Get Permission First!
First of all before you rush out and buy boxes of confetti, make sure your venue is happy for you to do the confetti throw and if they are, do they have any preferences on the type of confetti you’d be using.
Some venues aren’t too happy about the cleanup and even if they are happy for you to do it, most will insist on biodegradable confetti only… Which does make a lot of sense!
If your venue doesn’t like the idea of confetti, then you could consider an alternative like bubbles etc…
What Confetti Looks Best In Wedding Photos?
Typically the larger and more colorful the confetti is the better. Larger confetti will float around longer and show up more in photos. Although some people prefer the look of smaller confetti, so if you prefer that look, then go for it… You might just need a little more of it though!
Colorful confetti will be more visible and won’t get lost in front of a white dress in the photos. But again this is personal preference, some people prefer the look of plain white confetti in their wedding photos.
In terms of confetti type, the 2 you’d typically choose from would be dried leaf confetti or tissue paper confetti. We always carry a few bags of tissue paper confetti with us to weddings, because its affordable and is a little more “floaty”, making it a tad easier to work with. Dried leaves can give an amazing, more natural look too though!
You also get different shapes of confetti. Tissue paper confetti is typically round or heart shaped for weddings. Dried leaf can also be cut into shapes, but will typically be a more organic natural shape.
How Much Confetti Do I Need?
Typically you will want at least 1 large handful per guest… is the typical answer you will hear. But how much actually is that?
Typically I’d say around 1l of confetti per 10 guests. This is around 50g of tissue paper confetti with dried leaf being closer to 100 grams. So for 100 guests, you probably want around 500g of tissue paper or 10l.
The real answer though is the more the merrier! The last thing you want is to not have enough and in the grand scheme of things the confetti will be one of the cheapest purchases for your wedding day and will make for a big impact in the photos!
Confetti Cannons?
These are cool and certainly make a scene!. They can get expensive though, so perhaps handing them out to a few guests at the end of the confetti tunnel for a grand finale would be a good idea.
Confetti cannons are something you may need to buy yourself too as your photographer might not be able to provide them due to insurance concerns… they are technically small explosives!
Tips For Your Confetti Throw
- Make sure everyone has enough confetti!
- Try and look anywhere but the floor. Look at each other, look forward and enjoy the moment!
- The confetti won’t hurt you! (unless its a cannon to the face), so don’t screw up your face.
- Don’t walk too fast, us photographers need to be backing up as you walk towards us and we want to get as many shots as possible without tripping over ourselves!
- Make sure the guests throw the confetti up and over you, not at you. This lets it float down and looks better in the pictures.
When Is The Best Time For The Confetti Photo?
I usually organize the confetti throw for straight after the ceremony… before everyone gets drunk and right before the group shots, because it gives us something fun to do before everyone has to pose for a shot. It also makes for a nice celebration for after your ceremony.
You could however also have a confetti throw during the first dance.
Any Concerns
I did say the more color the better… however, one thing to consider is if it is wet outside, then there is a chance of the confetti staining your dress. So if it’s raining outside, then it’s probably advisable to do the confetti throw inside instead.
I think it goes without saying that confetti cannons should be aimed above the couple and not into their faces. It’s probably advisable to leave the cannons to the adults too (the ones that arent drunk yet!).
Alternatives To Confetti
What if your venue doesn’t allow confetti? Or what if you just fancy something a bit different, then there are other options available such as:
- Bubbles
- Paper Aeroplanes
- Fresh leaves
- Smoke flares
- Dried Lavender
- Ribbon Wands
Do I Provide Confetti?
If you have booked me as your wedding photographer (thanks btw!), then yes I can provide confetti. I have a selection of biodegradable tissue paper confetti that I always bring to weddings just in case. But if you have something more specific in mind, then just give me a shout.
I do charge a small fee for this, just to cover my costs. So just let me know how many guests you have and we can sort it out. Feel free to bring your own though.