There are many wedding customs and traditions throughout the world but we do many of these things because they are customary without really understanding what they mean or where they come from. One of those traditions is throwing rice at the newlyweds as they run the gauntlet of guests. The history and meaning of using rice or grain dates back to the ancient Hebrew, Assyrian, and Egyptian societies where the throwing of food items over the newlyweds was symbolic of fertility.

Food was a natural product to throw because it was meant to give the newlyweds good luck and a hope for prosperity. Seeds or nuts were often thrown as a symbol of fertility since the small seed grows into a larger plant. Wheat and rice were symbols of prosperity to wish the newlyweds abundance and healthy children to help work the land. Italy throws sugared nuts and sweets (the word confetti comes from the Italian word for confection). Some European countries throw eggs, others throw wheat. Moroccans throw raisins and dates to wish a fruitful union for the newlyweds.

Rice became the popular item in the United States to wish prosperity and luck on newlyweds and was a common part of traditional weddings. Birdseed has widely replaced rice due to a widespread urban myth that rice is harmful to birds. The myth states that birds eat the rice and then explode because the rice swells when they ingest it. This legend is not true and has been debunked by ornithologists and bird watchers. Uncooked rice has no negative effects on birds; in fact they have been known to eat it in the wild.

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The main danger of using rice (or birdseed for that matter) is to the wedding guests who can slip and fall if the items are thrown on hard surfaces. Out of concern over possible lawsuits, some places have banned the tossing of rice or seed. Some trends are flower petals, sunflower seeds or fall leaves. Whether you are the thrower or you are being thrown at now you know what the act symbolizes regardless of the actual product used in the ceremony.

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