By Rosario Mariani, http://www.europebychoice.com
The Italian “confetti” are almonds with a hard sugar coating and the town of Sulmona is its capital. Confetti are traditionally given to friends and family during great occasions such as weddings (white confetti), birth (blue or pink confetti), baptisms, graduations and many other occasions in various other colors. They are often eaten but are also used as decorations.
In Sulmona, the local shops are extremely creative and artistic as you can see in my recent photograph taken near Piazza Garibaldi. The arrangements and colors of the confetti are spectacular.
At weddings it is particularly important for 
family and friends to throw white confetti to the newlyweds. In some cultures they throw rice but in Italy it is so much more appropriate and fashionable to throw confetti.
It is a symbol of good luck and it is said to represent good wishes, prosperity and above all fertility for the newlyweds.
The symbolism behind it all is that the almond represents a woman’s virginity and the white sugar coating is the protection and purity.
Often, friends and family shout out “prosperità,” and “felicità” when throwing them at weddings.
Rosario Mariani is the owner/CEO of Europe By Choice, which promotes travel to Italy and other select European countries. He has more than 40 years of experience in the travel industry, previously serving as Director of Italy Product for Italiatour and Club ABC Tours, and also in other positions with EuroFly, Alitalia and Air France.
Benvenuti to the NIAF Pensieri Blog 
I appreciate the symbolic gesture behind throwing the almonds. But really these are too good to throw away! They are meant to be eaten and enjoyed. I grew up in an Italian-American neighborhood. People use to throw rice. At some point that practice stopped because it is thought that birds cannot digest the uncooked rice if they eat it. Now confietti is used.
I should have said “Paper confetti is used.”