You can make lovely candle centerpieces for your wedding reception at a fraction of the retail cost. Here are easy directions for three different centerpieces. Each centerpiece uses a different style of candle: votive, tapered, and pillar.

VOTIVE CANDLE CENTERPIECE FOR A WEDDING RECEPTION

For each centerpiece you will need:

• 5 scented votive candles
• long wicker or bamboo bread basket
  
• fresh greenery
• hot glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

1. Completely cover the inner sides (but not the bottom) of the bread basket with greenery. Hot glue the greenery in place.
   
2. Glue more greenery along the top edges of the bread basket.
3. After the top edges are covered, hot glue a few strands of greenery every few inches from the top and allow them to cascade down the outside and onto the table. Do not have them evenly spaced --- make it look natural. There should be only 3 or 4 cascades on each long side.
4. Place the 5 votive candle holders in the basket. Make sure they are spaced evenly before gluing in place.
   
5. Glue short pieces of greenery between the candle holders so that the bottom of the basket will look lush.
6. Put the candles in the candle holders. Trim any greenery that comes near the candle to avoid contact with the flame.
   

PILLAR CANDLE CENTERPIECE FOR A WEDDING RECEPTION

For each centerpiece you will need:

• pillar candle
  
• small grapevine wreath
• long stems of dried flowers
• additional dried flowers (loose)
• hot glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

1. Choose flowers that will match the bride's bouquet.
2. Take a long stem of dried flowers and carefully wrap it around the wreath. Hot glue in several areas to hold the flowers in place.
3. Use additional stems of flowers until the wreath is abundantly covered.
4. Hot glue loose flowers in any sparse areas. This will give a fuller, more elegant appearance.
5. Place a pillar candle in the middle. Again, choose within the color theme of the bride's bouquet.

TAPERED CANDLE CENTERPIECE FOR A WEDDING RECEPTION

For each centerpiece you will need:

• 5 tapered candles
• 5 candlesticks
• fresh greenery
• fresh cut roses
• fresh cut rose buds
• small piece of thin wire
• hot glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

1. Choose candles in a color that will coordinate with the flowers.
2. Choose roses in a color that matches the colors in the bride's bouquet.
3. Choose rose buds in a coordinating, but different, color.
4. The candlesticks should be in three heights: 1 tall, 2 medium, and 2 short. Gold candlesticks will look elegant with wedding flowers.
5. Wrap fresh greenery around the base of each candlestick. Use a small piece of thin wire to tie the ends together. Tie them on the underside of the greenery.
6. Take fresh cut, fragrant roses and carefully cut them from their stems. Hot glue the roses onto the greenery.
   
7. Put 1 or 2 small rose buds between each larger rose. Hot glue in place.

Note: Some varieties of roses are more fragrant than others.

These candle centerpieces are easy to make. However, if your wedding reception will be outdoors, then check on the flames if the weather is breezy.

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