How many advent candles are there and how are they used at a wedding?

The traditional Advent wreath holds four candles, often three purple and one pink, lit on successive Sundays before Christmas. Some wreaths have a fifth white candle in the middle, lit on Christmas Day. At a wedding, you might use a similar arrangement as a focal point, either on a table near the altar or as part of the ceremony.

If you are having a church wedding, ask the vicar or priest how they use Advent candles. Some churches light them during the service, and you could include a special blessing or reading as each candle is lit. In a civil ceremony, candles are usually just decorative, but check with the registrar first, as religious symbols may not be allowed.

For a wedding, you could have four candles around a central candle, and light them one by one during the ceremony to represent different aspects of your relationship, such as family, friends, commitment and love. Or you could have a single large candle that you light together as a unity candle, which is a common non-religious symbol.

If you are not religious, you can still use four candles as a decorative centrepiece, perhaps with names or dates on the holders. The key is to make it meaningful to you, and to check with your venue or officiant about any rules.