Dove Release Traditionally, couple were showered with grain or nuts as a wish for a large harvest or family. This custom evolved into the throwing of rice. But hurled rice can sting and is harmful to birds if eaten.
The newest addition to Bay Area weddings comes from another old European custom of dove releases. In France and Italy, these live doves are sometimes released from cages placed atop the wedding cake.
In the American adaptation, doves, which symbolize peace, innocence, gentleness, and conjugal affection, are now released outdoors when the couple leaves the church or wedding site. The trained white doves, ranging in number from two to thirty, circle the couple, then fly away, denoting the newlyweds departure from their families.
Dove trainers welcome your inquiries and may invite you to watch as they train or exercise their birds.