A few summers ago, I tried raw oysters at a restaurant for the first time and liked it a lot! I asked the waiter if he could bag the empty shells for us so I could do something with them. I already had a pound of candle wax sitting in my closet so making shell candles seemed like a fun DIY project.

I debated about writing a guide on shell candles, but there are DIY guides online on making shell candles with tea light candles, which is much more accessible than buying candle supplies which can be too much for a small DIY project. I like this DIY guide by Bridal Musings.

If your shells are on the smaller side and wobble when laid flat (like mine), you can add clumps of air dry modeling clay to the bottom of the shells and then flatten it so it becomes like “feet”. The shells should be more stable.

I made oyster candles to go along with a small dinner party. I decorated the table simply with pampa grass and little wild grasses.