INSPIRATION: SHOWERED WITH LOVE AND…

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When it comes to that grand exit, will you join the masses who have random items chucked at them while running by? Your first reaction is probably — say what? Kinda sounds funny, right? But yet if you think about it, that’s what our tradition of throwing rice/birdseed/blowing bubbles/etc. while the newly married couple runs by is really doing! It’s so funny what our traditions are and where they’ve come from…

This particular tradition was investigated by Ask Yahoo, and it was very interesting what they discovered… check out the link at http://ask.yahoo.com/20030626.html, but here are the highlights that I found interesting… Apparently, throwing things at the newly married couple is a way to wish good luck — fertility, prosperity, strong crops, etc.  The column highlights different items thrown in different countries & cultures:  in Korea, the groom’s father tosses red dates at his new daughter-in-law for fertility (I found that most interesting and have a mental image of my own father-in-law having done this); in some European countries, eggs represent new life and are thrown at the couple; they report that an old Irish tradition involves chucking pots & pans at the new couple to represent their new domestic life…now if someone threw a nice Le Creuset set at me, I might become a little disgruntled…

Regardless the origin, the question is how to work this tradition into your ceremony.  The urban myth of rice causing the untimely demise to birds has reportedly been debunked by ornithologists. Whether you trust that or not, your reception venue may say no rice or birdseed, or other small items that can be slipped on on dance floors, or perhaps just cause a mess.  Clean up one mess of scattered birdseed, and you’ll probably agree that it can be a tremendous pain. (Case in point: my parents booby-trapped our house for the return from our honeymoon. Little did they know we’d take on the whole drive from Canada in one day, and arrived home at 3 AM. Imagine our surprise, walking in the door to our tiny house, and being showered with birdseed! We were vacuuming that up for WEEKS!)

So Melissa asked on our Facebook page for some fun ideas, and I’ve been researching some fun ones! Her reception facility doesn’t allow throwing of rice/birdseed/etc. so she wanted some other things to do. Just in case your reception facility is item-chucking friendly, we’ve included some ideas and tips for you as well…

Now here’s one interesting product:  For an eco-friendly option, check out this product for sale online:  http://www.beau-coup.com/wedding-toss-confetti.htm

The traditional ideas:  Rice of course (while it’s still a hotly debated topic, ornithologists have weighed in that this is a MYTH. In fact, some birds are considered pests in rice fields for how much they DO eat!); Birdseed is of course the option that has replaced rice…

One tip about bird seed:  If your guests have hazardous contact allergies (such as nuts), READ BIRDSEED LABELS CAREFULLY! Some bird seeds contain nuts, traces of nuts, or nut oils.  The last thing you want is to have a reaction triggered by celebrating your exit!

The honorable exit:  The photo at the top of this blog says it best:  If your new hubby or you are a military member (and thank you by the way if you are!), then of course you’re considering this honor at your wedding. What a beautiful and tear-jerking moment!

Bubbles:  I think every wedding company out there offers their own take on bubbles. While they may be fairly conventional by now, they do make little mess, won’t harm your dress TOO much (as long as you don’t spill an entire vial on it), and also make for a great way to entertain the kiddos in the meantime. (My youngest is always entertained at weddings by bubbles, and we as parents thank the couple for that entertainment!) One fun idea:  Research quotes either that represent love, or perhaps by your favorite poet, writer, or time period, print one line on little tags, and tie to your bubbles with a hole punched in the paper and some simple ribbon. Find something that represents you two together or individually. Beatles fans? Find some great lines from your favorite songs…a fan of a classic author like Jane Austen? Quotes abound online! Or perhaps are you oriented toward social matters and find the works of Voltaire more your speed, or love skateboarding or love to cook…  Whatever your taste, make your day all about you both and your life together as a couple!

A garden theme:  Check with your reception facility and consider tossing a flower seed or a plant product such as lavender. a beautiful scene, and a gorgeous scent to go along with it! BE SURE to ask though — the facility may not appreciate the abundance of little plants that crop up next year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biodegradable Wedding Poppers; www.icestandard.org

Poppers:  Here’s a fun idea — Find poppers much like those used to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Here’s one product found online: http://www.buysparklers.com Downside — they’ll create a confetti mess, so your facility may put the kabosh on them. The loud pop may scare babies & little kiddos. Upside — what a fun way to celebrate your new marriage — with a BANG! (Yes, I had to say that.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.empiresupplies.com

Sparklers:  The same website (www.buysparklers.com) also offers sparklers in straight and fun shapes like hearts! These make for fabulous photo ops — especially when you’re making your grand exit at night!  Be careful as sparklers are of course a hazard with kiddos and fabric.  Be sure every kiddo that has a sparkler is being monitored and that your exit path is wide enough that you won’t risk brushing too close to the business end of that sparkler!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.austinweddingblog.com

Ribbon wands:  These can be handmade months ahead of time, probably while you just sit and watch some TV with your honey… Here’s a website with a DIY set of instructions:  http://ruffledblog.com/diy-ribbon-wands-wedding-sendoff/ Products also are available online where you can buy ribbon wands pre-made. This exit option may be a little pricier than bubbles or rice, but I think you can work smart if you work early:  shop the sales! Perhaps you can work with a color such as white, red, green, blue or silver…post-holiday sales at craft stores often times involve ribbon. Keep your eye on those sale flyers year-round! Ask your florist about their ribbon resource. Many buy ribbon from a wholesale supplier, sometimes even the same supplier they buy their flowers from. Ask if you can order some rolls of ribbon through their shop — you might end up saving yourself some $$! For the dowels, ask your local lumber store if there are dowels that are either flawed or spares that they want to get rid of for a bargain. If a rounded dowel isn’t too important to you, consider blocks of wood cut to thin rectangles (something that your guests can hold on to easily).  You can either drill a hole through the wood for the ribbon, or you can find eye hooks or a push pin to attach the ribbons at the top of the wood.  Buy a few pieces of lumber and have your favorite handyman cut them to size, or ask a local carpenter for his unusable scraps. (Do a little sanding to get rid of splinters, and consider spray painting the wood for a matching look!) You’ll be amazed the number of deals you can find when you muster up some courage and ask!

A Musical Exit:  So…throwing things are out of the realm of possibilities, sparklers and poppers scare you, and ribbon wands are just not your thing? How about orchestrating your own special exit? Involve your guests and/or your wedding party and put on a show as you leave! Here are a few ideas…

Hopscotch! Seriously, who didn’t do hopscotch at some point as a kid? Draw a big blank hopscotch template on the cement somewhere outside your facility, and have your guests add their signature or wishes of good luck (what a photo op!).  Be sure to leave enough space wherever you draw it to let your guests see as you each hopscotch your way across their wishes and into your new life! And who still doesn’t want to have that fun return to childhood?!

Dance out the Door:  Who remembers the scene in Dirty Dancing where there are two lines and people dance down the middle? Yup, you know what I’m talking about then.  If you have a fun-loving group and want to make a light-hearted exit, consider the chicken dance and dancing your way down the line along with your wedding party and guests.  Or in a reverse take on the viral internet clip of the wedding party that dances to Chris Brown’s “Forever” down the aisle…take it out the door!  Play the song and make your fun dance with your wedding party that takes you down the line and onto your honeymoon in style… Are you great at Latin dancing? Or perhaps country line dancing? What better way to boot-scoot into your new future than a line dance or tango? It might take a little orchestrating and organizing beforehand, but what fun for your guests — and what a way to exit and end the night! It will be something your guests will talk about for a LONG time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image by Joanna Wilson Photography; www.community.theknot.com

Tandem bike:  My  husband and I had the BEST couple in our wedding as Maid of Honor & Best Man. When we were in their wedding a few weeks later, they hopped aboard a tandem bike and rode it through the lines of people…what fun and we’ll always remember that!  If you’ve got a motorcycle, hop aboard and ride through the line as you exit… If you’re a fun-loving group, consider something funny like mini cars, Hot Wheels (watch the dress!), roller blades or scooters… what fun!

 

I hope these ideas help get your creative juices flowing! Have an idea that we’ve missed? Please share! Email brides@wyomingweddingsonline.com or post on our Facebook page or Twitter (@wyoweddings) and we’ll add it to this blog!

‘Til Next Time…Keep Those Creative Juices Flowing!

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com

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