The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-09-12
A SUBSTITUTE FOR RICE THROWING.
Confetti Used at an English Wedding In
Place Of the Grain.

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Confetti Used at an English Wedding In
Place Of the Grain.
Most of US who have had anything
to do with weddings have had expe-
riences of the direful effects of the
showers of rice which mark the de-
parture of the bride and bridegroom.
There are few young couples who
have not entered upon their honey
moon in actual physical pain, thanks
to the stony grains which have stung
their eyes and ears and have found
their way into their clothes and
down their necks. Worse disasters
even than this have followed the use
OF rice as a sign of the good will of
their friends, and serious accidents
have not infrequently occurred in
consequence of the reckless shower
ing of these grains. The horses have
been scared, and this in some cases
has led to the overturning of the
carriage and the severe injury of its
occupants. Attempts have occasion
ally been made to mend this state of
affairs, but until lately nothing has
taken the place of rice. Rose petals
and small flowers have been tried,
but they have many disadvantages,
notably that of becoming crushed
to pulp and leaving unsightly stains
on the carpets of the house. Shreds
of colored paper have occasionally
been used, but in these there is soms-
thing too suggestive of the school
boys "hare and hounds to excite
much interest.
At a recent fashionable double
wedding at the West End considera-
BILE admiration was caused among
the guests by the distribution of
confetti as substitute for the Of
Tending rice. They were such as are
used at Eastbourne and the Riviera
for the battles of flowers and on sim
liar occasions. For the benefit of
such readers as are unacquainted
with confetti may describe them
as tiny paper waters principally gold
and silver, with few colored ones
intermixed by way of adding to the
effect. The progress of each bride
down the staircase to the carriage
on this particular occasion was made
in ashower of gold and silver-sure-
ly quite as good an omen for her fu-
ture prosperity as could possibly be
afforded by the prosaic grains of
rice. The effect of the myriads of
sparkling confetti was absolutely
charming and fairylike as they fiut-
tered to the ground, the sun catch
ing them as they fell. Certainly
they chung about the dresses of the
newly married couples, but they did
no harm and were soon shaken off.
In the house as they fell on the
floral decorations and sparkled
among the roses and ferns they pro
duced result that is we'll worthy
of note by those whose business i
is to provide novelties for functions
of this sort. AS for the horses, they
were sublimely unconscious of tn,
tiny gold and silver pieces will
which their backs had been sprin
killed. by the time they started.
1t is not surprising to hear that
the introduction of these confetti al
the Eastbourne fetes has caused
their manufacture to be measured
literally by the ton, and when once
they are brought into use at we'd
| dings tens of tons will be mentioned
in connection with them, and many
happy pair. when they begin their
new life, will no longer have oooa-
sion to exclaim, "Save US from our
friends v'-London Queen.