Petal Confetti or Paper Confetti?

A soft shower of real petals or a joyful cloud of perfectly rounded paper circles? Both can make your just-married moment beautiful. The right choice comes down to the look you love, the colours you have chosen and what your venue permits.

Here is how the two compare, with a few practical details worth knowing before you choose.

Real petal confetti and biodegradable paper circles, compared
Your confetti moment Real petal confetti Biodegradable paper confetti
The look Natural shapes and individual textures give petals an organic, romantic feel. Choose the particular petal variety and shade to suit your celebration, from understated whites to richly coloured blends. Uniform 1.5cm circles create a more graphic, coordinated look. A single shade feels considered and elegant; a mix brings playful colour to the photograph.
The fall The movement depends on the variety, size and weight of the petals. Different petal types bring different textures to a throw, so choose for the effect you love rather than assuming every petal falls alike. Lightweight circles flutter through the air for a classic confetti shower. Wind, the amount thrown and the timing of the throw will all influence the photograph.
Colour matching Real petals have natural variation, including within a shade. Coloured petals offer scope for coordinated blends, but think in terms of a harmonious palette rather than an exact match to a screen or fabric swatch. Choose individual paper shades or a mix to echo your flowers, stationery or outfits. Check the available shades carefully; screen colours are a guide rather than a guarantee of an exact match.
Venue considerations Ask which petal types are allowed and where they may be thrown. Permission for natural petals does not necessarily cover every variety or coloured petal. Ask specifically whether biodegradable paper circles are permitted. A venue allowing petals may still have different rules for paper, regardless of how it is described.
Cleanup Agree who will collect or sweep up after the throw. Natural petals should not be treated as permission to leave confetti behind. Coloured petals are not colour-fast and may transfer pigment, particularly with prolonged contact; choose white petals if colour transfer is a concern. Plan to collect or sweep up the circles, especially where wind could carry them beyond the throwing area. Biodegradable does not mean water-soluble or instantly disappearing: ordinary biodegradable paper confetti should not be expected to dissolve in rain alone.
Storage Follow the guidance for your chosen variety. For coloured preserved petals, keep cool, dark and dry. Mix strong colours with white or lighter petals only 1–2 weeks before use, leaving stronger colours until later in that window. Snow Petals, freeze-dried petals and naturally dried buds have different handling requirements. Keep the paper dry and protected from moisture until the throw. Store prepared cones or packets somewhere dry and covered so the circles remain ready for their moment.
Confetti cannons Snow Petals and hydrangea petals can be used in confetti cannons. Rose petals are too large. Follow the instructions for the particular cannon and its permitted filling rather than assuming all petals are interchangeable. Choose a cannon designed for the paper filling you intend to use, and follow its instructions. Do not assume every cannon can be opened, refilled or used with loose circles.

Choose your confetti

For natural texture and a romantic finish, explore All Petal Confetti. For coordinated colour and a classic circle-shaped shower, browse our 1.5cm Biodegradable Paper Confetti.

A note on cannons and delivery

Choosing the filling and arranging delivery are separate decisions. Before ordering a cannon, check the delivery restrictions for that specific product and your destination. Do not assume the delivery options for loose petals or paper also apply to a cannon. If you need delivery outside the UK, confirm availability before making it part of your wedding plans.

When water-soluble rice paper may be relevant

If your venue specifically asks for water-soluble confetti, explore our Water Soluble Rice Paper Confetti. This is a different option from ordinary biodegradable paper circles: the rice paper breaks down in water within minutes.

Share the product details with your venue before ordering. Water-soluble does not automatically mean suitable for every location, surface or waterway, and it does not replace your venue's cleanup requirements.

The final decision

Start with your venue's permitted materials, then choose the colour and texture you would love to see in your photographs. Petals bring natural individuality; paper circles bring a crisp, coordinated celebration. Either way, a little planning lets you enjoy the moment.

Still have a question?

We'd love to help — get in touch and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We've got answers

  • Yes! All of our confetti and petal and paper mixes are 100% natural and biodegradable, making them kind to the environment and approved for use at most outdoor venues.
  • As a guide, we recommend one packet per guest in your chosen serving size. Litres of petals vary in serving sizes, most petal mixes serve around 10 per litre, please see the description on each individual mix for accurate servings, or pop us a message stating the exact mix you'd like information on. For our paper confetti we think the best serving size would be around 4 grams per person to allow for some fantastic photographs.
  • Yes, we offer next-day delivery on confetti orders placed before 1pm Monday–Friday (excluding bank holidays). Standard delivery is also available. For next day delivery you will need to select tracked 24 or Special delivery and also pop us a note with your order stating it is urgent.
  • Most venues allow biodegradable confetti. We always recommend checking with your venue first as some venues will only allow real petals whilst others permit the use of biodegradable paper.
  • We love a bespoke order! We do have a create your own mix option with petals or paper! or for something totally unique to you, get in touch via our contact page or WhatsApp and we'll do our best to create your perfect palette.
  • Due to the nature of our products, we're unable to accept returns on any petal confetti product. If your order arrives incorrect, please contact us within 48 hours and we'll make it right. As all mixes whether petal or paper are made to order, we are unable to accept a return for them, however if you'd like to make an exchange we can be pretty flexible and will try to accommodate as best as we can.
  • We recommend ordering as soon as you know what you'd like. Then delay your order for at most 2–3 weeks before your event date, though many orders ship within 1–3 business days. For petals, if having them packaged by us we recommend delaying your order for 2 weeks before your event date, or leave us a note to not fill your packets so you can do this at home, the closer to your event the better!
  • Some of our petal confetti contains Dyes to make bright colours like those amazing Fuschia shades, but worry not! these dyes are made completely from plant pigment, so totally safe for the environment, similar to what you'd colour a lipstick with. We do have a naturally dried petal confetti section which means petals have been untreated if you'd prefer.
  • For paper confetti it's probably best not to get it wet and leave it attached to clothing as eventually the colours may run, if this concerns you, opting for white confetti may be your best solution. For petal confetti the same rule applies, for naturally dried confetti when they can still leave a mark, although will most likely wash out, like a grass stain or flower, if this is something that bothers you, opting for white petals will be your best solution. Important Notice: Natural Plant Pigment Dyed Petals Our dyed petals use natural plant pigments to give you the look and feel of paper confetti in beautiful petal form. Please be aware that naturally dyed petals are not colourfast and may leave colour marks on clothing, particularly if left in contact with fabric for an extended period of time. In most cases, colour transfer can be removed with professional dry cleaning — we recommend taking garments to be dry cleaned as soon as possible after your event. If colour transfer is a concern for you, we'd suggest opting for our white petals instead — a gorgeous, worry-free alternative. After all... it's all for the photograph! 😄
  • Our biodegradable paper confetti naturally biodegrades in compostable conditions so does not instantly disappear. We do have a specific water soluble confetti section for those of you who wish to have confetti which will completely dissolve when wet.
  • Absolutely yes! our paper confetti is made from FSC certified materials.
  • Yes! Every petal or flower option on our website is completely real, preserved or dried flower petals or buds.
  • Yes! Every biodegradable paper confetti option we have is slow falling, fluttering and specifically produced to be thrown
  • In most cases if your order is extremely urgent you must contact us via phone, Whatsapp or email, if we can get it out same day for you; we will.
  • Our individual glassine white packets are biodegradable and compostable, there is also a clear packet option which is both biodegradable and compostable
  • If you are ordering last minute we are likely to have most petal varieties in stock and ready to go. However it is advised to pre order your confetti to guarantee stock and to always receive the freshest petals when you need them. Choose "delay my delivery" at checkout
  • Short term is no, it won't fade Exceptions where colour may fade is if your confetti has been left in full contact with direct sunlight, for example 'on a windowsill' or in contact with excessive heat sources, like 'on a radiator' or 'next to a boiler' The colours may fade naturally after around 9 months, but this still will not be excessive.
  • When kept dry, away from sun and moisture you can expect water solouble to be fine for up to 12 months, however is may be more suitable to purchase your water solouble confetti within 3 months of intended usage to avoid having to maintain the conditions for a long period of time
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