This is a new series I’ve decided to start to help educate you on all those pretty wedding ideas we’re all pinning over on Pinterest. We know it’s the #1 tool to find inspiration and I want to make sure you get a full understanding of the ideas and what it takes to pull off the weddings you love. The basic premiss of the series is that I’ll find a popular wedding image on Pinterest, I’ll talk about The Romance: Why we all love the idea, The Reality: What it means to pull off the look yourself while giving you some inside industry info, and finally how to Overcome the reality. First up, Wine Bottle Candle Centerpieces.
Image via iDIYThe Romance
This is the image that sparked the idea for this whole series. It was pinned under Weddings and it’s gotten thousands of repins. Sure it’s pretty. Who wouldn’t want a farmhouse table reception with hundreds of simple but stunning wine bottle candles all lit and slowly dripping wax as the evening progresses, right?
The Reality
Your venue for one. That’s right. Wax causes a mess. Ever dripped wax on one of your side tables at home? Then you know how hard it is to get that wax off without ruining the finish on the table. Venues have to deal with the same thing. That’s why most of them require the use of non-wax candles and some will even limit you to the LED flicker style due to the fire hazard that presents itself when you’re dealing with less than sober guests and a gazillion tiny flames.
Next up, your rental company. They don’t want their reclaimed lumber farmhouse tables ruined by that drippy wax either. Believe me when I say, you don’t want to pay for the refinishing of those 20 tables you rented. Don’t forget wax will ruin linens as well. So this isn’t just limited to rented furniture.
More Romance
The image makes the set up and lay out look so simple you and your bridesmaids could do that before you all get ready, plus if you and everyone you know start saving wine bottles now you’ll have plenty saved for the wedding, right?
The Reality
Well, yes you could ask all 5 of your bridesmaids help you. After all, you’ve already asked them to purchase a dress, shoes, accessories, be there for all of your showers and chip in for a least one of them, attend your bachelorette party which may included paying for travel and lodging among other things, buy a wedding gift, and they may have even helped with some other aspect of the favors or decor prior to the wedding day (like saving all of their wine bottles for the last 6 months)… I’m sure they’d just love nothing more than to set out a few hundred wine bottles and try to figure out how to get those candles to stay in the holes. Speaking of hundreds of wine bottles. Where will you store them up until the wedding? You are going to need space, boxes, and they’ll need to be clean before storage if you want to avoid inviting pests into your garage.
Overcome It
- Find out exactly where your venue stands on candles. What do they allow/forbid? This is incredibly important to know before you plan your centerpieces with or without your florist.
- Consider hiring an Event Designer. Their sole job is to make sure the decor is exactly the way you want it, meaning you and your bridesmaids can enjoy the day of your wedding not rush around struggling with candles and wine bottles.
- If you venue does allow wax, make sure to find out the linen rental company’s policy on wax. Even if the venue allows it, it may be unwise to use wax if you have to pay for extra cleaning or damage it may cause to the linens.
- Hit up local Liquor/Wine stores to get free boxes to store the bottles in. Make sure they are cleaned well before you store them in the boxes. Designate a corner of the garage or a spare bedroom for storage. Don’t rely on just one or two friends to save up all the bottles you need. You’ll have better luck getting a few from more people and don’t expect for them to just keep the bottles lying around for months on end. If they tell you they’ve got some for you, go pick them up in a timely manor. Not everyone has a spare bedroom or garage to store your wedding decorations in. Family and friends will want to help you out, but don’t inconvenience them.
So there you have it The Romance, The Reality, and how to Overcome Wine Bottle Candle Centerpieces. Have an image you’d like me to cover? Post it on our Facebook page, with a link to the source, and we’ll give you all the goods!