Tap into your sense of smell and flex your creativity by making a hand-poured, scented candle at Wax Poetic Candle Bar in Grand Rapids.

The whole candle-pouring experience takes about 30-60 minutes and depends on how quickly you’re able to choose your combination of scents. The environmentally and health-friendly candles are made with coconut apricot wax, cotton wicks, and clean-burning fragrance oils.

Wax Poetic is open six days a week, from 10am-6pm Tuesday-Wednesday, and 10am-7pm Thursday-Saturday. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends. You can book a Regular Candle Bar session for groups of 1-16 people.

As soon as you arrive, you’re given a clipboard with instructions that lays out the fun process, which includes four main steps.

Smelling candles while shopping at Wax Poetic Candle Bar.

Wax Poetic lets you choose from a large selection of scents to create your custom candle.

Photo by Brian Craig for Experience GR

Step One: Choose your fragrance

First up is the Fragrance Bar. 

Here you’ll sniff your way through a variety of single-scented candles to decide which scents to include in your creation. You can smell as many as you’d like, from bergamot to peppercorn, pistachio to vanilla, and much more – including seasonal scents.

There are more than 100 different scents to choose from, so you’re bound to find a few you like. Perhaps a couple of fragrances will bring back memories or even evoke emotion. You can select up to three scents to create a custom blend all your own. 

shelves of candles at Wax Poetic in Grand Rapids

The customization at Wax Poetic even includes the candle's holder.

Photo by Experience GR

Step Two: Choose a container

Once you jot down the scents you love, it’s off to the container wall to pick a container for your candle. 

There are several types of holders that come in a variety of shapes. The price of making a candle depends on the price of the container you select, which range from $36 to $104.

Combine your scents at Wax Poetic candle bar in Grand Rapids

Have a seat at the Wax Poetic candle bar to begin crafting your candle!

Photo by Experience GR

Step Three: Combine it all at the Candle Bar

After you select your container, take a seat at the Candle Bar. 

You will start by getting a few bottles of your favorite scented oils to group together, squeeze, and take in a blend of fragrances. A staff member will help guide you in choosing the right blend.

Once you’ve decided on the right combination, you’ll mix your scented oils, then carefully pour and stir it into your candle container. 

Create a label for your custom candles at Wax Poetic in Grand Rapids

Wax Poetic provides the materials you need to create a custom label for your candle.

Photo by Experience GR

Step Four: Create your own unique label

While your hand-poured candle sets, you can make your own custom label! Wax Poetic provides blank stickers and colored markers for you to design a label as unique as your candle. You could list your fragrances, draw a picture, give your candle a name, or do all three. 

After you’ve put your finishing touches on your label, all you have to do is wait for your candle to set, which takes about two hours. While you wait, you can grab a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant or shop around. Wax Poetic is located in Uptown, so there are plenty of walkable shopping and dining options to keep you occupied – including Terra GR, a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant, and Terra Bagels, a coffee-and-handcrafted bagel shop, both right next door.

You may also choose to come back another day to pick up your candles.

The guided candle-pouring experience at Wax Poetic is enjoyable for all ages and walks of life, though younger kids may need help from parents. Wax Poetic is the perfect spot for dates, group outings, birthday parties, wedding festivities, or simply to shop for pre-made candles.

Jewelry for sale at Wax Poetic in Grand Rapids

Stop by to find unique gifts at Wax Poetic – the inventory changes regularly.

Photo by Experience GR

Bonus Round: Insider Tips to the Wax Poetic Experience

Private Parties

Thinking of throwing a bachelorette or birthday party with your closest friends? Wax Poetic offers private party reservations outside of their regular business hours. The entire space is yours for 2½ hours. You can bring in your own food and drink for groups of up to 40 people. Call or email the store to inquire about pricing.

Quick Visits

Looking to pop in for a gift? Wax Poetic sells pre-made candles in a variety of sizes along with diffusers, DIY candle kits room and more! If you’re looking to give custom-made candles as a wedding or shower favor, Wax Poetic can help. Email them for more information.

Beyond Candles

Wax Poetic also lets you customize body butters, room sprays, hand sanitizers, wax melts and other self-care products in whichever scent combination you choose.

Street parking is available right outside Wax Poetic, located along Lake Drive. The City of Grand Rapids checks meters from 8am to 7pm, Monday-Friday. You can pay at the kiosk right outside Wax Poetic’s door or via the Motu app.  Wax Poetic also validates parking for the nearby Kingsley Lot right next door. You can also hop on The Rapid Bus – route #6 stops just steps from the shop.

Wax Poetic provides the perfect opportunity to express yourself by creating something that is completely unique to you. It’s fun and creative, and a great bonding experience! 

Hours and prices are subject to change. Confirm with Wax Poetic before your candle-making adventure. Check out even more places to make your own candles in Grand Rapids.