How to Arrange Floral and Floating Candles

Use flower heads to make floral centerpieces with floating candles.

Centerpieces are often associated with weddings, but also can be used as decorations for birthdays, baby showers, themed parties and other events. Centerpieces using floating candles and flowers are beautiful, elegant and can be made to match almost any celebration. Arranging floral centerpieces with floating candles is simple and requires only a few supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Clear, glass bowl
• Water
• Floating candles
• Fresh flowers
• Decorative stones or glass pieces (optional)

Instructions

1. Place decorative stones, or colorful glass pieces, into the bottom of a clear, glass bowl. While you can use a bowl of any depth, many choose shallow bowls for their attractive appearance.

2. Fill the bowl with ice-cold water until the water hits just below the brim. Having the candle flames burn higher than the edge of the bowl can help to avoid glass shattering. Also, very cold water helps the candles to burn longer.

3. Place a few floating candles, which can be purchased at specialty stores, on the water. For a large bowl and a more elaborate centerpiece, add between three and five matching candles. If the centerpiece is small and simple, use two small, or one large, candle.

4. Pluck the heads off of a number of fresh flowers. Fresh flowers that float well on water include daisies, roses, poppies, geraniums, pansies and marigolds. Choose a flower in a color that matches the centerpiece itself, as well as the rest of the decorations for the event.

5. Press the petals on the flower heads down flat, away from the centers of the flowers. This helps to prevent the petals on the flower heads from coming in contact with the candle flames.

6. Surround the floating candles with flower heads and, if desired, petals. Use less for a more basic, elegant look, and more for a more elaborate final appearance.

Tips & Warnings

• Place floating candles in the middle and surrounding them with flower heads to help prevent the heat of the candle flames from shattering the glass bowl.

References

• Shamrock Candles: Centerpieces with Floating Candles