Probably the most frequent comment, question and/or request I get is how to replicate this look.

Flickr photo by Emily Grace

My answer is always the same — I don’t know. I found the photo on Flickr and included it on an old post about unique candle decorations, and, unfortunately, that means I didn’t create these candle covers myself. However, seeing as how its also this site’s most popular pinned image, I figured — why not try to find out how to do this?

Martha Stewart Weddings has a relatively easy tutorial on creating a lacy candle centerpiece. You’ll need lace, fabric stiffener, a hot glue gun and the vase you want to create the candle cover for.

Lacy Candle Centerpieces from Martha Stewart Weddings

There is also a tutorial for a lacy votive holder on Martha Stewart that’s done a little differently.

Lacy Votive Holder by Martha Stewart

This method is a little more involved, requiring some sewing, and it also uses a balloon for molding the lace into candle covers. However, I’d recommend this method for vases or votives you don’t want to permanently cover.

Black lace candle covers by Family Chic’s Camilla Fabbri

These are pretty frigging cool. Camilla Fabbri originally did this for Halloween, but I think the tutorial will hold for weddings and any other event where you might want to use candles.

One thing I’d recommend for DIY candle covers though — make sure the covers are either shorter than the glass votive or vase you make them for, or if they are taller, like the black lace candle covers, that they arch out away from the flame. Even if the flame isn’t tall enough to reach the lace, the heat and smoke can still ignite the lace.

And a small fire is a real party killer. Happy DIY-ing!