1. Candlestick makeover from Cupcakes & Cashmere 2.  Blue candlesticks from Sunset 3, Candles from Anik Gneib 4. Candlestick centrepiece from Womans Day 5. Black lacquered candlesticks from Gumps via Remodelista 6. Danish candlesticks from MonkiVintage 7. Chroma candlestick from Anthropologie 8. Coloured candlesticks from Martha Stewart Weddings 9. Coral candlestick photo by Crystal Clear Imagery via Style Me Pretty 10. Green candlestick photo by Michele M. Waite via Elizabeth Anne Designs 11. Painted candlesticks from BHG 12. Distressed pink candlesticks from VintageJulz

We think of candlesticks as being usually made of silver, brass, china or glass. Wooden candlesticks are more often than not stained a brown colour  – not terribly inspiring if you wish to include them in your wedding décor.

How can you add a point of difference to your wedding décor?  You could source coloured glass or china candlesticks from the web, or from larger decorating ‘supermarkets’. Perhaps second hand markets would unearth a few beauties.

Or you could call on your creative side and source wooden candlesticks of all shapes and sizes – tall and thin, short and squat, or elegant and tapered. Think of how you will group the candlesticks on the tables – different heights and widths look the best in groups of odd numbers.

What are the colours you have chosen for your wedding reception? Which colour is your main one, and which are the accent colours? Once you have decided, head on down to your paint store, with fabric swatches, ribbons or beads (whatever you will use) and compare paint chips against these items. Next decide on whether you will paint the candlesticks with a gloss paint, or a flat matt paint finish.  Some paint brushes and fine grade sandpaper and you have all your tools to commence your project. Take your time sanding and painting two coats of your chosen hues – sanding between coats to give a smooth finish.

Your candlesticks could be all painted white, or all black – grouped on a mirrored tabletop and lit with white candles. A metallic finished copper or gold paint might look good with honeycomb patterned beeswax candles.

Try grouped candlesticks of many colours on a plain tablecloth – for example try sky blue, spring green and white candlesticks, grouped on a white or blue tablecloth. Add blue and green hydrangeas and your other accessories in white and you have a simple but stylish table setting.  Candlesticks picking up the colours of a floral vintage fabric, a particularly vibrant stripe in a beachside setting, or a simple coloured toile will look co-ordinated.

So that your candlestick arrangements don’t look like a candy shop, just make sure that one of the colours dominates and the other colours are used as accents.