A wine bottle candle holder is a simple and interesting way to recycle an old wine bottle. These candles make the perfect display for a dinner or evening cocktail party, and you can achieve several distinct looks by using different types of candles or adding hardware.
The Basic Wine Bottle Candle Holder
The simplest form of the wine bottle candle holder is the type that you would see at an old school Italian or French restaurant. The wax from the taper candle melts and drips down the sides of the wine bottle, creating interesting patterns and textures. These are very easy to make at home.
All you need to do is whittle down the end of a taper candle so it can be inserted into the opening of a clean, dry, empty wine bottle. Using a candle lighter or a match, carefully heat the wax at the bottom of the candle slightly to soften it, and place it securely into the bottle.
Before displaying this candle holder, you may want to let the candle burn for a while so that the wax will start to drip. Cheap candles, like those found at the dollar store, are perfect for this purpose, as the wax is more likely to drip well. Make sure you place a protective plate or other table covering under the candle to catch stray drips of hot wax.
Achieve Different Looks
To change up the display of these simple wine bottle candles, here are a few suggestions.
- Create several different wine bottle candles with a variety of candle colors. You could also use wine bottles that have sentimental value, such as one from your wedding day or other celebration.
- Use different shapes, colors, and sizes of wine bottles, or find ones with interesting labels.
- Place a group of wine bottle candles together on a tray for a pretty and dramatic table centerpiece.
- Look for special drip candles that have layers of multi-colored wax. The layers will melt separately, giving the candle holder an interesting appearance.
Reusing the Wine Bottle
The beauty of this type of homemade candle holder is that they will get better looking with continued use. Once the first candle has melted down, simply place a new, pared taper candle into the opening of the bottle. You may need to scrape away from of the wax from the bottle opening, or melt that wax as well as the bottom of the new candle to fuse them together.
Choosing a different color for subsequent candles results in a pretty layered look over the wine bottle.
Other Types of Wine Bottle Candle Holders
There are many innovative takes on the basic wine bottle holder, some of which you can make yourself if you're crafty. Here are a few to spark your imagination.
- Cut Wine Bottles - These candle holders are made from wine bottles, but you'll need to use a glass cutting kit to slice open the bottles.
- Hanging Holders - These bottles have wire hangers attached to create hanging candle holders.
- Candelabra Inserts - A variety of stores both online and off sell these inserts that you can simply place in an empty wine bottle. You won't get the dripping wax effect, but they can be combined with other bottle-based holders for a visually interesting display. Use tea lights or votives for these candle holders.
- Wine Bottle Lamps - Here's a great idea for using wine bottles as candle holders without worrying about the mess. Wine Enthusiast sells a kit that allows you to transform the bottle into an oil-burning hurricane lamp. These would be terrific for an outdoor gathering.
A Perfect Party Accent
Candle holders crafted from wine bottles make perfect accents for adult parties, or consider making one as a gift for someone using a special bottle that will preserve fond memories. Be sure to keep pets and children away from these, as the hot wax can burn small paws and hands.
