If you are having a special event such as a wedding, you might consider making it even more special by having a butterfly release. Yep, you can have live butterflies released which will flitter about to the delight of you and your guests.

There are many different places that offer this and you can get different types of butterflies, but most of them use the monarch butterfly. You can buy different amounts of butterflies to be released, but most people stick to 3 dozen and seem to be pretty happy with that.

There are some things to think about, however if you are planning a butterfly release. Of course the weather is quite important and you'll want to be sure it is in the upper 60's (f) to be sure the butterflies will actually fly! This probably isn't a big problem though as if you are having an outdoor even the weather is typically much warmer than this. You will want to check with the company you are ordering form to see their cancellation policy should they be forecasting rain for that day. You may be able to call a couple of days in advance to cancel and get a full refund.

The shipping and release is perfectly safe for the butterflies but you will need to make sure you release them in daylight. Most shippers will only supply you with a species of butterfly that is indigenous to your area so you don't have to worry about what happens to them after they are released - the will find a new home in your yard and be perfectly happy!

To prepare for your butterfly release, you'll want to get a wicker basket. This is where you will put the butterflies prior to the release. Gently remove the butterflies from their shipping packages and put them in the basket, then cover the basket with netting or some other fabric that will prevent them from flying out. Then when it comes time for the release, remove the cover and out will fly the butterflies in a brilliant display of winged color!