Planning a wedding, whether it involves 50 people or 500 people, can be a stressful time.  You want your guests to remember your wedding as a day filled with happiness and enchantment.

How Butterflies Can Make Your Wedding Memorable

One unique effect can be achieved through a live butterfly release.  As a beautiful and environmentally-sound alternative to blowing bubbles, throwing rice or birdseed or releasing balloons, a butterfly release will make your day memorable!  Can you imagine the magnificence of dozens of colorful butterflies winging their way skyward as a grand finale to your wedding ceremony?  The release of nature's prettiest creatures is a symbolic way to celebrate any number of occasions, including weddings, proms, parties, and quinceanera.  Butterflies have always been thought of as bringing good luck to people and everyone loves butterflies.

One way to involve your guests is to have a "butterfly attendant" hand out the envelopes in which the butterflies are temporarily kept.  When the signal is given, each person opens their envelopes and the butterflies fly out to create a magnificent display.  Some butterflies, especially monarchs, may alight on your guests.  When released, they have a slow and graceful flight.  They are actually "social butterflies!"

On a smaller scale, butterflies can be used as table centerpieces, enclosed in elegant see-through "cages" where they flutter about until time for their release.  Guests are always enchanted by this distinctive and unusual display of beauty.

Wedding Butterflies

How To Care For and Release Butterflies

Butterflies are carefully raised by farmers, who then package them in small Styrofoam coolers before shipping them overnight to your door.  Since they are cold-blooded, they are resting and dormant while in the cooler.  Exposure to warm temperatures will make them active and ready to fly. They must be released outdoors during daylight and during months where the temperatures are high enough for them to fly ~ above 60 degrees.  Care of the butterflies is minimal; you just keep the container cool for a night by refreezing and replacing the cold pack that comes with each shipment.  Very few butterflies expire before their release and usually one or more "extras" are included in your order.  Most butterfly farmers hold permits to ship several species across state lines.  The butterflies you release will be indigenous to your state and will most probably live for a few weeks, finding each other after they are released, mating and helping to repopulate the species.

A butterfly farmer will help you choose the butterflies that are right for your state, your budget and your special occasion.

Article written by Linda Marchman, owner of Social Butterflies. She has raised butterflies for seven years and is a director of the Association for Butterflies, a member of the International Butterfly Breeders Association, the Butterfly Society of Virginia and is a Certified
Master Gardener.

This information about butterfly releases was brought to you by Wedding and Party Network, your leading resource for planning weddings and parties.