The Best Flowers for Wedding Confetti

Natural flower confetti creates a beautiful, eco-friendly alternative to paper or synthetic options for your wedding celebration. Here's everything you need to know about choosing the perfect petals for your special day.

Why Choose Flower Confetti?

Flower petals are biodegradable, photograph beautifully, and add a romantic fragrance to your ceremony. They're also widely accepted by venues that ban traditional confetti, and they naturally decompose without harming the environment.

Top Flowers for Wedding Confetti

Roses are the classic choice for wedding confetti. Their petals are sturdy enough to withstand handling, come in every color imaginable, and have a lovely fragrance. Red and pink roses are traditional, but whites, creams, and even coral tones photograph beautifully. The petals hold their shape well and create a dramatic effect when tossed.

Peonies offer large, delicate petals that flutter gracefully through the air. Available in white, pink, and coral shades, peony petals are soft and romantic. However, they're only available seasonally (late spring to early summer) and can be more expensive than other options.

Delphiniums provide stunning blue and purple tones that are hard to find in other flowers. These petals are small and lightweight, creating a gentle shower effect. They're perfect if you want to incorporate something blue into your wedding traditions.

Lavender brings wonderful fragrance along with its pretty purple buds. While technically you're tossing the flower buds rather than petals, lavender is lightweight, aromatic, and dries beautifully. It's also one of the most affordable options and can be dried in advance.

Hydrangeas offer abundant petals in shades of blue, pink, white, and purple. Each bloom provides many small petals, making them economical. The petals are delicate and create a soft, romantic cascade.

Cornflowers give you vibrant blue petals that contrast beautifully with traditional wedding colors. They're relatively inexpensive and their small, delicate petals create a lovely visual effect.

Practical Considerations

Timing matters greatly. Fresh petals look and smell best but should be prepared no more than 24 hours before your ceremony. Dried petals can be prepared weeks in advance and are lighter, making them flutter more dramatically when thrown.

Color coordination should complement your wedding palette. Consider how the petals will look against your dress, the bridesmaids' gowns, and the venue. Mix complementary colors for visual interest, or stick to a monochromatic scheme for elegance.

Quantity calculations typically require about one handful (roughly one cup) per guest. For 100 guests, plan for approximately 25-30 full rose heads or equivalent in other flowers.

Venue approval is essential. Always check with your venue about their confetti policy. Most outdoor venues welcome flower petals, while indoor venues may have restrictions. Churches often prefer confetti to be thrown outside only.

Preparing Your Flower Confetti

To prepare fresh petals, gently separate them from the flower heads 12-24 hours before the wedding. Store them in a cool place in paper bags or boxes (never plastic, which causes them to sweat and brown). For the best photos, keep petals in shade until just before use.

For dried petals, prepare them 1-2 weeks ahead by spreading fresh petals in a single layer on newspaper in a warm, dry place. Turn them daily until completely dry. Dried petals are lighter and often more practical for creating that picture-perfect confetti moment.

Budget-Friendly Tips

Buy flowers in season to get the best prices. Roses and carnations are available year-round at reasonable costs. Consider using petals from your ceremony flowers after the service ends, maximizing your floral budget. Lavender bought in bulk from herb suppliers is significantly cheaper than purchasing from florists.

The Perfect Confetti Moment

For the best photographs and experience, provide baskets or small bags of petals at your ceremony exit. Brief your guests beforehand to throw petals high and forward (not directly at the couple). Choose a location with good natural light and an uncluttered background for stunning photos.

The moment when petals rain down as you walk hand-in-hand as newlyweds creates one of the most joyful, romantic images of your wedding day. With the right flowers and preparation, your confetti moment will be picture-perfect.