For the wedding we imagined thin, mismatched dripping candles along the long dinner table. I searched online, but I had in mind something more organic and imperfect. I’ve worked with beeswax plenty of times, so I thought I would give it a try myself… Candle-making without any real instruction. I created my first candle, sent it to Joy and she agreed this was the way to go. So I set off to make candle-dipping dates!
Supplies:
Melted Bleached or Unbleached Beeswax. We used Bleached Beeswax for a lighter color candle. Wax be found on Amazon.com or an art supply store.
A small piece of wood
2 nails
Candle Wick. Also found on Amazon.com or an art supply store
A glass of water
A tall heat proof container. I bought a pouring pot I found online, but I believe you can use anything that is heatproof and tall enough for your desired candle length.
Hammer
Prepare by heating your wax in a double broiler until entirely melted.
Directions:
1. Create your dipping tool by putting two nails into a small piece of wood about 2 inches apart. We just used a small branch from outside but you could also use a ruler or perhaps a pencil.
2. With the wick draping over your dipping tool, decide how long your want your two candles. Remember to add an additional 2-3 inches to each candle since you will not drop your wick all the way to the wax. Since the wick is doubling over, double your math and measure out the rest of your wicks accordingly. *
3. Take each of your cut wicks, and quickly dip them entirely into your wax and remove and allow to dry. If you bought pre-waxed wicks, you can skip this step. This allows your next few dips to have something to grab onto.
4. Place your cooled & waxed wicks over the two nails and dip into the wax quickly. Alternate between dipping in the wax and into the water, which will quickly cool the wax before diving back in again. Watch the candle start to form.
5. Repeat until you find your desired width of your candle. For my candles, I dipped them 10-15 times.
*Remember: How deep your hot wax container is will determine how long your candle will be. Decide how long you want your candles to be and find a container to match your needs.
Tip: Halfway through the process, your wax may start to cool off. Take a break, put your pot back into your double broiler, and heat again.
Main Image Photography: Tec Petaja | Tutorial Photography: Rylee Hitchner | Styling: Ginny Au
