Candles, Lanterns, Votives and more

Candles, Lanterns, Votives and more

Table setting features a mix of pillar and votive candles.

There is nothing quite as romantic as a dinner lit by candles. Even just a few candles creates an inviting and warm glow. It always looks exceptionally beautiful to take that into the larger scale of a wedding celebration. So how will you do that? Candles (and flowers, of course). Today, though, we are focusing on candles and why you need (LOTS) of them.

There are many ways to incorporate candles into your reception. From votives to pillar candles, floating or taper candles, and even lanterns – each style of candle and each can be incorporated to make a big impact.

Votive Candles

Votive are the perfect finish to every table, whether to fill up, dress up, or add a little extra panache to the reception.

Pillar Candles

After votives, the next most popular style of candle to add to your table is a pillar candle. Frequently placed in a glass cylinder vase. Pillar candles have enough presence that they can form the core part of the centerpiece itself – though you still need a lot of them. They can also be interspersed along the length of a garland, elevated on candle holders or placed in lanterns.

Floating Candles

With the candle floating in water, floating candles add an ethereal and playful element to the table.

Taper Candles

Tapers are on of our favorite ways to add candlelight to the reception. While many venues now require flame to be enclosed, a glass chimney can surround a taper candle. Mechanical taper candles or LED candles can also provide a work around solution.

While candles are a great addition to your table, other parts of your event can benefit from that little glow. This is particularly true for any indoor ceremony.

Flanking an Aisle or Entrance
Highlighting a Focal Point

One final note: While no evening reception is completely without the candlelit glow, it is not a substitute for proper lighting in your venue. Those glowing tables you see on Pinterest, blogs and magazines? Pinspotting and uplighting create that out of this world romantic feel. The candles will add some light, but particularly in a large venue, much of that light will stay localized.

We hope you enjoyed this light-hearted inspiration! And as always, search our blog for more inspiration!

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As baseball season wraps, we’re celebrating a win of our own: bringing Petal’s Edge floral magic to Nationals Park for a special event. While most days take us to historic houses and grand ballrooms, we love the chance to design somewhere unexpected. Because flowers don’t just belong in gardens. They shine in stadiums too!
When the bride wears black, everything else falls into place. At Lauren & Alan’s Hotel Monaco wedding, the candlelight flickered against layers of greenery, lanterns, and shadow. The palette whispered more than it spoke. White flowers wouldn’t have belonged here; this was a story told in texture, depth, and restraint.

There’s power in contrast: light against dark, softness against structure, the unexpected choice that somehow feels inevitable once you see it. The design was less about decoration and more about atmosphere. Mysterious, elegant, and entirely unforgettable.

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Florals in full dramatic mode for The Scout Guide Alexandria launch party at the Hotel Heron. A trunk bursting with roses, a plum-and-black arch layered in texture and light. Modern romance with an editorial edge. The evening’s palette played with tension: shadow against shine, petals against metal.

We love when flowers step outside the ballroom and into the spotlight, blurring the line between installation and arrangement. These designs were made to stop traffic, literally and figuratively.

The Scout Guide @tsgalexandria (https://www.instagram.com/tsgalexandria/) 
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Draping / Bar @fabeventsdc (https://www.instagram.com/fabeventsdc/) 
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