for extra details in other places.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

after that whenever we smell lavender we will remember the joy we felt skipping out of the church!