Releasing Butterflies

[sdtooley]

Has anyone used a vendor for live butterflies that you can release at your wedding. I found one site and a person who used one company and it seemed wonderful. I am curious if anyone else has done this or is planning on doing it?

This is the site that I was sent from another member on here... Liberacion de mariposas, Mariposas para eventos, liberar mariposas

[Ayita]

Hi ! We were actually looking into doing the same thing. One of the wedding planner we were talking with is doing them. However, I talked to several persons (the hotel manager, another wedding planner, our photographer) and they all said the same thing : the butterfly release is very random. Sometimes they would just be dead in their box (it's such a small space). Or, they would be weak, and not stand against the first wind gusts. Or, they would not want to fly and you would have to shake the box... they said that having been in the wedding "industry" for so long, they had never see it go right once. We balanced a little bit and debated inserting a little game in our program - "guess what will happen" - in order to make it less dramatic in case it did not go right... but we finally abandoned the idea.

 

Too bad, I really liked the symbolism of it.

[FLgator]

I went to a funeral this year and they had the butterflies to release from a little envelope. Most of them could barely fly and they were just falling on the ground and on people, they seemed very lethargic and weak...its pretty sad. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it.

[MarieSam]

I initially thought of doing the same thing ~ somewhat symbolic of a Dove release. But when I spoke to my wedding coordinator and did some research, I've been told and read the same thing -- not a good idea.

 

1) The butterflies are put into envelopes and kind of expected to fly out on key -- many end up dying inside the envelope or are lethargic and barely move

 

2) The butterflies that fly off are then often attacked by birds -- seems that would be pretty horrific instead of being something beautiful.

 

It also seems pretty pricey for something that rarely seems to work out well ~ I would save your money and invest it in something else Just my two cents!

[mandalaybay3071]

My response is the same as the other girls. We wanted to release butterflies for my mom, grandmother and grandfather. However, after further research we discovered it probably wouldn't be such a good idea. What we plan to do is reserve a chair for each of them at our ceremony and put a picture of them in their chair. We will also include a poem in our program about them watching us on the day we get married from heaven. It's a really sweet poem I found on this website. Search the site for poem for loved ones...if you can't find it let me know and I'll post it. I'm at work now and have it saved on my home computer - otherwise, I'd post it now.

[mandalaybay3071]

Here it is - instead of him I'm putting "them"

 

 

 

Dear Lord please clear a spot for him:

he should have the perfect view.

His little girl's a Bride today,

and I am counting on you.

Let me feel his presence;

as I journey down the isle.

But let me notice his abscence;

if only for a while.

Let me stop to think of him;

As I am given away.

And know that if he could;

he would be here with me today.

Dear Lord please clear a spot for him;

he should have the perfect view.

And if he should get sad today;

Dear Lord I count on you.

[rodent]

the butterflies are often immediately eaten by birds. not a pretty site. it's also damaging to the ecosystem.

 

from what i've read a dove release is fine, because they return to their owner. But, if you care about animals and the environment a butterfly release is not for you.

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandalaybay3071 Here it is - instead of him I'm putting "them" Dear Lord please clear a spot for him: he should have the perfect view. His little girl's a Bride today, and I am counting on you. Let me feel his presence; as I journey down the isle. But let me notice his abscence; if only for a while. Let me stop to think of him; As I am given away. And know that if he could; he would be here with me today. Dear Lord please clear a spot for him; he should have the perfect view. And if he should get sad today; Dear Lord I count on you.

a quick spell check- change this to aisle

[katken]

I hate to rain on the parade even more, but my cousin did this and almost all of the butterflies were dead in their envelopes. As a guest it was upsetting to open the envelope and find a dead butterfly...I agree that it sounds like a great idea but in the end is hard to pull off, especially with a destination wedding, shipping issues, etc.

[Bridget810]

Yes, I agree with all the other posters. Often the butterflies are dead (or near dead); not only is this not what you want to happen on your wedding day, it is also incredibly eco-insensitive. I'm personally a little horrified about the idea.