Unity Candle
By LeNae Gerig

Gearing up for a special wedding? Create this personalized unity candle as a special touch for the big day. (Makes a wonderful gift for the bride-to-be!)

Supplies:

• 3"x9" white pillar candle
• two 10" white taper candles
• wedding invitation
• oval template (large enough to frame the text on the wedding invitation)
• 3/8"-wide braided white trim (you’ll need enough to cover the edge of the oval)
• 24" of 5/8"-wide white satin ribbon
• 4 1/4 yards of 3mm white fused pearls
• 50 straight pins with large white heads
• 5"-wide white pillar candle dish
• two 2 1/2"-tall clear glass taper candleholders
• liquid acrylic sealer
• wire cutters
• 1/4"-wide flat paintbrush
• tacky craft glue
• low temperature glue gun, glue sticks

Instructions:
For the pillar candle:

1. Use the paintbrush to apply a 1/2"-wide coat of sealer around the top and bottom edges of the candle; let dry and clean the brush. Use the brush to apply a layer of glue to the sealed portions of the candle. With the candle upright, wrap the pearls around the base of the candle four times and cut the excess. Wrap the remaining pearl strand around the top edge of the candle four times, then cut off the excess and let the glue dry.
2. Place the oval template centered over the text on the invitation. Trace around the pattern and cut it out. Glue the braided white trim along the edge of the oval.
3. Computer journal onto white cardstock and crop to a horizontal 6 1/2"x1 3/4" rectangle. Mat on red textured paper, trimming the top, right and bottom edges of the mat to 1/4" and leaving the left edge at 1 3/4". Cut out the yellow textured with striped border square from the artwork and glue it over the large left edge of the journaling mat, slightly overlapping the left edge of the journaling block. Use a Glue Dot™ to secure the “fun” word block centered over the yellow textured portion of the artwork square. Cut one 2" length each of blue/white striped, blue grosgrain and blue/white gingham ribbon and trim the tails of each at an angle. Fold each length in half and use silver mini brads to secure each of the folded ends to the left edge of the journaling. Glue the matted, accented journaling 1/2" from the bottom of the page.
4. Use wire cutters to cut the straight pins to 1/2"-long. Position the oval centered on the pillar candle and press eight straight pins evenly spaced around the braided trim to secure the oval in place. Insert 25 more pins evenly spaced around the rest of the pillar candle, then place the candle on the dish.

For the taper candles:

1. Apply a 3/4"-wide band of sealer 1 1/2" from the bottom of each candle; let dry and clean the brush. Use the brush to apply a layer of glue to the sealed portions of the candle. Wrap the pearls around the glued area five times, then cut off the excess and let the glue dry.
2. Insert half of the remaining pins evenly spaced around the sides of each tapered candle. Place the candles in the glass holders. Cut the satin ribbon in half and wrap a piece around each candleholder, then tie the ribbon into a shoestring bow on the front of each taper candleholder.

Project from For the Busy Bride on a Budget!. This fabulous wedding resource is filled with 139 project ideas from florals and headpieces to invitations, reception decorations and favors.