Wedding Traditions - Throwing Rice and 13 Other Great Things to Throw

As more personalized wedding planning continues, the ideas for sending the couple off and what you toss at them will represent the "Good Luck". Let's explore some options for modern wedding exists for couples.

Environmentally friendly as some items will become apart of the ground or feed wildlife, or never touch the ground; making cleanup unnecessary. Most couples and churches prefer this method.

What to do when a church disallows tossing anything due to liability or mess: Seek out alternatives, discuss those options with the church and finalize on a choice compatible for you, your church and guests.

1. Butterflies Try a live butterfly release, nothing left behind on the ground and giving back to the environment by increasing the monarch butterfly population.

2. New products that just dissolve. Ecofetti in the place of paper confetti is a wonderful, light snowy option. It is even available in varying colors, so coordinate it with your wedding colors.

3. Rice as tradition can still be used safely, you just need to arrange for cleanup following the traditional rice throwing exit and ensure your guests step carefully after it coats the ground.

4. Rose petals smell so lovely and can compliment your bridal bouquet. I think it represents a more romantic exit and will become a part of the environment naturally. Your guests may pick some up to dry and save.

5. Bird seed, I like white millet seed, it resembles rice and will feed the wildlife and create a natural clean up.

6. Lavender buds are my favorite option. I love the subtle scent and same as with the rose petals, it will become part of the environment naturally.

7. Bubbles are fun, no clean up and dissolve into thin air. It is easy and reasonable to supply all your guests with a bottle if you want to. As recommended by other wedding professionals, keep them out of reach of the children while inside the church, they prefer bubble free inside.

8. Herbs. Another lovely scent. You can try other herbs like Rosemary or mint leaves. Would be free if they are from your garden or someone you know that will give them to you for your special event. Can't beat free!

9. One of my paper favorites are the mini love notes. I had to create some for my Etsy store today. It is named BridalandBabyFavors. This is a cute and inexpensive idea. You can use it as your alternative to a traditional guest book too. Ensure someone or a few people are designated to pick them up after the departure and place them all in a clear container as your keepsake. I designed mine with the idea of rolling them up in mind to make them easy to "toss" over the couple's heads.

10. Paper airplanes are a new and phone alternative. I can just think of as the picture shows, Ensure guests will fly them over your heads and not aim for your heads. My parents always felt a plane flying over them is considered good luck, so I truly believe in this style. You can have guests write on the airplanes too like the do on the love notes.

11. Smokeless Sparklers are an evening sending off and truly light up the night and the couple's exit becomes very grand!

Special venues will dictate your choice in throws.

Outdoors, it is the environmentally friendly items that will become part of the earth naturally or take flight in wildlife.

Although paper is recyclable, you can't leave paper planes covering the ground. Unless maybe you make them out of recycled paper pulp with flower seeds in them. Someone would have to spray them all down with water to dissolve them right into the earth afterwards.

12. Balloons are a dreamy romantic release for outside, but it is not environmentally friendly.

13. Wands with ribbons or other decoration on the end of a stick is another environmentally safe and clean alternative, Reuse them for other celebrations and events or parties or donate them to your church to reuse at other weddings!

14. Why not grass seeds or flower seeds? The ultimate in "Green Wedding". You can decide based on the area and what is acceptable according to the venue policies or if you are at a home location.