Our practical guide to choosing, styling and safely using candles for New Zealand couples, wedding planners and stylists covering candle types, quantities, colour choices, styling ideas, burn times, venue rules and safety.

Introduction

There is something timeless about candlelight at a wedding. It softens the room, brings a gentle glow to faces and flowers, and makes even the simplest setting feel more intimate and considered. Whether you are planning a relaxed garden ceremony, a candlelit reception, or a few beautiful details for the cake table and entrance, the right candles can help create the feeling you want guests to remember.

This guide walks you through the practical side of using wedding candles with confidence: which styles to choose, how many to order, where to place them, and how to keep everything safe in New Zealand venues. For the best result, think of candles as part of the whole wedding look alongside flowers, linen, tableware and lighting, so every glow feels intentional rather than last-minute.

Types of Wedding Candles and Where They Work

Taper Candles

Taper candles are the most versatile wedding candle. Tall, slim, and elegant, they work on dining tables in candelabras or single holders, on ceremony pew ends, along aisle runners, and grouped on ledges and mantlepieces. Our dining taper candles in 250mm height burn for approximately 8 hours — enough for a full ceremony and reception without replacement. Available in white, ivory, gold, silver, and colours to match your palette.

View our taper candle range here

Pillar Candles

Pillar candles are the statement piece. A grouping of three pillars in different heights on a plinth, ledge, or cake table creates visual impact without the fuss of florals. They work particularly well in churches and heritage venues where there are natural horizontal surfaces at eye level. Our pillar candles range from 65mm diameter compact pillars to 100mm+ statement sizes, in white and ivory — the standard for NZ weddings.

Always use pillars in a heat-resistant holder or on a drip tray. Never place directly on fabric-covered tables without protection.

View our pillar candle range here

Votive Candles

Votive candles sit in small glass holders and are excellent for reception tables, bars, bathrooms, lounge areas and side tables. They give more visual presence than tea lights while still being easy to arrange in groups. Use textured or coloured glass for extra warmth, and choose holders deep enough to contain the flame and melted wax.

Tea Lights

Tea lights are the workhorse of wedding décor. Scatter them in glass votive holders across every surface — place settings, windowsills, stair treads, bar tops, and mantlepieces. They add a layer of warmth that transforms a venue from a function room to something special. Our 4-hour and 9-hour tea lights give you flexibility for different event lengths.

View our tea-light range here

LED Candles

LED flameless candles are the best option where open flames are restricted, where children will be close to the décor, or where candles need to sit near fabric, greenery or high-traffic areas. They are also useful for outdoor aisles and staircases because wind will not blow them out. For the most realistic look, choose warm-white flickering LEDs and hide the plastic base inside frosted, ribbed or coloured glass holders.

View our LED candles here

Unity Ceremony Candles

Unity candle ceremonies involve two taper candles (representing each partner) used to light a central pillar candle together. If you’re planning a unity ceremony, you need three candles: two matching tapers and one pillar. The pillar should be wide enough to be stable in its holder and substantial enough to look intentional — a 65×140mm pillar in white or ivory works well. The tapers can match or complement the rest of your décor.

How Many Candles Do You Need?

It’s important or order enough candles for the atmosphere you want to create. Here’s a rough guide for typical NZ wedding reception options:

Quick Candle Quantity Guide by Table Type

Table or Area	Recommended Candle Mix	Notes
Round guest table	2–4 tapers, 3–5 votives, or 6–10 tea lights	Keep flames below eye level or high enough not to block conversation.
Long banquet table	4–8 tapers per 2 metres plus scattered votives or tea lights	Repeat the same pattern for a clean, editorial look.
Ceremony aisle	Pillars in hurricanes, lanterns, or LED candles	Use enclosed flames and keep wax away from dresses and walkways.
Altar, arch or signing table	3–7 pillars, or two tall tapers	Create height variation, but keep paperwork and florals away from flames.
Bar, cake table, guest book and seating chart	3–10 votives, tea lights or LED candles per area	Choose enclosed holders for busy guest areas.

Total for a 100-person wedding: typically 100–200 candles across all types. Order 10–15% extra to allow for breakage and to have replacements on hand.

Colours, Finishes and Styling

White and ivory are the default for a reason — they suit every venue and every floral palette. Gold taper candles add warmth to autumnal or rustic themes. Silver works well for winter and contemporary settings. Coloured candles work best when used intentionally — one or two accent colours from your palette rather than a full rainbow. Our taper range includes a selection of colours if you need specific matching.

How to Style Candles For Your Wedding

• Use odd-numbered groupings such as three, five or seven candles for a natural, styled look.
• Mix heights: combine tall tapers, medium pillars and low votives to create depth.
• Repeat the same candle colour throughout the venue to make the design feel cohesive.
• Use glass hurricanes, sleeves or lanterns for outdoor, draughty or high-traffic areas.
• Keep centrepieces low enough for conversation or intentionally tall and narrow so guests can see around them.
• Pair candles with greenery and flowers, but leave clear space between flames and foliage.

Scented vs Unscented Wedding Candles

At weddings, unscented candles are almost always the right choice for dining areas. Fragrance at table height competes with food aromas, wine, and the perfume of guests. If you want scent at your wedding, keep it in the entrance, bathroom, or a lounge area away from dining. Our wedding candle range is primarily unscented for this reason.

Candle Safety at New Zealand Venues

Many New Zealand wedding venues — particularly heritage buildings, marquees and rural properties — have specific open-flame policies, and outdoor setup may also be affected by local council requirements, fire season conditions or public conservation land rules. Before finalising your candle order, use this checklist to confirm what is allowed and how candles will be managed safely on the day:

• Get written approval from the venue before ordering open-flame candles in bulk.
• Ask whether flames must be enclosed in glass sleeves, cylinders, lanterns or hurricanes.
• Check outdoor fire conditions before using candles outside, especially at rural properties, marquees, gardens, vineyards or conservation-adjacent locations.
• Use appropriate holders: taper candles must sit firmly in holders, and pillars should be placed on heat-resistant plates, trays or inside hurricanes.
• Keep candles away from flowers, dried foliage, fabric draping, paper stationery, napkins, curtains and decorations.
• Keep exits, aisles, stairways and guest walkways clear.
• Confirm who will light, monitor and extinguish candles on the day, usually the venue team or wedding coordinator.
• Never leave burning candles unattended, including during the ceremony.
• Have suitable extinguishing equipment available and make sure venue staff know where it is.
• Use LED candles for venues that prohibit open flames, outdoor wind, children’s tables, staircases and areas where guests may brush past décor.

Candle Burn Time and Room Setup

Match candle burn time to the part of the day where the candle will be used. Ceremony candles may only need to burn for one to two hours, while reception table candles often need to last through dinner, speeches and dancing. Light candles as late as practical before guests enter the room, especially tea lights with shorter burn times.

Candle Type	Best Use	Planning Note
Tea lights	Short receptions, accents and scattered glow	Choose longer-burn options for all-evening events.
Tapers	Formal tables, candelabras and ceremony styling	Use stable holders and wind protection outdoors.
Pillars	Aisles, altars, ledges and statement groupings	Place on heat-resistant plates, trays or inside hurricanes.
LED candles	Restricted venues, outdoors and high-traffic spaces	Check batteries before setup and keep spares available.

Ordering Wedding Candles in New Zealand

Golden Glow Candles has been supplying NZ weddings for over 55 years from our Auckland factory. We manufacture our taper and pillar candles in Birkenhead and carry consistent stock across our wedding range, so colour-matching and quantity ordering are straightforward.

We recommend ordering a small test quantity first to confirm your candles work with your chosen holders and look right in your venue lighting. Free shipping applies on all orders over $99 throughout New Zealand — making bulk wedding orders excellent value.

Browse our full wedding candle range, or call us on 0800 CANDLE (0800 226 353) if you need help with quantities or specific product recommendations for your venue.

Wedding Candles FAQ

How many candles do I need for a 100-person wedding?

A 100-person wedding typically requires 100–200 candles across all types. 

• For 10 round tables: 20–30 taper candles or 60–80 tea lights for table centrepieces. 
• For a ceremony aisle: 40–60 taper candles (2 per row end). 
• For the ceremony focal point and other surfaces: 10–20 additional candles. 
• Order 10–15% extra to allow for breakage and last-minute adjustments.

Should wedding candles be scented or unscented?

Unscented candles are the right choice for dining tables at a wedding. Fragrance at table height competes with food aromas, wine, and the perfume of guests. If you want scent at your wedding, place it in the entrance, bathroom, or a lounge area away from dining.

Are candles allowed at NZ wedding venues?

Most NZ wedding venues allow candles, but many — particularly heritage buildings, marquees, and rural properties — have specific open-flame conditions. Always check your venue’s policy before ordering. If open flames are not permitted, rechargeable LED lights provide a realistic flickering effect without any fire risk.

What candles are used for a unity ceremony?

A unity ceremony requires three candles: two matching taper candles (one for each partner) and one central pillar candle. The two tapers are lit first, then used together to light the pillar candle. A 60×80mm white or ivory pillar works well — wide enough to be stable, substantial enough to look intentional. The tapers should match or complement your wedding colour palette.

When should I order wedding candles?

Order a small test quantity 4–6 weeks before the wedding to confirm the candles work with your chosen holders and look right in your venue lighting. Place the full order at least 2–3 weeks before the event. Golden Glow Candles manufactures taper and pillar candles at our Auckland factory and carries consistent stock.