Petals or Paper? The Wedding Confetti Debate

Choosing confetti for your wedding? Here’s what actually matters when deciding between dried petals or biodegradable confetti, and how each affects your photos and the environment.

Couples ask about confetti all the time, usually because venues have rules and Google gives very mixed answers. The two most common options are dried petal confetti and biodegradable tissue paper confetti. Both are widely used, both are sold as eco friendly, and both can look beautiful.

I’ve photographed genuinely lovely confetti moments with both options, and this isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about what suits your day best.

Here’s the honest breakdown.

Dried Petal Confetti 🌿

If you’re prioritising a natural, low impact option, dried petals are a great choice. They’re real, they break down naturally, they don’t stain, and venues are generally very happy with them.

From a photography point of view, they’re a little more subtle. Petals tend to fall faster, can clump together, and sometimes blend into the background, especially on darker outfits or lower contrast settings.

That said, I’ve photographed plenty of weddings where petal confetti looks soft, joyful, and perfectly suited to the setting, especially outdoors or in relaxed, countryside locations.

It’s also worth saying that dried petals smell amazing, which is a rare win for something that gets thrown in your face!

Biodegradable Tissue Paper Confetti 🎉

From a purely visual point of view, biodegradable paper confetti often creates a bigger, more dramatic look. It floats for longer, spreads wider, and gives that celebratory burst people imagine when they picture a confetti moment.

Many of my couples choose paper confetti and love the energy it brings to their photos. While it is biodegradable, it’s still processed paper and often dyed, which means some venues are stricter about it and it can involve a bit more clearing up.

So, which should you choose?

Here’s the honest answer. Both options work beautifully.

Dried petals tend to suit couples leaning towards a natural, low impact feel, while biodegradable paper confetti usually creates a bolder visual moment in photos. The right choice depends on your venue, your priorities, and the overall feel of your day.

Whatever you chose, it will be right for your wedding. The moment matters far more than the material.

A quick pro tip

Whatever confetti you go for, buy more than you think you need and ask guests to throw it up, not directly at faces. Your photographer will quietly thank you.

Confetti doesn’t always behave. Here’s proof.

Wind happens. Timing happens. Occasionally confetti decides one person deserves all of it. These are the moments that don’t make the Pinterest boards but do make me laugh every time.