Listen, I love candles as much as (if not more than) the next gal! But sometimes candles just don’t fit into a proposal idea. We get a lot of guys who think that a proposal has to be decorated with tons of candles and rose petals to make it romantic, but the truth is that’s not the only way to amp up the romance in a space! Plus, if your proposal is someplace windy (think beach, rooftop, open field, etc) then it’s likely your candles will just blow out and be useless. Don’t feel trapped into using candles (or rose petals for that matter) just because you feel like “you should”. Think creatively, thoughtfully, uniquely, and if all that fails – contact us and we can help come up with the perfect proposal idea for you!
All that being said, if you’re absolutely set on having candles galore at your proposal then here are a few tips to making sure they are done well!
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- Propose inside. Even if you think she would only love an outdoor proposal, think about popping the question indoors and then taking some pictures outdoors afterwards (maybe even as the sun is setting)! Obviously, you can control the environment indoors and so your candles will stay lit much easier. Plus, you can dim the lights so the glow of the candles really shines through – you can’t control how bright or dark it is when you’re outside ;)
- Propose inside. Even if you think she would only love an outdoor proposal, think about popping the question indoors and then taking some pictures outdoors afterwards (maybe even as the sun is setting)! Obviously, you can control the environment indoors and so your candles will stay lit much easier. Plus, you can dim the lights so the glow of the candles really shines through – you can’t control how bright or dark it is when you’re outside ;)
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- Stager the height. Get tons of various sizes for your candles! Adding different height, containers, sizes, etc can all add dimension to your set up and therefore make fewer candles make a bigger impact! Have some candles floating in water, some pillar candles, some tea lights, some hanging overhead, and some traditional sticks – the key is variety!
- Stager the height. Get tons of various sizes for your candles! Adding different height, containers, sizes, etc can all add dimension to your set up and therefore make fewer candles make a bigger impact! Have some candles floating in water, some pillar candles, some tea lights, some hanging overhead, and some traditional sticks – the key is variety!
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- Consider the containers. Lanterns, cylinders, votives and vases can all help to contain the flame of a candle a bit which means there is more likelihood of it staying lit if a slight breeze comes! Don’t feel limited to clear glass so that the candle flames are visible! think about using wine bottles as the candles stick, or mercury metallic votives that are turned upside down, or even went goblets with the tealight sitting centered in the glass. The more unique your display the more she will want to tell all her friends about it! (Pro tip, Pinterest will be your best friend when brainstorming candle displays.)
- Consider the containers. Lanterns, cylinders, votives and vases can all help to contain the flame of a candle a bit which means there is more likelihood of it staying lit if a slight breeze comes! Don’t feel limited to clear glass so that the candle flames are visible! think about using wine bottles as the candles stick, or mercury metallic votives that are turned upside down, or even went goblets with the tealight sitting centered in the glass. The more unique your display the more she will want to tell all her friends about it! (Pro tip, Pinterest will be your best friend when brainstorming candle displays.)
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- The more the merrier. Again, this one may seem obvious, but the more candles the better! Don’t be shocked when candles are more expensive than you originally thought too, so consider renting them from a local florist or vintage rental shop! Often florists have “candle packages” where you can rent them for about $1 – $3 a piece (and that includes the container). If you do go the rental route though, just make sure to budget for a set up and clean up fee! Add candles everywhere to really make sure she feels the impact when she walks into the proposal space. (Another pro tip for ya, skip the scented candles – you don’t want to overwhelm her with the smell of cookies or cinnamon and distract her focus.)
- The more the merrier. Again, this one may seem obvious, but the more candles the better! Don’t be shocked when candles are more expensive than you originally thought too, so consider renting them from a local florist or vintage rental shop! Often florists have “candle packages” where you can rent them for about $1 – $3 a piece (and that includes the container). If you do go the rental route though, just make sure to budget for a set up and clean up fee! Add candles everywhere to really make sure she feels the impact when she walks into the proposal space. (Another pro tip for ya, skip the scented candles – you don’t want to overwhelm her with the smell of cookies or cinnamon and distract her focus.)
Image Credits:
Lauren Fair Photography | Rebecca Yale Photography | Greer Gattuso | Sonya Khegay Photography