Candles are the definition of romance and will perfectly set the mood for your ceremony or reception space. If your venue needs some lighting but you want the space to still feel relaxing, then candles will work very well. They provide a soft light that can transform any venue into a calming and intimate place. We’ve chosen 10 ideas for you to incorporate candles into your wedding.

1. Mixed Heights 

To create an elegant table setting, choose a mixture of candles in different heights and holders. Long candles in metallic candlestick holders work well with shimmering votives.

2. Hanging Crystals

Candle holders hanging from crystal garlands are the perfect backdrop for an outdoor ceremony space.

3. Floral Candelabra 

If you’re a fan of tall centerpieces and decorations, then this one is for you.  A floral arrangement in your wedding colors with tall candles placed in ornate candelabra will definitely turn heads.

The idea of making your own wedding cake might seem daunting, but if you are having a small wedding, a DIY wedding cake is absolutely doable!! The key to a DIY wedding cake is simplicity. This Candy Wafer Cake from Wayfair.com, for instance, uses candy wafers as a design element.  This DIY cake is not only beautiful, at only $1 per slice it’s easy on the pocketbook!

Here’s how to make it:

When it comes to planning an intimate wedding, choosing who to invite and who not to invite can be a real challenge. Instead of risking the hurt feelings of those who don’t make the cut, Liz and Jack, decided to skip the guest list altogether and elope instead. Not wanting to miss out completely on a celebration with family and friends, however, the couple hosted a rooftop brunch reception at the Well in Kansas City after they returned as newlyweds.

Special thanks to From the Hip Photo for capturing all the beautiful details and sharing them with us today!

Liz, 29 & Jack, 27

Denver, CO

Wedding Date: October 5, 2013

Number of Guests: This was the tricky part! We knew we wanted the actual ceremony to be really small, so how do you choose who to invite? First we thought about just inviting the couple that introduced us; then maybe 8 close friends, but how do you choose without hurting anyone’s feelings? Family? Our families are HUGE, so that number grows quickly; only our parents? No options seemed quite fair, so in the end we decided we wanted the ceremony to just be us. I was terrified to tell our parents, but they ended up being amazingly supportive. His mom had a few gifts ready for us to take with (a journal to write everything down, bride and groom glasses and a lucky Irish coin that everyone in their family places in their shoes for good luck), and when we flew back they actually surprised us at the airport and had a little wedding cake for us. My parents were just extremely happy to see us both in such a good place. I remember calling my mom the night before, telling her the rehearsal dinner went really well, and we laughed and laughed. It was so nice to be there and not be stressed about last minute details. It truly was just about Jack and me choosing to spend the rest of our lives together. Actually, we really ended up only telling our family in advance. The night before we left I sent out a mass email to all of our close friends and family and explained what was happening. I told them we loved them, and couldn’t wait to celebrate with them in a month or so when we got back. One of my favorite parts about the trip was reading everyone’s responses; it brought me to tears multiple times. I was overwhelmed by how supportive and excited everyone was and I still have all the emails/texts. Even while we were there, complete strangers would come up and tell us how great they thought our idea was. At  dinner that night, we had several people tell us that they did the same thing 25, 37 years ago etc etc. It was amazing.

Wedding Cost: All together it was about $5,000. My husband travels a lot with his job so we were able to use points for our flight, hotel room and car rental. I LOVED my dress, and its story… My best friend had gotten married a month before us and she let each of her bridesmaids pick out their own dress in a nude hue. I loved the dress we picked so much that I was planning on having it altered so I could wear it regularly as a day dress. After her wedding, I started looking for a gown for my big day and just kept thinking about the one hanging in my closet. Jack unfortunately couldn’t make Krissy’s wedding (he was out of town working) so he had never actually seen me in it. In the end I decided to wear it again. I bought a flower headpiece from Etsy and it completed the look! I planned on getting a manicure in Colorado, but ended up doing my nails myself. We did buy Jack a suit at Nordstroms the DAY BEFORE. We were just walking around shopping in Cherry Creek and loved this look. They were great about doing the alterations that day and we got a really really good deal! It was pretty funny telling them we needed it for our wedding which was in fact tomorrow afternoon. Right before we were leaving for the ceremony, we realized Jack had only brought black shoes that did not match the new suit, so he ran back into the mall and bought shoes on the way as well!

The reception was where the chunk of our money went. We had a full service brunch which was perfect! We rented the rooftop of a local bar and grill and had an open bar for a few hours. It was great because we treated it like an ‘open house’ so there were no speeches, cutting cake etc. and we just really were able to enjoy time with our friends and family. We did have a huge donut cake that my sister and her best friend put together for us after I saw the idea on Pinterest. After that, we went around to a few bars in the area and day drank with about 35 of our closest friends. I was amazed at how much people loved our idea of a brunch. With only giving people a months notice, it didn’t conflict with their evening plans and the weather was perfect.

The other cost was the photographer. Even though our situation was unique, I still wanted those special moments to be captured. I started looking for photographers a few months before we were really certain we were going to elope. I contacted Nina and her husband at From The Hip Photo and explained what we were planning on doing. We hadn’t even told our parents/families yet so I told them ‘if they aren’t okay with this we won’t be coming, but if they are, would you be interested’. We also didn’t know who, if anyone, would be joining at that point or really where to have the ceremony. Originally I thought we would elope over Christmas break to the beach somewhere, but after seeing some mountain pictures I decided I liked that idea more than all the beach ones. Nina and Danny were AMAZING, I cannot say enough good things about them.  They helped us pick the location, and helped find an officiant. They were so patient with our crazy plan. Nina is the best photographer, and anyone in Colorado who chooses someone else is crazy!

Sometimes it can be be pretty difficult for us not to tear up a little while reading some of the amazing love stories that come our way and we have to admit that today’s couple, Jessica and Cristian, definitely had us feeling a little misty eyed. If Talia Unger‘s beautiful photos of their wedding aren’t enough to make you feel all warm and fuzyy inside, we guarantee Jessica’s account of her wedding day will have you fighting back the happy tears right along with us!

Jessica, 27 & Cristian, 30

Edmonton, AB, Canada

Wedding Date: August 23, 2013

Number of Guests: 25

Wedding Cost: Approximately $2,750 ($750 photographer; $600 dress, $1,200 food/drinks, $100 decorations. There was no cost for my hair, makeup or wedding vehicles, and our officiant performed the ceremony as a wedding gift.)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Random green space along the river valley in Edmonton.

Wedding Reception Location: One of our favorite restaurants, Three Boars – a tiny tapas place that specializes in beer and amazing cocktails.

Accessories are those powerful little helpers that can make or break an outfit. When your wedding dress is crying out for something extra, an accessory or two can create a new look. Headpieces, veils or bold jewelry are the go-to pieces to achieve this.  Belts are often overlooked but might be just the thing to add a sartorial edge to your dress. Go beyond a simple sash and venture into a world of crystals, embellishments and lace details. Belts can be a subtle addition to emphasize your waist and more ornate styles will transform a minimal dress.

On the bolder end of the bridal belt spectrum are embellishments and ornate crystal designs. Wider styles nip in the waist and will work seamlessly if you opt for a design that complements the silhouette of your dress. A strip of crystals on a ribbon backing will give a delicate and feminine touch of glamor.