Shop focusing on unique candle designs launches in Pahrump

A local shop owner is offering an array of unique, hand-decorated candles for weddings, anniversaries and holidays, along with those seeking gift ideas.

Denise Flanagan, owner of The Unity Candle in Pahrump, has been offering hand-decorated candles to couples coming together on their day to remember forever for the past several years. Her store is at 4760 Pahrump Valley Blvd., Suite 5.

Flanagan has designs for her unity candle sets that include the Christian cross, the Star of David and others. The unity candle set includes two taper candles and a pillar candle, which can be purchased separately.

For her business, Flanagan also creates holiday-themed pillar candles, along with other designs, including her most popular, steampunk-themed candles. All of the candles are unscented and nondrip, according to Flanagan.

The 12-year-long Pahrump resident and retired U.S. Air Force veteran said her candles do fit events to remember but also can be something for the average shopper looking for gift ideas to consider as well.

Flanagan, a native of New York, was in the Air Force for over 27 years and also worked at Nevada Southern Detention Center.

After retiring, she worked as a wedding planner in Las Vegas and did some events in Pahrump. That venture, however, faded as the recession took hold of the U.S. economy.

But Flanagan wanted to return to the wedding business.

“I wanted to get back in the wedding business, but I didn’t want to be a planner anymore,” she said. “I didn’t want to have to go to Las Vegas all the time.”

She’d always heard from her brides that they couldn’t find any candles that were in colors other than white decorated or ivory.

Flanagan launched an online store offering her candles in 2015 with a physical location opening in September in Pahrump.

Unity and other candle options

Flanagan sells candle sets for what is known as the unity candle ceremony, which “is performed to symbolize the joining together of the two families, and their love for the bride and the groom, into one united family that loves the new husband and wife. More often, it is to symbolize the union of two individuals, becoming one in commitment,” according to information on Flanagan’s website.

The set involves two taper candles, which represent the bride and groom as individuals, before the union of marriage, and a pillar candle, or the unity candle. The two taper candles are traditionally lit by a family member, one from the grooms side and one from the bride’s side; this ceremony takes place after the exchange of formal vows, according to Flanagan’s site.

In the end, the bride and groom light the unity candle in unison and then blow out their candles to symbolize “the end of their separate lives,” the site stated.

Flanagan said she can sell her candles separately, as some people could be looking for a gift for someone.

“You don’t have to buy the whole set,” she said. “You can buy the individual candle.”

Flanagan can also custom design candles, in some cases, for individuals that bring her a piece of jewelry.

The majority of Flanagan’s stock can be viewed at her online store at Etsy.com/shop/TheUnityCandle/items; she also has a website at TheUnityCandle.com. For more information, call 775-209-0783.

Flanagan said there is an incentive to stopping by her shop.

“Anyone that comes in can register to win a free Christmas candle for their tables,” she said.

People can register through November to win during normal business hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday the shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m; Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Saturday the shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The shop, however, will be closed through Nov. 6, re-opening Nov. 7, as Flanagan has a family emergency to tend to back East.

Contact reporter Jeffrey Meehan at jmeehan@pvtimes.com