Should you ask your guests to throw bird seed instead of rice? (Photo by Peter Coombs.)
I bet you’ve heard this one: You shouldn’t throw rice at weddings because the birds will eat it and the rice will swell up inside of them and they will explode. Did you ever wonder if it is true? I certainly believed it when I first heard it, but something about it started to seem not quite right. So I looked into it.
And it turns out that it is totally not true!! No one seems to be quite sure where the idea came from originally. The first place it is documented is the Connecticut state legislature in 1985, but its origins before that are shrouded in mystery. The story spread, though, despite attempts by ornithologists to correct it. For some reason, the idea of pigeons exploding seemed to capture the collective imagination. Think about it, though: Did you ever see a bird explode? Or see the remains of one that had? Me neither.
A university biology professor proved this conclusively (as told in this article) by, first, simulating the conditions of grain inside a bird and, finally (and only at the insistence of his students), feeding rice to his own pet doves and pigeons. The result? No exploded birds. In fact, they seemed to like it a lot. It turns out that birds eat rice in the wild all the time without any harm.
So, what does this mean for your wedding? Can you encourage your guests to throw rice (should you wish to follow the ancient tradition)? First, check the contract with your venue. Some venues specifically prohibit throwing rice or birdseed or confetti or various other things that are difficult to clean up. If it is permitted, also keep in mind that small grains on a hard surface (like a sidewalk) can be a slipping hazard for people wearing slippery shoes–such as your guests who are wearing their best clothes. If you want to be on the safe side, skip the tradition. If you do decide to do it, you know the birds will thank you.
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