Wedding Candles-Everything You Need to Know + Pro Tips

Congratulations on your engagement! Now comes the exciting yet daunting task of planning your wedding.

A lot of time, energy, and money go into planning a wedding, and the details can become overwhelming. This blog seeks to help streamline your plans and answer some questions about the possibilities and logistics of using candles in your wedding ceremony and reception.

Candles have been a part of wedding traditions for centuries, and couples still love the decorating and lighting capabilities of wedding candles. Whether you only want candles for your ceremony, just the reception, or both, we have provided detailed tips for you to use. Information you can expect to find below includes:

• candle safety
• the quantity of candles you need if they are your primary light source
• the number, type, and size of candles for various decorative arrangements
• the impact of colors and scents
• how to store your candles before the wedding
• when, how, and who lights the candles at a wedding
• what to do with any leftover candles after your wedding is over

Before deciding if you want to have candles for your wedding, there are some important safety details to consider.

Candle Safety Information

The first step to take when choosing to use candles in your wedding is to contact the venue. Some places have restrictions on open flames. If real candles are prohibited, LED candles make an excellent replacement.

If your venue says that real candles are accepted, the next thing to address involves the outside elements. For outdoor weddings, it is important to think about the possibility of wind. In strong winds, an open flame may not stay lit. In addition to blowing out the flame, a breeze could blow flammable materials into the flame, such as a veil, florals, greenery, or even stray leaves. While this may seem intimidating, there are precautions that can be taken to prevent any accidental fires. Using a vase, lanterns, or hurricane glass can protect your candle from the breeze and limit contact with any flammable objects. Another solution is simply placing the candle far enough away from foreign materials and not under any trees that could drop debris. Candles at an outdoor wedding are beautiful, as long as you take proper measures to avoid any accidents.

Another thing to take into consideration when thinking about adding candles to your special day is your guests. Young children are curious by nature and have a tendency to put their hands where they shouldn’t. Make sure your candles are out of reach of kids or any animals you may have involved in your wedding.

In addition to children, your adult guests should not have to stress about fire hazards at your wedding. Long dresses, ties, sleeves, and hair should never come into contact with a live flame. If you have candles on the floor, ensure they are contained within a glass cylinder or lantern to prevent contact with clothing. Additionally, candle wedding centerpieces should be out of the way for your guests and any napkins they may have on the table.

The last things I want to mention are just general safety tips for candle use. They are:

• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Never move a burning candle or one just extinguished
• Keep flammable materials out of reach of the flame
• Avoid placing candles in drafty areas if possible

None of this information is meant to scare you away from using candles at your wedding. However, proper use and placement are important to ensure that your day is not ruined. Use common sense when planning where you want to incorporate candles in your wedding day.

Now that you have cleared the use of candles with your venue and know the proper candle safety measures, you need to determine the number of candles that you need for what you want to achieve.

The quantity of candles you need if they are your primary light source.

If you want to use candles as the primary light source at your wedding, it will require a lot of candles to provide sufficient illumination. Yet, how many candles are enough?

The answer to this question is difficult because it depends. Venues are different sizes, and couples have different goals for how bright they want their space to be. There is no one-size-fits-all for how many candles you will need. However, you can easily figure it out.

For those who like specifics, let’s look at the science behind a candle’s light and how that compares to light bulbs. (For the quick explanation, see the chart below)

A light source’s “brightness” or “light output” is measured and explained by a term called lumens. Lumens are the total amount of light that a source gives off in ALL directions. The average candle produces about 12-15 lumens. In comparison, a common household lamp that uses a 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens. Likewise, an LED bulb for the average house lamp can produce anywhere from 450 lumens to 1900 lumens, depending on the wattage and color temperature.

Since we have covered how light is measured, the next important thing to look at is something called “lux” or a “foot candle.” 1 foot candle = 10.76 lux. These terms are used to describe the measure of “illuminance,” which is the amount of light hitting a specific surface area. Essentially, it means the intensity of light at a specific distance. The foot candle represents the measurement of lumens per square foot, and lux explains it in lumens per square meter. For our discussion, we are going to use foot candles.

While we know that a candle produces about 12-15 lumens, how many foot-candles is it?

The foot candle reads and measures light as it hits a single point. All 12-15 lumens of a candle’s flame do not get focused on a single area; instead, they are spread out all around the flame in a circle of light. When measured at 1 foot away, the brightness of a single candle flame is approximately 1 foot candle, meaning there is 1 lumen per square foot.

Now, I know you might be thinking, “That’s great and all, but what does that actually look like?” Well, a single candle flame at a family dinner table is enough to softly light the faces of those sitting next to you, but the corners of the room would be lost in shadow. Therefore, to have the faces of your small dinner party more illuminated (but still with dim and atmospheric lighting), you would need at least 4 candles.

To determine how many candles you need to completely illuminate your wedding venue, there is a little math involved. Below, I have outlined the steps for your calculations:

1. Measure your space or ask the venue host what the square footage is for the area you want to light.
2. Then, determine how much light you want to achieve the desired atmosphere (how foot candles look in specific spaces in the chart below).

      3. Multiply your space’s square footage (step 1) by the number of foot candles you plan to use for your space (step 2). This number is the total amount of lumens you need to achieve that atmosphere in that space.

      4. Then take your lumens total (step 3) and divide it by the total lumens of a candle, which is approximately 12-15 lumens. This number provides you with the number of candles needed to light your space. We recommend that you get more than you need to ensure you have enough and can adjust later if desired.

Here is what the equation would look like:

Let’s look at a real example.

If your wedding venue is 500 square feet and you want to have a well-lit but still atmospheric candlelight ambiance of 10 foot candles, that would require 5,000 lumens. To figure out how many candles that would take, we divide the lumens of a candle (12-15). For this example, we will be using 12 lumens of a candle. Therefore, 5,000 total lumens divided by 12 would be approximately 417 candles.

The quick answer for how many candles you need if you are using them as a primary light source.

If you skipped through the scary math, that is completely understandable. Here is a chart to see how many candles you could need, depending on the space size and what kind of atmosphere you are going for.

Keep in mind that these numbers are for if your candles are the ONLY source of light, which is generally not the case.

This chart gives the quantity of candles based on the science discussed above, and they are calculated based on math. Therefore, we recommend using this chart as a minimum quantity suggestion rather than an exact amount that you need. However, to acheive the higher foot candle levels, it requires an exuberant amount of candles. Those numbers, while they technically could be used, are not entirely realistic especially if you want to actually have seating or standing room available in your space. Thus, using additional lighting sources and reflective mirrors with clusters of candles in key locations is a more practical way to acheive the desired lighting level.

While filling your space with candles and using them as your source of light is gorgeous, it is not the way that everyone wants to use their candles.

Number, type, and size of candles to use for various decorative arrangements.

As you design your wedding day, the number of candles is going to be up to you. Yet, it is always recommended to purchase more than you think you need so that you can have what you need without having to scramble for them later.

There are various types of candles that you can use for a wedding, and each can serve a different purpose. So, what candles are best for a wedding, and what do candles do in a wedding? Those answers depend on your style and goals for your decor. The types of candles we are going to look at include:

• votive candles
• tealight candles
• taper candles
• pillar candles
• floating candles
• jar candles

What are some ways that candles can be used in the wedding ceremony?

The first thing that people might think of when associating candles with a wedding is a unity candle. Traditionally, this involves two taper candles and a larger unscented pillar candle that symbolize the two families and the couple that is being joined together. The two family tapers are often lit prior to the ceremony or during it in a special moment to honor family members or a friend who is like family. Then, at some point during the wedding ceremony, the couple will be called to take those two tapers and use them to light a larger candle, the unity candle, that symbolizes their coming together as a married couple. Often, the couple will then blow out the two taper candles once their candle is lit.

Another way to use candles in your wedding ceremony is to include them as decorative aisle elements. Many couples choose unscented or scented pillar candles of various sizes and place them in protective glass vases, hurricane jars, or pretty lanterns along the center aisle. This is an elegant way to include some gorgeous lighting and easy decor in that center path. However, there are important safety precautions that should be followed to prevent any accidents. See the above section for safety tips.

Some couples choose to decorate their altar with candles, giving them a beautiful lit backdrop for their ceremony. Many couples use pillar candles on the floor or on tall candelabras to create a low-light halo around them. Other ways to decorate your wedding altar include using a frame to hang tealight candles in small lanterns or glass balls. Alternatively, you could use a backdrop with shelves and place votive candles, tapers, or pillars on it, depending on the size of the shelves.

In honor of family members and friends who have passed, sometimes couples have a memorial table. This space is a beautiful place to have some candles to remember those who are no longer here.

In lieu of flowers, some brides choose to give their bridesmaids tealight lanterns or simple taper candles to carry down the aisle. As stated before, proper fire safety is necessary when opting to hold a live flame. Additionally, if your bridesmaids are carrying taper candles that could drip, it is necessary to provide some bobeches or other wax drip catchers.

What are some ways that candles can be used in the wedding reception?

A great way to get the most out of your candles is to reuse any candles from your ceremony in your reception decor.

The most common way that people use candles in their reception is as part of their table centerpieces or table runners. There are so many variations of this kind of decor with different candle types and sizes. For example, you can use tapers, pillar candles, votives, tealights, or floating candles. You can use multiple styles of candles and different sizes for a look that is just your own. Each option has beautiful possibilities that can make your candle wedding centerpieces elegant, especially when paired with your florals and greenery. Additionally, you can make all of your wedding table candles the same or different for each table. 

If you have a sweetheart table, you can place candles around the base to create a beautiful focal point and have less decor on your table’s surface. This simple design can really highlight your table as newlyweds and draw your guests’ attention.

Similar to the decoration of the altar as stated above, you can use your candles as a part of a photo booth. Again, the type of candles is left up to you, but ensure that whichever kind you use, they are placed on a sturdy base and guests cannot knock them over or come into contact with the flame.

A simple way to add functionality with your candles is to use them as staircase decor to guide guests to a different floor. Most people tend to ignore spaces like the stairwell, but you can make it an incredible statement piece in your wedding with some candles paired with florals.

An unconventional use of candles for weddings is suspending them individually from trees or ceilings to create unique lighting arrangements and whimsical decor. Some use votive cups or mason jars with handles or glass orbs made for tealights to hang their candles instead of artificial lights. These hanging candles look gorgeous over your dance floor or as a part of your lighting during dinner. Comparatively, a chandelier that can hold candles is a great option for this kind of vibe.

The last way to use candles in your wedding is to use them as favors/gifts for your guests. Jar candles are the most convenient style and can be a sweet way for your guests to remember your wedding when they light the candle in their own home.

Importance of candle size and burn time.

The length of time that you want your candles to burn will help you determine what size candles you want to use for your wedding. Below are the average burn times of various candles.

• votives: 8-15 hours depending on size
• tealights: 4-5 hours
• tapers: 1-1.5 inches per hour
• pillars: 25-150 hours depending on size
• floating candles: 4-6 hours
• jars: 40-190 hours depending on size (7 ounces - 70 ounces)

If you plan to have a dance party at your reception and your candles are not your primary source of light, you can plan for that time to be when your candles are extinguished and taken away. While people are dancing, they tend not to notice if and when tables are cleared.

If your guests will be at their tables for the entire evening, you can use candles with a longer burn time. However, as long as your candles aren’t your only light source, you can allow them to burn down to the end or have someone extinguish them at any point during your wedding reception. Your guests will not be bothered if your candles go out because their focus will be on you and celebrating your marriage.

Deciding on color and/or scent for your candles.

Your wedding is a special day to celebrate the uniting of two people and two families into a loving covenant. Therefore, colors, scents, and the atmosphere of your celebration should be something that the two of you love and that represents yourselves.

Should I use colored candles for my wedding?

Color is completely up to you and your wedding theme. You can use all one color or have a bunch of different colors to design your wedding just the way you see fit. Keystone Candle has a variety of color options.

Should I use scented candles for my wedding?

This answer is also a personal decision, but we have some recommendations that can help you decide.

Candle scents can be a unique way to fully envelop your guests in the atmosphere of your wedding day. You can combine fragrances to create a scent that is unique to you as a couple or use a single scent to subtly add to the ambiance. If and when your guests smell that fragrance again, they will be reminded of your wedding.

However, there are some things to consider before jumping into the idea of scented candles on your big day. For example, some guests may be sensitive to scents. Additionally, your chosen scent may not mix with your dinner menu and could confuse your guests.

To combat these things, you can choose to use only a few scented candles during your ceremony before food is introduced. Then, you can have unscented candles on your dinner tables. However, the day and its fragrances are ultimately up to you and your style.

Now that we’ve gotten this far, and you have decided you want to have candles in your wedding, let’s look at how to store them before the big day.

How do I store my candles before my wedding?

Keeping your candles looking as good as the day you purchased them is highly important for your wedding. Therefore, there are a few tips that will help you keep them safe before you use them.

• Keep them in a room temperature environment that will not experience drastic fluctuating temperatures.
• Do not refrigerate or freeze them.
• Place them away from sunlight, as sunlight can make colors fade.
• Store them in boxes out of the way so they do not get constantly moved around and risk damage.

When, how, and who lights the candles at a wedding?

This is easily flexible depending on your needs and who you have available to help you on your wedding day. However, there are some suggestions for what you can do for specific candles and their purposes.

If you plan to use a unity candle, the two family tapers are traditionally lit by the parents of the couple or just one parent from each couple. Yet, anyone considered family can be the one to light them. Additionally, they can be lit prior to the ceremony and before guests arrive or during the ceremony at any time. Then, the large unity candle is lit by the couple.

For any candle decor that you have at your ceremony or reception, you have some options for how and who lights them.

• Coordinate with your venue host and/or wedding planner to have them lit before guests arrive.
• Assign members of the wedding party with lighting certain or all of the candles in your decor.
• Allow your guests to light the candles at their tables. (You can create customized match boxes for a personalized touch)

TIP: We recommend prelighting your candles for a short period of time the night before your wedding so that they light faster on the day of. Additionally, if you have everything set up at your venue, it can help to test for drafts and to see if you like how bright the space is.

What do I do with any leftover candles after the wedding is over?

No one wants to have hundreds of candles that they have to find homes for after a wedding, so we have compiled some ideas for you to use if you have any candles that did not get used up.

1. Make them a part of your wedding favors
2. Give them as gifts to your bridal party or any special guests/family members
3. Resell them on online shops or at a thrift store
4. Use them as prizes for any games that you have in your wedding
5. Donate them to churches, funeral homes, or retirement communities
6. Save them for your home when you have company

Conclusion

We would like to say again, congratulations on your engagement! This blog presented a lot of information in order to explain some frequently asked candle questions relative to planning a wedding, such as:

• candle safety at a wedding
• how many candles to use for lighting up your big day
• the kind of candles used in various decor styles
• whether or not to use colored and scented candles
• how to keep your candles looking good before the wedding
• when to light your candles and who is responsible for them
• what you could do with any candles that you have left after the wedding

Many of these things are up to you, but there are some ideas that help you have a safe and beautiful wedding. There are numerous styles of candles, which all come in different sizes, colors, and scents, but each can be used to create elegant centerpieces, backgrounds, and light sources. Your wedding theme will help you determine what you need to achieve your desired effect, but we hope that this blog makes that process easier.

That was a lot of words (3,642 to be exact). If you’ve made it this far, we hope we answered all of your wedding candle-related questions. If we missed a question, message us here and we'll help you with your candle queries.