"The Nordic Spa scent, packaging and personalised details were exactly what we had envisioned."
Some commissions begin with a mood board. This one began with a scent the couple already lived with every day.
Our bride and groom have burned Nordic Spa at home for years. It is their signature scent, and they tell me their friends love visiting just for a dose of it. So when they came to us to create candles for their wedding at The Ned in London, there was no sampling session. The fragrance was decided before we had even sat down.
The brief
We met in July for our first conversation about the brief and budget. As a busy professional couple, weekday meetings were never going to work, so we met at weekends instead. Being small and founder-led means we can bend around our clients' lives, not the other way round.
Together we worked through every element:
- the vessel and lid
- the fragrance
- the gift packaging and ribbon
- a personalised thank-you message card
The finished candles carried the couple's gold monogram, were gift-boxed and tied with monogrammed ribbon, and each came with its own thank-you card.
Made locally, start to finish
Every candle was hand-poured here in Dunmow, Essex. For the labelling and foiling we worked with Offsite Digital Ltd in Great Dunmow, where Chris walked us through the options and even showed us the foiling process in their workshop. Seeing the gold go down onto the monogram was a lovely moment, and a reminder of how much skill sits on our doorstep.
The honest advice
The couple first wondered about scented candles on the wedding breakfast tables. I advised against it. Nordic Spa is a rich blend of winter orange, rose, clove, cinnamon and warm spices, and it is beautifully powerful. Over a meal, it would compete with the food.
They also considered lit candles in the evening reception room. Again, I suggested not. Naked flames, a dance floor and a few glasses of champagne are not a happy mix.
It would have been easy to sell more candles. Good advice mattered more.
The gift that stayed
In the end, the couple chose something far more personal. The 30 candles were placed in the bedrooms of their staying guests, each with a personal thank-you card. A scent from the couple's own home, waiting for their closest friends and family at the end of the night.
It went down a treat.
A summer twist
Not everything went to plan. The summer heatwave arrived just as the candles were due for delivery. The agreed drop-off was a secure spot until the couple got home from work, but in that heat the candles would have melted where they stood. We waited for the weather to cool, and delivered them safely once it did. Candles, it turns out, have opinions about the weather.
Create your own
Whether it is a wedding, a celebration or a gift for your clients, we can create candles in your chosen fragrance, finished with your own monogram, packaging and message.
Discover Nordic Spa, named Best Scented Candle for Men by GQ two years running, or get in touch to start your own bespoke commission.
Sally, Founder, ÉLAN Home Fragrances