5 Creative Ways To Use Wedding Candle Holders

Wedding candle holders are a must if you’re planning your nuptials. After all, nothing creates instant ambiance at an evening fête like the soft glow of candles adorning the tables, lining the aisle, and hanging from trees.

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking wedding candle holder centerpieces are only useful when paired with a lit candle. There are many creative ways to use wedding candle holders at both your ceremony and reception! Here are five of our favorites.

Terrarium Centerpiece: Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

1. Create Mini Terrariums 

Terrariums are hugely popular as a low-maintenance way to invite a little greenery into your home, but they also make great wedding centerpieces when you create mini terrariums. There is no better container when making mini terrariums than candle holders. Especially because they can double as a wedding candle holder gift.

Votive candle holders are a great choice. Geometric holders with metallic details and clear glass are especially popular. Moss, succulents, and ferns can easily be placed inside. Decorative elements, like rocks and miniatures, can add interest to a terrarium that seems plain. If you want to get a little funky, consider an unexpected plant, like the Venus fly trap!

Candlestick Flower Vase: Style Me Pretty

2. Use Them As Vases

Candles may be a staple at weddings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean candles will be used at the next wedding you attend. However, you’re sure to find at least a few flowers. If you’re looking for creative ways to display blooms at your own wedding, consider using wedding candle holders instead.

Tall wedding candle holders look especially striking when filled with flower arrangements. Long stemmed tealight candle holders can hold a single rosebud, while larger hurricane vases can hold bridesmaid bouquets on the head table. If the vase is tall enough, you can even encase an entire stem for a very Beauty and the Beast feel.

Citrus-Filled Hurricane Vases: Martha Stewart Weddings

3. Add Water and Other Elements

Plants are a great way to make candle holders more interesting, especially if you’re buying wedding candle holders at the dollar store, but there are a ton of things you can add to make them more interesting!

Water is an easy one. Floating candles on top of water is a romantic way to use candlelight at your reception, but it’s even better if you add other things to the water, like herbs, slices of citrus fruit, or jewels. This option is an especially good one if you’re looking to DIY wedding candle holders and save a little money.

Long Stemmed Candle Holders With Candy: Eat Well 101

4. Use Them to Hold Candy

Candy bars are popular at many weddings, and it’s easy to see why. Guests can snack on their favorite sweets, personalized candy mixes can be bagged up and taken home, and with a little decorating know-how, they can look striking in any reception space.

Nearly any kind of candle holder works, but wedding candle votive holders and large open vases are especially good options. Keep things interesting by using eye-catching multifaceted candle holders, or use a rainbow of colored candies inside traditional smooth votive holders. Place them on the table, shelves, and stands to create an unforgettable, three-dimensional display.

Geometric Glass Vases With Fairy Lights: Wedding Chicks

5. Decorate Them With Fairy Lights

Fairy lights are popular at weddings because they can provide you with a safer alternative to open flame candlelight. They can be used with traditional candle holders to create the perfect ambiance without having to worry about burnt-out candles or accidents as the night goes on.

Wedding hurricane candle holders can hold large strings of lights, but other types of candle holders work too. Stringing lights on wedding candlestick holders and candelabras can give them a chandelier-like feeling when placed in the middle of dining tables.

Have a bunch of wedding candle holders, but not sure what to do with them? With these ideas, you can put those wedding candle holders to good use so you can create the perfect ambiance, whether you choose to use candles or not.