THE WEDDING CEREMONY!
Unity candles are often a very important part of traditional wedding ceremonies. This candle is a symbol of the union of both families. The ceremony involves the bride and groom each lighting a taper candle with a large column candle in the middle. Once they have lit their taper candles, the bride and groom light the column with the flames from the tapers.

It is very simple to make these beautiful candles. By making them, you can personalize the message on the column candle for those getting married. The message can be a poem, Biblical scripture, or even a photo of the couple getting married.

MAKING THE CANDLES!
Making the taper candles involves the hand-dipping process. You will dip the two wicks over and over again in the hot wax until the taper candles are the desired width. (See my pages on Making Hand-Dipped Candles and Making Taper Candles.) After they have completely cooled, you can trim the wick to ¼ inch of the top of the candle.

To make the column candle, you will need to use a candle mold. Simply heat the wax and pour it into the mold until it completely cools. Prior to pouring the wax into the mold you will need to insert the wick from the bottom of the mold. Cut the wick several inches longer so that you can tie it to a pencil or other object. This will keep the wick centered while the candle is cooling. (For more detailed instructions, see my page on Making Column Candles.)

After the column candle has cooled, you can place a poem, saying, photo or even a wedding invitation on the candle using double stick tape or a glue gun. For a beautiful effect, consider cutting the attachment in an oval shape using scissors that will leave a ridge or fancy edge all the way around attachment. For added effect, try dipping the finished candle once into the hot wax, lightly coating the candle and added decoration.

ATTACH BOWS!
To add beauty and appeal to the unity candles, attach bows to them from colors that match the wedding theme. For best results, use a piece of wire for each candle. Twist the wire in the front gently so you don’t damage the candles but enough to hold the bows securely in place.

You will want to find some very pretty taper candle holders for these precious unity candles. Generally, the column candle will sit on a matching flat candle holder, similar to a small plate.

With the overall expense of a wedding, creating your own unity candles or allowing a friend or family member to do so as a gift will save you plenty. There are many great books available that provide step by step instructions for creating your own unity candles.

The unity candle ceremony is an important part of many wedding ceremonies. You can provide the bride and groom with a wonderful trio of candles for their ceremony that they will treasure forever. The ability to add a personalized touch to the column candle is a great incentive for making them yourself. Making additional column candles for the parents of the bride and groom or the wedding party is a great gift idea as well. Place them in gift bags with bows that match the colors of the wedding