How to Avoid Candle Catastrophes at Your Wedding

Candles can transform the look of a wedding and are one of the easiest ways to add warmth and romance to a wedding. But as a wedding planner, I've witnessed many candle mishaps that could have been avoided. Here are some easy tips to ensure your candle decor creates ambiance instead of an emergency!

1. Don't Put Candles Directly On the Floor for the Ceremony

Candles lining the ceremony aisle is a beautiful look. But if those candles are placed directly on the floor next to the chairs, a guest nearly always knocks one over. When that happens, it's not a quick and easy cleanup. You're dealing with broken glass and melted wax on the floor. Even worse, we've even seen the bottom of a guest's dress catch on fire! 

What to do instead: Elevate your aisle candles. Use risers or pillar stands so that the candles are more visible to guests, creating the same romantic glow without the risk of getting bumped.

2. Have Spare Floating Candles on Hand

Using floating candles in centerpieces is a popular trend and often quite budget-friendly. But remember, these candles are in water, and once the wick gets wet, there's no hope of it relighting. Believe me...I've tried! Guests do notice when the candles at their table go out, and it can make an otherwise stunning centerpiece feel unfinished. 

What to do instead: Ask your florist or decorator in advance to leave a few extra floating candles behind for your Day Of Coordinator or venue coordinator. That way, if a candle goes out early, it can easily be replaced.

3. Ask to See Examples of the Type of Candles for Your Decor

When meeting with potential florists or decorators, ask to see an example of the candles that they use. It's also worth asking directly whether they re-use candles from prior events. While many candles are long-lasting and may have life left in them, this is about knowing exactly what you're paying for and making sure your candles look fresh and photo-ready on your wedding day.

What to do: During those initial meetings with florists, if candles will be part of the decor that you're discussing, simply ask if they have any of their candles on hand to show you. Then, ask about whether they ever re-use them. A good vendor will answer honestly.  

Use these tips to get gorgeous candlelight without the catastophe!

Need help planning, your wedding decor? Visit us at www.CamilleVictoriaWeddings.com

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Love among the Dinos: A Fall Wedding at The Field Museum

It was so much fun to work with Lara and Brett on their Fall wedding at Chicago's acclaimed Field Museum. They truly embraced the vibe of the venue with florals and decor that transported guests to a feeling of being in the forest, while also putting so much of their personality and influences into the day. Check out the fantastic photos by Laura Witherow Photography:

Instead of a traditional ceremony set-up, we did a Chuppah in the round, with guests on all sides. 

The couple was literally surrounded by family and friends!

With little dinos on the cover, even the programs gave a nod to the extra special and unique venue.

As the newlyweds recessed down the aisle, they passed under the traditional sword arch, welcomed by the groom's military buddies.

Photo by Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

A room with a view - guests dined with the elephants and Maximo the Titanosaur.

Luxurious blue velvet linens with tall manzanita tree centerpieces made for a gorgeous tablescape.

Artwork of the Chicago skyline served as a beautiful guestbook that can be hung in their home.

A POW/MIA table honored those who have served our country.

'90s Cover Band "As If" kept the dance floor packed.

(Can you spot a rare appearance by yours truly in the background? Clipboard always in hand!)

Bride & Groom stormtroopers were guarding the sweets table!

Congratulations to Lara and Brett!

Vendors:

Wedding Planner - Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

Venue - The Field Museum

Florist - Kehoe Designs

Lighting - Frost

Band - As If

Photographer - Laura Witherow Photography

Video - Amor in Motion

Caterer - Blue Plate 

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Vintage in the Garden: Lauren & Derek

When winter blankets the ground with snow and the temperatures dip below zero, I like to reminisce about our beautiful outdoor weddings. Lauren and Derek had a beautiful Spring wedding at Morton Arboretum, complete with vintage details that gave the day the feel of a 1930s garden party.

The lace runners helped create that elegant vintage look.

Using multiple vases to create the centerpieces provided texture and accentuated the flowers, bringing the garden feel indoors.

Phillip's Flowers created these centerpiece looks.

At each place setting, guests received a vintage key bottle opener - a favor combining both the vintage theme and practicality to give guests something they could actually use!

This Art Deco cake by The Cakery featured the couple's furry family member.

Congratulations Lauren & Derek!

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Caroline & Zach: Stylish Grandeur

I love working with a bride from the very beginning of the planning process to help ideas blossom and then bring them to life. When my bride Caroline told me that she loved interior design, I knew that the style and decor of the wedding would be super important. Caroline had the extra challenge of planning from out-of-town! Thank goodness for modern technology, allowing us to exchange photos and ideas on Pinterest. The end result was a flawless evening of grandeur and fun. Check out the gorgeous photos by Laura Witherow Photography that captured the day: 

One of my insider tips is to always put the dress on a decorative hanger in preparation for this classic photo.
It wouldn't be quite the same with a regular plastic hanger, right?

Your photographer will thank you.

The Beautiful Bride

"The Bride is Coming...The Bride is Coming"

The Ceremony

Husband & Wife

The Getaway

The Bridal Party

I scoped out potential photo locations in advance and found this fabulous park, complete with bridges, ponds, sculptures, and weeping willows.
Want to know where it is?
Leave me a comment below and I'll reveal the secret!

 Chalkboards have usually been used in decor for shabby-chic style weddings. 

But when we discovered that Caroline liked the chalkboard look, we decided to do our own spin, making chalkboards elegant and regal for her wedding.

So we integrated beautiful framed chalkboards throughout the reception decor.

Entrez-Vous

Guests entered the cocktail hour to the sight of a personalized ice sculpture, emblazoned with the couple's monogram.

Both the bride and the groom each had their own signature drink available at the bar.

The idea of a theme is usually thought of as specific to an interest, like travel or movies. But when designing a wedding, a theme can be related to a decor element in the design scheme. 

Here, the chalkboards were our decor theme that we integrated throughout.
They were used in so many different ways!

Photo by Camille Victoria Weddings LLC
Escort Card Display

Yep, more chalkboards...

Instead of just a birdcage for cards, 

the couple asked guests to write down advice, wishes, and date night ideas!

Photo by Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

The bride chose a unique color scheme of dusty gray with shades of purples and gold accents. 

The tablescapes showcase two different centerpiece looks..

 At each place setting, we placed a menu and rose,
along with an extra large gold box wrapped as a gift for filling at the candy buffet!

The gorgeous cake

Instead of waiting until after the meal, doing the first dance immediately upon entering makes the bride & groom's entrance even more grand.

The Head Table
Notice the special gold chargers for the VIP bridal party.

When the groom told me he planned a surprise rap for his bride, I wasn't sure what to expect.
It was amazingly fantastic!
The bride's reaction says it all!

 The charm of Oak Park

Guests eagerly awaited the opening of the Candy Buffet!
Candy Buffets make for a fun wedding favor for guests to take home,
but the elaborate displays also add to the decor.

Congratulations Caroline & Zach!

Vendors:

Ceremony Location: The Orchard Evangelical Free Church

Reception Location: The Carleton Hotel

Photographer: Laura Witherow Photography

Florist: Stemline Creative

DJ: The Main Event DJ & Entertainment Service

Cake: Reuter's Bakery

Wedding Planner: Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

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Laura & Joe: Candlelight & Romance

My bride, Laura, had fantastic ideas for a wedding full of personalized details. On wedding day, Mother Nature chose not to cooperate. A huge storm rolled through, briefly knocking out the power during our setup and drenching the outdoor patio. But with a little maneuvering, nothing would stand in our way to bring the bride's vision to life. Check out the stunning photos by Dayna Schroeder Photography:

 

 Pinning on boutonnieres to ensure the guys look dapper.

The ceremony programs doubled as fans for the hot summer day.

We hung the bride's beautiful framed photos along the church pews. 

It was a unique touch and a great use of engagement photos. 

 Grand Exit

Your wedding coordinator will orchestrate your grand exit from the ceremony by guiding guests outside to form two lines, distributing the bubbles, and cueing the bride and groom.

On to the reception at the beautiful Ravisloe Country Club.

(The calm before the storm...literally!)

Instead of lining up the escort cards in rows, 

we hung them from these wrought iron decorative pieces.

A scotch bar atop the fireplace mantle gave the cocktail hour a cozy touch. 

Wedding coordinators often have to make quick judgments and split decisions. With the storm, we knew we'd have to do cocktails inside and found new places for the cigar & scotch bar on the fly. 

No detail was overlooked, with personalized drink stirrers and napkins.

The dinner table signs featured family member pets, 

and this board introduced and showcased each furry friend.

If you look closely on the bottom row, you'll notice the bride's new pet...the groom! ;)

Here is the gorgeous view from atop the stairs.

Black and Gold Tablescape

A big part of a wedding coordinator's job is setup. Yes, we make sure your other vendors are setting up according to plan. But think of all those little details that don't fall under any other vendor's responsibilities. 

That's where we come in! 

Those miscellaneous details that we setup can include escort cards, menu cards, favors, table signs, candles, cake toppers, and DIY centerpieces and decor.

Menu cards in a vertical pocket fold napkin.

 The table decor featured two different looks interspersed throughout the room: candlelit lanterns and tall floral stands.

 The Cake

The storm caused all sorts of trouble, knocking down power lines and causing traffic delays. When the cake had yet to show up, I was just about to send my team off to pickup a backup when ...Voila! The beautiful cake arrived in the nick of time, just as we were about to seat the guests. We like to have a backup plan but are thrilled when we don't have to use it!

The Head Table.

Using the bridesmaid bouquets is a great way to decorate a long head table and gives a place for the ladies to keep their bouquets. Your wedding coordinator will gather up the bouquets to put in place, as the bridesmaids arrive at the venue. 

 Photo by Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

When the sun went down, the room was awash in romantic candlelight.

Late Night Snack

How often do you get White Castle hamburgers on silver platters?

Congratulations to Laura & Joe!

Vendors:

Ceremony Venue: Second Presbyterian Church

Photographer: Dayna Schroeder Photography

Videographer: Leap Weddings

Reception Venue: Ravisloe Country Club

Florist: Avenue Flower Shop

Wedding Coordination: Camille Victoria Weddings LLC

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