Wedding candles in India: what to buy for the mehendi, haldi, sangeet and the couple's room

Candles for each wedding function, not one look for all

An Indian wedding is four or five functions, each with its own colour. Candles look right when they follow that colour instead of fighting it. From our hand-poured soy wax range, made in Jalandhar:

• Haldi (yellow): Urli Candles, Rs 699 for a pair, gold-rimmed urlis topped with a yellow sunflower, and Sunflower Tealights, Rs 449 for 10.
• Mehendi (green, red, folk): Matki Candles, Rs 599 for 4 little red matki pots with a hand-painted green and yellow vine border.
• The couple's room or the wedding night: the Floral Candle Duo, Rs 649, two peony-shaped candles in rose pink and ivory.

These are for home functions and small venues. For a banquet hall with hundreds of tables, see the note on bulk at the end.

Function by function

Haldi

The haldi stage is usually a low chowki with marigold, a brass bowl of haldi and yellow fabric. Put one Urli Candle at each front corner of the chowki and a row of Sunflower Tealights along the floor in front of it. The sunflower tops repeat the yellow of the marigold. Together: Rs 1,148.

Mehendi

Mehendi set-ups lean folk: block-print cushions, kites, matkas, phulkari. Our Matki Candles are literally little painted matkis, so they sit naturally on the low tables where guests have their mehendi done. Two sets give you eight for Rs 1,198.

Sangeet

The sangeet is the night function, often on a terrace. You need many small lights along the railing and steps. Sunflower Tealights or Diya Candles (Rs 449 for 6) in a long line. Keep them well away from the dance floor.

The wedding pooja and pheras at home

For the mandap corner or the home mandir during the wedding pooja, the Shankh Candle (Rs 799) and Diya Candles keep the traditional look.

The couple's room

The Floral Candle Duo on a side table, plus ten red Heart Tealights (Rs 349) around the room. Together Rs 998. Blow them all out before you sleep.

The wedding list in one table

Planning tips from wedding homes

• Give one cousin the candle job. Someone must light them at the right time and put them out after. Write it on the function plan.
• Order once, for all functions. One order above Rs 999 ships free and arrives together, so nothing is forgotten.
• Order well before the first function. We dispatch in 24 to 48 hours and delivery is 2 to 7 days after dispatch; we cannot promise a date, so keep a buffer of a week or more.
• Keep the boxes. Leftover candles from one function can be used at the next.

If you need something we do not make: Wedding candles in India

• Hundreds of candles for a banquet or a big venue: a decorator or a wholesale supplier will be cheaper and can deliver on site. We sell retail packs only.
• Personalised candles with the couple's names: custom candle studios do this. We do not print names.
• Floating candles for an urli or a pool: sold by wedding decor suppliers. We do not make them.
• Scented candles as a theme: we have one, Vanilla Reverie (Rs 549), good for the couple's room; for a wider scent choice, try a fragrance-led brand.

If you are also looking for small candle gifts for guests, those are a different buy, with a per-guest budget.

Paying, shipping and damage

Prepaid only, by UPI, card, net banking or wallet through Razorpay; no cash on delivery. Free shipping on orders of Rs 999 or more, Rs 79 below. Gift packaging and a note are optional on each product page. Anything damaged in transit, reported within 24 hours of delivery, is replaced or refunded.

Fire safety in a wedding house

Wedding homes are full of dupattas, lehengas, fabric drapes and running children. Keep every candle on a heat-proof plate, away from fabric and the path guests walk on, trim wicks to about 5 mm, never leave them unattended and do not burn them for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time.