Make your wedding candle that much more special by decorating it yourself. A lovingly crafted unity candle is a lifelong keepsake.
Even if you have never worked with candles before, there are ways you can personalize your unity candle. Some of these techniques are easy and take less time, others require more planning and skill.
Ribbons and Bows for a Keepsake Wedding Candle
The easiest way to decorate your wedding candle is with ribbons. Choose ribbons in your wedding colors, and adorn the unity candle with at least two different colors. If you cannot find one big multi-color ribbon, use narrower ribbons of different colors. Wrap at least three ribbons around the candle, the different color in the middle and tie in multiple bows.
If you do find a thick multi-color ribbon that matches your wedding colors, use that and create a large, round multi-colored bow.
Tie the same ribbon(s) around the taper candles that you will use to light the unity candle, but with smaller bows.
To secure the bows to the candles, melt a little paraffin wax in a double boiler. Dip a paintbrush into the wax and quickly dab wax on the candle where you want the bow to stick. Immediately, press the bow on. If the wax cools before you press on the bow, try again.
Another option is to attach a photograph of you and your intended to your wedding candle. Purchase sticky backed photo paper that you can print photos on from a laserjet printer. Cut the photograph into an oval, and center it on candle.
Overdipping
If you are crafty and want to do more with your candle(s), the overdipping technique opens up new possibilities. Overdipping covers items such as dried flowers with one or two coats of clear wax.
Attach lace, dried flowers, your wedding invitation or items of your choosing to the candle using the above described technique. Melt a little wax in a double boiler and use drops of it to attach items to candle. Attach the edges of the, for example, wedding invitation so that it is flat against the candle.
Supplies Needed to Overdip Candles
- Wax pouring pot or old coffee can,
- Large pot for bottom of double boiler,
- Wooden spoon,
- Clear candle wax,
- Kitchen thermometer,
- Wedding invitation, dried flowers, etc.,
- Old newspapers and grease-proof paper.
All candle making supplies and tools should be separate from food making supplies and tools.
Pour water into large pot, and place candle wax in wax pouring pot or old coffee can. This is your double boiler. Melt the wax and bring to 205 degrees F. Check the temperature of the wax with a candy thermometer.
Dip your prepared candle for three seconds, and take out for a minute or two. Dip one more time for three seconds, then set aside to cool.
Either let the wax cool in your wax pouring pot, or pour onto grease-proof paper for later use. To store wax in paper, place grease-proof paper in a large bowl and pour in the hot wax.
Candle Making Safety Notes
Please, always melt wax in a double boiler. Wax is highly flammable and any other method of melting is unsafe. Also, please keep candle making supplies and utensils separate from food making supplies and utensils.
Never throw melted wax down the sink or put wax supplies in the dishwasher. The wax will cool and clog the drains.
