Unify This!

Why must unity candles be so.... predictable? I feel like I see overpriced-candles covered in plastic pearls all time time, and if you like that sort of thing, I won't judge, but personally its not for me.

I do, however, love all that a unity candle symbolizes. The coming together of two families into one, united. And I don't mind that its only a 30-40 year old invention of the wedding industrial complex, according to wikipedia.

So of course, when it came time to consider the unity candle for our wedding, I wasn't about to buy one! Nope, instead I went back to Wedding Bee (yep, I'm a certified WB stalker) and found a wonderful tutorial from Mrs. Deviled Egg for making your own unity candle. Impressive, no?

Miss Deviled Egg's Candle

I also found designs like this one on Road to the Aisle, where DIY-ers printed images on vellum and then finished the look with Ribbon. It really is cute, and adds a great personal touch!

Heather's Candle, from Road to the Aisle

With this wonderful inspiration in hand, I set out to create my own personalized unity candle:

(1) Like Mrs. Deviled Egg, I taped two floral foam bricks side-by-side using floral tape. This became my base.

(2) Using hot glue, I covered that bad boy on three sides with moss, leaving the bottom flat. Messy but worth it!

(3) I then secured candle holder picks on either end of the brick, and a pillar candle platform in the center.

(4) Next, I layered a few types of ribbon I had on hand until I liked the look, securing the layers with spray adhesive. I made enough to cover all three candles.

(5) Using iron-on transfer letters leftover from a previous project, I carefully ironed our monogram onto a piece of my layered ribbon for the center pillar candle.

(6) Once finished, I cut additional layered ribbon wraps to size for the tapers, using more spray adhesive to make sure the ribbon stuck to the candles.

(7) I stuck some coordinating bows, mushroom birds, and clay flowers into the foam and voila! The great thing about using moss is that you can make a mistake in your placement and change your mind- you can't see the holes you make through the moss!

I love how the moss is rustic and holiday appropriate, but not too fussy!

Awe look at that cute lil' guy! I seriously can't stop using these peeps.

And that's the story of how we got our unity candle using (mostly) leftover craft supplies. Whee!

Are you incorporating a unity candle into your ceremony?