Create Your Own Wedding Confetti: A Simple Guide

Planning a wedding can be expensive, so why not save some pennies by making your own confetti? It's easy, fun, and eco-friendly! You can use dried flowers, leaves, or even glitter to create your own biodegradable confetti. In this paragraph, we will explore the different ways to make your own wedding confetti and offer some tips and tricks for a perfect, magical exit.

Dried flower petals

Choosing your petals

Roses, delphiniums, hydrangeas, and wildflowers are all popular choices for wedding confetti. You can also mix different petals together to create a bespoke blend. If you're looking for something fragrant, a combination of rose and lavender petals will fill the air with a sweet scent.

Drying your petals

There are several ways to dry petals for confetti:

• Air drying: Place petals on a tray lined with paper towels or kitchen roll in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap. Put them in a warm, dry place, such as an airing cupboard, and leave until completely dry.
• Sun drying: Pick petals from the stems and place them on a tray or dish in direct sunlight. This method is best for petals that are already starting to fall from the flowers.
• Oven drying: Preheat your oven to 95°C (or 150°F). Place the petals in a single layer on a baking tray lined with a reusable baking liner. Dry for around 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.
• Microwave drying: Place the petals in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate covered with paper towels. Microwave on high for 30-second increments until the petals are dry.

Storing your confetti

Once your petals are dry, store them in a sealed container in a cool, dark, dry place. Dried petals can last up to a year when stored properly, so you can make your confetti well in advance of your wedding.

Amount of confetti needed

The amount of confetti you'll need depends on the number of guests you expect to have. As a general rule, one litre of dried petals provides about five to six large handfuls. So, for example, for 60 guests, you'll need around 12 litres of confetti.

Presentation

You can present your confetti to guests in a pretty basket, bowl, or box. For a more personalised touch, you can use origami paper, small paper bags, or envelopes.

Natural dyes

One way to create natural dyes for your confetti is to use flowers and petals. Flowers like roses, hydrangeas, and delphiniums come in a variety of colours and can be dried to create a natural dye. For example, you can collect petals from cherry blossom flowers in April and May, dry them, and use them to create a lovely shade of pink confetti. Similarly, you can use dried rose petals to create a range of colours, from pale pink to hot pink or even orange. If you're looking for something blue or purple, dried hydrangea petals can give you a beautiful pale blue, while dried delphinium petals come in a range of purple shades.

Another option for natural dyes is to use leaves. Fresh leaves like olive, oak, or eucalyptus can create a beautiful confetti effect when tossed, or you can choose dried leaves like beech, ash, or maple for an autumn or winter wedding. To create smaller confetti pieces, you can use a hole punch on strong leaves like these.

When drying your own petals and leaves, there are a few methods you can use. One way is to lay them flat in a thin layer on a paper towel or toilet paper in an airing cupboard. Check them every two hours, and they should be dry in about 4-5 hours. Alternatively, you can use an oven on a low temperature (around 150 degrees fan) for 10 minutes, but this uses more energy.

By using natural dyes from flowers and leaves, you can create a beautiful, eco-friendly confetti that is kind to the planet and will add a unique touch to your wedding celebrations.

Leaf hole-punching

If you're looking for a fun, eco-friendly, and biodegradable way to make your own wedding confetti, look no further than your backyard! With some leaves and a hole punch, you can create beautiful and natural confetti that will add a unique touch to your special day. Here's a step-by-step guide to making leaf hole-punching confetti:

Choose the Right Leaves:

Select a variety of flat leaves in different colours and sizes. Flat leaves work best as they are easier to slide into the hole punch. Pick leaves that have already fallen on the ground, rather than plucking them from branches. This is not only better for the environment but also ensures that you have hardy leaves that are easier to work with.

Prepare Your Leaves:

Before you start punching, make sure your leaves are clean and dry. Fresh, "green" (non-dry) leaves are best for punching, as they are more flexible and sturdy. If your leaves are a bit tired, give them a fresh diagonal cut and place them in water for 4-12 hours to rehydrate. Keep them out of direct heat and sunlight during this process.

Get Punching:

Now for the fun part! Using your favourite shape of hole punch, start punching out confetti from your leaves. You can use different shapes like circles, hearts, stars, or rectangles to create a fun and unique mix. Punch about 15 times before emptying the hole punch, and continue until you have a good amount of confetti.

Drying Your Confetti:

If you've used fresh leaves, your confetti will be a bit wet. Spread out your confetti on a paper towel or tissue and let it air dry for a few days. You can also use an airing cupboard or set your oven to a low temperature (around 95-150 degrees Celsius) and dry for about 10 minutes, checking frequently to avoid burning.

Storage and Presentation:

Your leaf confetti will keep for up to a year if stored in a cool, dry location. Use small paper bags, envelopes, or boxes to present your confetti to your guests, or simply place it in a nice bowl or bucket that fits your wedding theme.

There you have it! A natural, eco-friendly, and budget-friendly way to create your own wedding confetti. Get creative and involve your friends and family in the process—it's a fun activity that will make your wedding day even more memorable.

Oven-drying petals

Firstly, you'll need to source your petals. Flowers like roses, peonies, and cherry blossoms are great options for their colour range and scent. Collect the petals from your garden or ask family and friends if you can take some from theirs. It's best to do this ahead of time, as you'll want to dry the petals on the same day that you collect them to prevent discolouration.

Once you've gathered your petals, preheat your oven to around 150 degrees Celsius (or the fan equivalent). Line a baking tray with a reusable baking liner or baking paper, then place your petals on top in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap. This ensures that they dry evenly.

Place the tray of petals in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them during this time, as you don't want them to burn. Depending on their size, smaller petals may be ready before larger ones, so feel free to remove them from the oven early if they look done.

Once your petals are dry and crispy, take them out of the oven and leave them to cool. You can then store them in a dark, dry place until your wedding. A large mixing bowl or airtight container is perfect for this, and you can even add some dried lavender for extra scent.

On your wedding day, you can display your confetti in a basket or divide it into small envelopes or cones for your guests to throw. Just make sure to check with your venue that they allow confetti and that it's biodegradable!

Biodegradable glitter

There are a few ways to source biodegradable glitter. You can buy it online from websites like Amazon, which has a large selection of biodegradable glitter products. These include glitter cannons, party poppers, and simple bags of glitter.

If you want to make your own biodegradable glitter, you can use natural materials such as dried flowers, leaves, and petals. You can collect these from your own or your friends' and family's gardens, or buy them from florists. You can also use rice, which, contrary to popular belief, does not harm birds.

To dry your own petals, you can use an airing cupboard, the sun, or an oven. If you use an airing cupboard or the sun, make sure to lay the petals on a flat surface so they have room to dry. If you use an oven, set it to a low temperature (around 95-150 degrees Celsius) and keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.

Once your petals are dry, you can store them in small paper bags, a nice bowl, or a bucket that fits your wedding theme.

Remember to check with your venue that they allow biodegradable glitter, and consider providing it for your guests to ensure it meets any venue requirements.

Frequently asked questions