How Do You Make Floating Candle Centerpieces?

Floating candle centerpieces are a gorgeous decoration to use for special events like weddings, anniversary parties, birthdays, and holidays. They feature groups of candles floating on water inside glass vases or bowls, creating a breathtaking centerpiece that also illuminates the table. The flickering candlelight sets a warm, romantic ambiance while the floating candles add drama and visual interest.

Floating candle centerpieces are popular for a few key reasons:

• They create a stunning focal point on tables at events like weddings and parties.
• The floating candles and their reflections in the water look beautiful.
• Illuminating the space with candlelight sets a cozy, intimate mood.
• They allow flexibility in designing eye-catching arrangements.
• The floating candles themselves have a magical, elegant appearance.

With proper instructions, floating candle centerpieces are easy to DIY at home. The rest of this article will provide step-by-step guidance on making your own floating candle centerpieces for any special occasion.

Materials Needed

To create floating candle centerpieces, you’ll need a few basic supplies. Many recommend using glass containers like bowls, hurricane vases, or cylinder vases to hold the floating candles (Creative Hospitality). The container should be big enough to allow space between the candle and sides of the vase. Popular floating candle options include votives, pillars, tapers, tea lights, and battery-operated candles. Wicks should be trimmed to 1⁄4 inch to avoid smoking.

For additional decor, consider filler like glass gems, river rocks, marbles or faux floral arrangements and greenery. Things like flowers, leaves, twigs and vines can help soften the look and add visual interest. Additional lighting like string lights or tea lights can supplement the main candles. Other decorative touches may include tulle, pearls, mirrors or candles floating on top of the water.

Choosing Containers

An important first step in creating floating candle centerpieces is selecting the right containers. The vessels holding the candles will be a key part of the visual appeal. Consider the following when picking containers:

Size

The size of your containers will impact the overall look and footprint of your centerpieces. Larger vessels can make a bolder statement, while smaller ones allow for more intricate arrangements. Make sure to pick a size proportionate to your table and event.

Shape

Vessel shapes like cylinders, cubes, spheres, and cones create very different effects. Cylinders and cubes provide clean lines that work well in modern settings, while spheres and cones feel more organic. Mixing up shapes can yield great visual interest.

Material

Common container materials include glass, acrylic, metal, stone, and ceramic. Glass and acrylic clearly display the candles inside. Metallic finishes like gold, silver, or copper make for elegant bases. Natural materials like stone and ceramic produce an earthy look.

Whichever containers you choose, make sure they can safely hold both water and a burning candle. Verify they are non-flammable and sturdy enough to avoid tipping over. With the right vessels, you’re ready to build stunning floating candle designs.

Candle Options

When selecting candles for your floating candle centerpieces, you have several options to consider:

Types of Candles

Votive candles are a popular choice since they are small, inexpensive, and burn cleanly. Pillar candles can also work well. Tea lights float nicely but have a shorter burn time. Avoid taper candles as they are tall and thin, making them prone to tipping over.

Sizes

Smaller candles like votives provide more floating points of light. Larger pillar candles make a bolder statement. Choose a size appropriate for your container – too large looks awkward while too small can get lost.

Colors

White candles give a clean, classic look. Ivory candles are also popular for a softer glow. Colored candles can match your event theme and decor. Mix colors or stick to one hue for visual impact.

Adding Decorations

You can dress up your floating candle centerpieces with various decorations like flowers, beads, and stones for extra visual interest. Fresh or faux flowers like roses, orchids, lilies, and greenery sprigs make beautiful accents. Tie small flower bunches around the base of the vase with ribbon or floral wire. You can also float single stems in the water. Colorful glass beads or acrylic gems create a lovely shimmer. Add them to the water or attach them to floral wire stems and place them around the edges of the vase. Polished stones like marbles or river rocks help weigh down the vase for stability. Smooth glass pebbles in mixed sizes and colors also make attractive fillers around the candles. Just be mindful of fire safety and avoid using decorations that can easily catch fire or generate excessive heat. Focus decorations around the base and perimeter rather than above the candles where they could potentially ignite.

Source: https://www.pinterest.jp/godf1rst/housewares-ideas/

Arranging the Pieces

The key to arranging floating candle centerpieces is to think about the overall pattern, spacing, and grouping of the pieces. Here are some tips:

Create visual interest by alternating heights and sizes of vases and candles. For example, use tall pillar candles in some vases and shorter votives in others. Mix in vases of varying heights and shapes as well.

Space the vases far enough apart so the flames don’t connect, but close enough together to create a cohesive arrangement. Groupings of 3-5 vases work well and leave enough negative space between groupings.

Arrange the vases in organic patterns rather than rigid rows. Try a “V” shape, staggered pattern, or loose cluster. Avoid placing them equidistant or in perfect symmetry.

Incorporate other decorative elements like flowers, greenery, pebbles, etc. to add texture and fill in empty space. Make sure decor stays below the rim of the vases.

Angle some of the vases slightly rather than having all stand perfectly straight. This creates a dynamic look.

Play with heights by placing some vases on candle pillars, stands, or elevated surfaces. This adds dimension.

Step back periodically to check the overall look. Adjust and tweak placements as needed for optimal visual appeal.

Setting Up

Filling the containers is a key step in setting up floating candle centerpieces. Make sure to fill the container at least half full with water before inserting the floating candles. The water provides stability and enables the candles to float properly. According to Creative Candles, “All you have to do is arrange them as you see fit, light the wick, and watch as they gently float in the water.” (https://creativecandles.com/blogs/blog/tips-for-decorating-with-floating-candles) Once the container is filled with water, carefully insert the floating candles. Position them attractively, leaving enough space between candles for optimal ambiance and design. The candles should have enough room to float freely without bumping into each other.

Lighting

When lighting floating candles, it’s important to follow proper techniques to ensure safety. According to Tips for Decorating with Floating Candles, you should light the candles before placing them in water to avoid splashing wax. Use a long lighter or candle lighter to ignite the wick. For large arrangements, light candles in sections to maintain control over the lighting process. Exercise caution when tilting candles to light hard-to-reach wicks.

Always supervise burning floating candles and never leave them unattended, as advised by Floating Candles? How Do They Work?. Extinguish candles before the wax burns down too far to prevent wax from spilling into the water, which can be dangerous if the water gets too hot. Have damp cloths or a snuffer on hand to safely put out candles when needed. Take care not to burn yourself on hot wax. With proper precautions, you can safely illuminate your floating candle designs.

Maintenance

Floating candle centerpieces require some monitoring and maintenance to keep them looking beautiful throughout an event. As the candles burn down, you’ll need to check on water levels in the containers and replace candles that have burned out.

Regularly check the water level in the floating candle vases or bowls, and top off with more water as needed. The water should remain high enough to keep the candles floating. Allowing the water level to get too low can allow candles to tilt or tip over (Source).

Expect that some votive or pillar candles may burn out before the end of the event. Have extra candles on hand to swap out as needed. Snuff out the burned-down candles and replace them with new, lit candles to maintain the beautiful ambiance (Source).

Assign someone to be in charge of monitoring and maintaining the floating candle centerpieces throughout the event. With just a little attention, you can keep the candles looking gorgeous all night long.

Inspiration and Variations

Floating candles offer endless design possibilities. Here are some inspiring photos and ideas:

• Use different shaped and sized containers – try bowls, glasses, jars, and vases in a mix of heights.

• Mix and match candle sizes and shapes as well – tall tapers, short votives, pillars, tealights, and more.

• Incorporate flowers, greenery, fruits, berries, pinecones, seashells, stones, and other natural elements.

• Use ribbon, raffia, jute, lace, or fabric cut into strips to wrap containers and tie elements together.

• Experiment with colors – white, metallics, pastels, jewel tones, seasonal hues.

• Scatter petals, herbs, spices, coffee beans, sand, or glitter across the water’s surface.

• Try themed designs for holidays, seasons, events, locations.

• Combine with LED lights, dangling accents, mirrors, vases, lanterns.

• Arrange in straight lines, clustered groups, alternating heights, geometric or asymmetrical patterns.

• Float candles in a pool, fountain, birdbath, or pond for gorgeous outdoor ambiance.

Let your creativity shine through these dazzling candle centerpieces!