Candles provide a warm and romantic light for any venue, making them a fantastic addition to your wedding décor. You can use them to light an outside space, place them in centrepieces or use them to line the wedding aisle. However, before you run out to the shops and splash your budget on candles of all shapes and sizes, there are a few pointers you need to consider. From safety to aesthetics, here’s a few of the important things to keep in mind when using candles to light up your wedding day.
Safety
Whenever it comes to open flames, safety is always the most important consideration. As candles are obviously a very popular choice for wedding lighting, a lot of venues will have a policy regarding candles and open flames in general. Before you begin planning your candlelit extravaganza, make sure you speak to your venue about their requirements. In most cases, you’ll find that venues are happy for you to have candles as long as they’re kept safely in a glass jar or other container and the flame is not protruding above the rim of the glass.
If you’re thinking about putting candles on the floor, you will need to consider LED flames rather than real. There are some excellent flickering affect candles available now to keep it looking authentic.
On tables, try to avoid putting candles too close to dried flowers or anything else that could be a potential fire risk.
Burning time
Different candles have drastically different burning times. If you want your illuminations to flicker softly away all night, you need to check how long each candle you buy will burn for when lit continuously. Most candles should give an indication of their burning time on their packaging, however it’s still a good idea to check some yourself before the big day.
Check your budget
Although you may think that candles offer an affordable solution to your lighting needs, it can be tricky, as Planning It All points out:
“The cost of candles can definitely add up, especially since you often need a LOT of candles to make a big impact. And since you usually need something to put the candles in – whether that’s candle holders, vases or bowls – even at wholesale prices the costs add up.”
So make sure you do your sums before creating your definitive décor plan if you don’t want to burn a hole in your budget.
Candles as favours
As well as using candles to decorate your venue, they can be used as thoughtful and original wedding favours. Have unique candles made specially to commemorate the day or select candles with your favourite scent to help your guests remember your celebration in weeks to come.
If you’re currently in the process of planning an unforgettable wedding, you’ll find lots of advice, tips and information on our site. Take a look around or get in touch to find out more.
