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The doors of the church burst open, and the hand-holding bride and groom begin to walk down the long steps lined with loved ones throwing…almonds? In film and Western wedding traditions, throwing “confetti” is a well-known part of post-ceremony bliss. While today one might picture rice, paper, or bubbles, some couples endured (and still can today) a merry barrage of chocolate-covered pellets produced from the mountains of Italy.
It’s fitting that the town of Sulmona is known as the traditional birthplace of Ovid, the Ancient Roman poet known for his poems of love and romantic writings. It is thought that the almond candy known today as “confetti” was first made in the local convent, with nuns tying candies together to create religious imagery. As sugar became less expensive in the latter half of the 18th Century, confectionary factories began to sprout up, sourcing almonds from the surrounding mountains. It was around this time that Confetti Rapone and its crosstown rival Confetti Pelino started to build Sulmona’s reputation as the place for the celebratory confetti.
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But there’s more to confetti than just being a cheerful object to toss. The white color of the sugared almonds represents the purity of the bride, the two sides of the almond linked together represent the new union of the couple, and the sugar used in the candy is meant to bring happiness to the marriage. Containers that hold the confetti for wedding guests, called “bombinera,” traditionally have to hold an odd number of confetti, as odd numbers cannot be divided easily (see what they did there?). While white is the traditional color, confetti can be many colors and can be used to celebrate anniversaries, engagements, and church holidays. Or even the celebration of hanging out on the couch on a Friday.
Now run by the tenth generation of the confectioner family, Confetti Rapone’s exterior is as colorful as the traditional treats it creates inside—a celebration to all the senses. Providing candies for local weddings to the likes of George Clooney, the longtime confetti tradition continues at this historic storefront. After all these years, Rapone’s product still requires the utmost attention of couples about to swing open those church doors.
