A dinner set for four on Valentine’s Day! Candles were lit on both the candelabra and in the little Irish thistle glasses for a lovely glow to the table. A little wrapped chocolate gift was placed on their napkins.
As a young bride of twenty-one, Mummy shared with me that you can enhance any dinner with candlelight! This exceptional tried and true advice is applicable to anything from weeknight leftovers to formal dinner parties. There is something charming, romantic, and even magical that lit candles can bestow upon any cuisine served. This is applicable to wherever you are dining, from a picnic table to a palace.
Traditionally, candles on a dining room table are lit only when it is dark, or after 6 in the evening. Candles may be present on the table at any hour of the day, but are not lit until then. In other countries such as Germany, candles can be lit on the table any time of day, even for breakfast.
If you’re tempted to use colored candles, do so, but be privy to the fact that for formal dining, only white or off white candles are used. It is also important to note that candles near any food served should always be unscented.
A bobeche is a glass ring that is placed at the top edge of a candlestick, and that rests at the base of the candle to catch any dripping wax. I highly recommend them! A simple, plain glass ring is best so that it doesn’t distract from the quiet elegance of the candle.
At Fox Hall, we have a family tradition that after dinner is finished, my husband and I have the children (this includes my grown children!) take one candle and make a wish as they blow it out. If there are not enough candles for every child, we relight them so that everybody gets a wish after dinner. But after a formal dinner, I use a candle snuffer so that less wax drips on the table!
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Forbidden Faux Pas
No-No: White wicks showing on a candle.
What is done: Wicks should be blackened once placed in a candlestick.
No-No: To light candles on a dining room table before it is dark or for an occasion earlier than dinner.
Millennial Tip
If wax drips on your table, try using a plastic spatula, held backwards, to gently push off the wax. Use some hot water on a soft cloth if needed.
Using your assorted vases, in any shape or form, as candle holders are not only practical but help to protect outdoor candles from being blown out by the wind!
When using candles in a dining room, be certain to use a dimmer to soften your chandelier light and any additional light fixtures in the room, as well as in the other rooms that you use to entertain. Let your lit candles engender their magic. Remember, ladies simply adore how they look in dimmed light and candlelight!
Candles are always magical outside on a warm summer evening. I placed votives in hand-blown pink and green glasses that were a gift to me for additional glow!