What is confetti?

Seeing thousands of petal-like shapes gracefully cascading down from the ceiling or blown out of cannons is so lovely! We usually see this at the climax of concerts, tournaments, festivals, weddings, and grand openings.

These spectacles are what we call confetti.

You might think you know confetti by now, but there’s more to it than you think. So if you want to learn more about it, then stick around to find out more about this astonishing sprinkle of colors.

History and origin

The Idea of confetti started all the way back with the ancient Greeks 2,500 years ago. Yup, you read that right. It all started as a celebration to welcome warriors who were returning from war.

The funny thing is that this welcome rite is done for two different reasons.

One, rewarding people for their good deeds, or two, condemning others for something unforgivable.

Condemnation produced the idea of throwing stones at someone. Recognition, on the other hand, brought the showering of gifts upon exceptional people in the hope that they would catch them.

The earliest confetti was most likely candy and other forms of sweets. But because of the possibility of malicious people putting pebbles in candy wrappers, confetti came to be considered dangerous.

In 1875, the French revolutionized everything! Confetti came back into style.This time it was safer and better, changing from rocks to candies and then to ribbons made from silk. At that point, confetti took off. So in some ways, we should thank silkworms for the revival of confetti.

Today confetti comes in many different forms, from drops to cannons. There is even a world record for the biggest confetti cannon! It was set in 2017 at the opening of the Bestival in Dorset.

Confetti cannons vs. confetti drops

Basically, there are two setups for confetti during events, confetti cannons, or confetti drops.

What is a confetti cannon?

Just like the record-breaking cannon, these confetti cannons are excellent for events big and small. The only caveat is that these cannons can make quite a noise.

Handheld cannons contain a cylinder filled with compressed air. With a twist of a knob, it releases the compressed air, sending the confetti flying. Please note that these canons create a popping noise.

As for electric confetti cannons, they are pretty noisy, so a good set of noise-canceling headphones can make the experience better. These are devices that are reusable, and they are optimal for concerts and big events.

Electric cannons can send confetti up to 15 feet in the air. So we at Carolina balloons will gladly help you with their proper placement.

What is a confetti drop?

If you need something that makes less noise but still involves confetti, then you will enjoy a confetti drop. This works by creating a contraption containing the confetti, and when the moment comes, we release the confetti without any popping noise.

This solution is optimal for small to medium-sized events where the place is just right for confetti but relatively small for a popping noise to be heard – or when the guests are sound sensitive.

The versatility of confetti when it comes to events

Confetti is very versatile. It can be added to any kind of event and still be perfect. Here are 5 of the most common events where you can use confetti.

Concerts

There’s dancing, a fair crowd, and booming music. Who’s gone to concerts and not experienced a barrage of colorful petal-like pieces falling from above? Confetti adds excitement, especially with rock music. But it can also get romantic with love songs.

Weddings

Weddings are the original reason for confetti. We want something magical and memorable at the most important moment in our life, when we hear “I do” from the love of our life. Confetti is usually thrown outdoors as the bride and groom leave the church.

Sports tournaments

Imagine all the hard work that teams put in to get that sweet victory. The moment your team wins the championship is the moment you see these amazing effects go off. It makes things much more memorable than just announcing the winner. It gives the hype every winner deserves.

Grand openings

Grand openings can be nerve-wracking. All the time, money, effort, and tears you put in just to make something a reality. Something this big should come with a very impressive special effect. Like fireworks, but safer – not only for everyone present but also for the environment.

Now that you’ve learned all this, you might want to start thinking about including confetti in your next event.

There are 3 reasons why confetti is a staple when it comes to parties

Where ever you put it, it delivers

The thing about confetti is that it doesn’t matter where or when you use it. It just makes the moment amazing and magical. Not to mention the beauty that it adds to photos. There is something about these bits of color that makes kids and adults love them.

The choices are endless 

The thing about confetti is that it doesn’t matter where or when you use it. It just makes the moment amazing and magical. Not to mention the beauty that it adds to photos. There is something about these bits of color that makes kids and adults love them.

Let’s talk about confetti customization

Different parties, themes, and even venues will need a specific set of confetti to enhance the experience. The best thing about confetti is that it is so customizable. From color to size, you can customize every aspect. This means that when planning for confetti, you need to be quite detailed about it. So here are some attributes of confetti that you might want to know to create a better experience.

Color

Colors are what elicit different emotions. Color can relate to gender, a memory, or just be your favorite color. With confetti, you can choose whatever color you want. You can even have foil confetti, which I think creates a sleek, expensive feel.

When planning an outdoor event, especially during the daytime, pastel and light-colored confetti is better as it gives a light, happy feel.

For formal events, we recommend dark colors mixed with foil confetti. This gives an elegant feel to the celebration.

Size

The size of the confetti is as important as the color, if not more. Why? Because the size should be appropriate for the audience. Some guests might bring children – and though we don’t advise children be left unsupervised during a confetti drop, we still highly recommend larger size confetti when children are present so that we can easily see or reach it when a child swallows some.

The interesting thing about the size of the confetti is that it actually produces the illusion that the room is bigger or smaller. For example, when you use smaller-size confetti in a small venue, it will give you the illusion of a bigger venue. Pair that with venues that have a number of reflective decors like mirrors, and it will truly feel like a ballroom for that moment.

The amount of confetti needed

For big events you need to ask for larger amounts of confetti. This is to make sure that the effect you want is on par with the venue. While a large amount of confetti is quite beautiful to look at, it would not be beneficial to the event if the venue is small because it might get too overwhelming.

About biodegradable confetti

If you care for the environment, then we have just the thing for you…

biodegradable confetti!

If you think confetti is made of plastic these days, you are wrong, because just as we are innovating, the products in the party industry are also evolving.

We now have earth-friendly confetti made from natural and safe materials. Confetti is now eco-friendly and sustainable, made with the thought of making mother nature happy. 

A great way to do confetti is when you use plantable seed paper. This is confetti that is embedded with wildflower seeds, so if you miss cleaning up some of it, it will not damage the soil but rather grow a flower for each bit that is left.

Planning to do a beach-themed event but the thought of confetti littering the ocean haunts you? Well, we have now developed water-soluble confetti. It is made of super-thin rice paper that i dissolves immediately in contact with water. So no more worrying about the fish ingesting these types of confetti.

Planning a fairy tale wedding? Where the confetti is so natural that you can even smell the scents? If you are that kind of person, then petal confetti is perfect for you. As the name suggests, this type of confetti is made up of flower petals. And this varies with the color you want for the confetti. You can even request lavender and chamomile petals, which give a  fairy-tale vibe.

Balloon drop plus confetti

I know by this time confetti is all we are thinking about when it comes to surprises and events, but what if I told you that you can add even more fun to the already amazing staple of confetti?

A match made in heaven. From Carolina Balloons, we present the balloon drop and confetti, a combination of balloons and confetti all cascading from above. This might be the game-changer you have been searching for. 

Confetti is already established as a party must-have, but the thing about balloons is that they are still being improved upon. Balloons used to be only a thing for circuses until someone thought of using balloons as a means of decor. And balloons are very versatile which is why we are introducing you to this new hit. This combo could be the change of pace and the new wow factor for your upcoming events.