About Us

About Us

Holland House Candles® was established in 1974. When I was 16 years old, I had the opportunity to open a candle shop with my parents on Windmill Island, in Holland, Michigan. It was decided that between my mother and me, we could staff the seasonal shop, and it would be something fun to do while I was in High School.

Well, here we are all these years later, still making candles, still enjoying our livelihood. My parents have long since retired, and my husband Bill and I have been overseeing our little enterprise since 1985. In 2007, after 32 years of continuous operation, we closed our shop at Windmill Island, which was a seasonal shop. But we maintained our Dutch Village shop (on the corner of US 31 and James St. in Holland, MI) which was more of a year-around location. We enjoyed a brisk business there from 1990 to 2016.  In early 2017 we decided to close our brick and mortar store at Dutch Village and offer our candles exclusively via the World Wide Web. We are a small business, and we keep it that way intentionally so that our quality is not compromised and we can be proud of every candle we sell.

If you have been to either of our shops in Holland, either at Dutch Village or Windmill Island, you have probably met us. I think our experience shows and I hope you agree. We have developed a wide variety of original designs that are unparalleled in the candle world, and have even been granted a federal trademark for our candles because of this.

Our Dutch Garden® candles are what we are most well-known for, with their uniquely Holland theme. But our Wedding candles have emerged as a most sought-after gift as well. We have developed so many new designs over the years, you will just have to take a look for yourself to see what candle most appeals to you!

-Valerie

Testimonials

We have received so many nice comments and notes from our customers. We love to hear from you and appreciate the feedback. Here are a few of the notes that we would like to share:

 

To Whom It May Concern:

Just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for the absolutely beautiful Unity candle you designed for my fiancee and myself! We have been waiting three years to order this for our upcoming wedding in June 2020, and I can tell you it was absolutely worth the wait. (The only thing we regret is that we weren’t able to make it to your physical store to place the order; we would have loved the opportunity to see a candle – if not our own – made in front of our eyes. At least we’ll always have the YouTube video that first led us to your business.)

I am especially glad we opted to have the well drilled and the LED light placed inside; this item is far too beautiful to have actually lit with a flame!

Although our wedding is still a little more than a year away, we are eagerly looking forward to being able to show off this beautiful creation to everyone at our wedding & reception – as well as inside our home afterwards. Thank you again for such a wonderful job. We hope to order again from you soon!

Best Regards,

~Christopher & Dawn

Greetings!

I received my candles today and wanted to reach out and say WOW, and THANK YOU!  I first learned of your candles on “How It’s Made”. My mom and I were so in awe that we immediately found your website to order them.  Your artisans are most talented and each candle we ordered (Seascape and Dutch Garden) is mere perfection.  Truly a master piece of art.

Thank you for crafting such beautiful pieces.  We will greatly enjoy them 🙂

Best Wishes,

~Angela H., Westminster, Co

Our Holland House candle was just delivered! It is a work of art! Thank you so much for packing it so carefully! We are so happy to have this precious creation in our home! It is amazing and wonderful that skilled artisans are keeping this craft alive in the United States. Thank you so much for maintaining the tradition! Wishing you joy and success in the new year!

~Jill B., Toms River, NJ

Hello!

I’ve had your candles in mind for a few years as gifts. I finally got up the courage to buy them. I was worried that they’d look gaudy, tacky, show up broken, or otherwise be as waste of money.

I got two small Dutch Garden candles. One purple and white, one blue and white. They arrived earlier than I expected. And, to be completely honest, they’re beautiful! They’ve completely exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t be happier!

Thank you so much for these candles. I can’t wait to give them away! Please let your artists know that I appreciate their hard work and skill.

Happy holidays!

~Shelby E., Pryor, OK

Oh my gosh!!  I absolutely love the candle!!  It is just beautiful!!  And I love the LED votive insert!!  I had the votive light lite up yesterday evening and I turned it upside down to turn it off before I went to bed and I have to tell you that after I went to bed, I woke up about an hour later and my husband had turned the votive back around so he could look at the candle, LOL!!  That is so unlike him.

Thanks so much for the great customer service and the beautiful candle!!

~Diane B., Palmyra, VA  

To whom it may concern:

I was scrolling through my Facebook when I happened to see a video of how your product is made. I watched the entire video, and was amazed at the craftsmanship and the artistry that goes into your candles. I decided to buy one for my mom for Christmas about 2.5-3 weeks ago. It arrived at my house yesterday. I took it out of the box just to check on it, and I have to say that I was floored by how unbelievable beautiful that candle is. It is a piece of art. I just want to say thank you and I hope you guys have a Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,

~Victoria J., Jacksonville, FL

Hi there,

I received the candle I ordered for my mom’s birthday today and she absolutely loved it! I just wanted to tell you how happy and impressed I am with your company and the beautiful work you do! Thank you so much!

~Caycee D., Janesville, WI

“I received my order yesterday and I am so happy with it.  I was very pleased to see how exceptional it was packaged, there was no way that it was going to become damaged.  The website and TV doesn’t do these candles justice, it is a fine piece of art and I and so looking forward to filling my house with more. Thank you,”

~Melissa D. Ontario, Canada

I received my candles exactly the day that you said I would, and they are BEAUTIFUL! I really really love my unity candle! I can’t wait to display them at my wedding ceremony in October! I just wanted to thank you for all of the effort that you put into making my candle exactly how I dreamed it to be! You expressed your creativity and yet still catered to my requests.  I was impressed with the packaging that made it all the way to Missouri with absolutely no damage! Thank you again, and I will be sending you pictures after the wedding 🙂

~Kimberlea S.

Oh my gosh, you guys are incredible!!  I had no idea the tapers would be decorated as well…wow!! I found my wedding colors through you guys 3 ½ years ago and my dress has navy on the back because of you guys….and now the candle, WOW!  I am blown away at your talent and service!!!  Thank you so very much!  This was THE BEST buy I’ve made and I’m so glad I designed my wedding around the delft blue!! If there is anything I can ever do for you, please let me know!!!  I now have one more thing to look forward to in 22 days!!! The only possible regret I have is that maybe I shouldn’t have had you guys ship it to my office…it’s been hard to work ever since! Thanks again!!! Attached are two of my bridal pictures so you can see WHAT you guys influenced a southern gal to do!

~Angela S.,  Dallas, TX

My husband and I honeymooned in Holland, MI (We live in Grand Rapids). When we visited the Dutch Village I looked for your store straightaway. The ladies making the candles were very polite and didn’t mind me watch them make the candles for a good half hour. My parents have a candle from you that they got 25 years ago when they were married, it’s beautiful and I knew I wanted one as well. My husband bought me the Sweetheart Flare with tapers. The white and red/burgandy coloring is very striking. We lit the pillar because you can replace the candle in the center, but could never bring ourselves to light the tapers. The candles are glorious and last for generations. The next time we visit Holland I cannot wait to take my daughter to your shop and have her see the candles being made…I know she’ll be fascinated.

~Jenn W., Grand Rapids, MI

Hi,   Just wanted to take a moment to let you know how pleased I am with the two candles I received today!  They will be given as gifts onMother’s day for my mom and mother-in-law.  The pictures on the website do not do them justice; they are absolutely stunning and were actually much larger than I expected–what a pleasant surprise!!! They were also packed very well, and arrived promptly without any dents or dings.  They are truly a remarkable value, and I’m sure I will be returning to your website to order a candle for myself very soon!  Thanks for such a wonderful product that is made right here in the USA!!!   Thanks again,

~Sara L.  Sumrall, MS

Good morning!  I wanted to let you know that I received the candle yesterday and gave it to my mom for her birthday. This candle was so much more beautiful than I could have imagined. It was packaged beautifully, was very well protected, and showed up in perfect condition. The pictures on the website do not do your products justice, they are just breathtaking in person. Thank you again for getting this made and shipped so soon, and thanks very much for all your help and correspondence throughout this order process. We love your products! Please feel free to post this email/testimonial on your website, you have two huge fans in New Jersey! 🙂 I am single-handedly advertising Holland House Candles to everyone who will listen. 🙂 Thank you again and again, and have a great weekend!

-Jessica L., New Jersey

Earlier this month, I ordered one of your Dutch Garden ribbon style candles as a birthday present for my mother. Her birthday is at the end of this month. The candle arrived just yesterday and I was really impressed with both the delivery time and the care with which the candle was packed for shipping. Little more than one week passed between when I placed the order and the candle arrived at my doorstep. The candle was completely wrapped in several layers of foam and bubble-wrap, far better than what I expected, thank you!   I was also impressed at the warning label on the box concerning climate. The label basically said that if the air temperature outside was below zero, the candle should be allowed to warm to room temperature overnight to avoid thermal shock. Although I live in South Florida and the climate is mild around this time of year, the meaning of the warning sticker made a lot of sense, especially if I had placed my order during the dead of winter. Believe it or not, Florida has the most unstable climate in the nation during the winter months, one day it’s mildly warm, the next it’s bitterly cold outside.   You can rest assured if anyone I know expresses interest in acquiring a carved candle for either themselves or for someone they know, you will always have my recommendation. Last of all, I want to share a weird irony with you that involves your candles. I first learned about carved candles from the Discovery channel show “How It’s Made”. That episode originally got me interested in ordering one for my mother. I ran a google search under the term “carved candles” and stumbled onto your site in the process. It took me several days to make the connection between the episode of How It’s Made and your candles. It wasn’t until I noticed the “As seen on How It’s Made” that I realized what I was looking at.   Believe it or not, while I was inspecting the candle I ordered from you last night, the very episode of How It’s Made that originally sparked my interest in it… re-aired! What are the odds that the episode that got one of your customers interested in your products in the first place would re-air on the very same day that his order arrived? It’s a weird coincidence, isn’t it?

-Ahmed E., Hollywood, FL

We have received our order of the Flamingo candle today it was extremely well packaged thank you. The candle is fantastic and the colours and detail are wonderful and is a work of art we shall be showing it to our family and friends At the moment we are scratching our heads where to display it for best effect. Look forward to dealing with you again we are looking at one of the Christmas candles for our next purchase. Regards

~Andy + Jill  S., West Yorkshire, UK

“I don’t have any questions, just comments. I received my candle tonight after an unforeseeable weather delay in Salt Lake City. You know that winter weather they make fun of you guys for? Well, we are getting that out west here except after years of no winters we have forgotten how to deal with it.

Anyway, I want to tell you that I saw your candles on “How It’s Made” and now that I have one of my own pictures don’t do them justice. If the bloody thing wouldn’t break I would take it to bed with me tonight. I think that is quite the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to light it but I’m almost afraid to.

Thank you so much for the most beautiful thing in my house.”

-Sharon C., Boise, ID

“I just received my unity candle for my wedding. It is even more beautiful than I had imagined. Thank you so much. I will be sure to refer everyone I know to Holland House Candles. I was originally going to buy my unity candle at a party store in my hometown. The night I saw your candles on “How It’s Made” I knew I had to check out Holland House Candles. I ordered my candle the next day and got it about 2 1/2 weeks later. The candles were so carefully packaged. Thank you again for making our special day even more special.”

-Sara M., Maryland

Dear Holland House Candles,, “I just wanted to email you and say how pleased I am with my order. I saw you guys on How It’s Made and was very “wowed” at the candle making and carving process. After I saw it, I did a search for carved candles online and found several other places that do different carvings. I placed an order for a carved angel. The carving was beautiful, but their protective coating didn’t coat the whole thing and didn’t look right. Also, it was damaged in the mail upon arrival. Although I sent it back and got a free replacement, the overall satisfaction of my order wasn’t really all that grand. Plus their candles used oil that’s lit from the top, so the light won’t shine through. My order with YOU on the other hand is on the other side of the spectrum. I was extremely pleased with my order. You sent me a link where I could track my shipment, it arrived on time, it was VERY carefully packed with no possibility of damage through shipment and the candle itself is amazing! Although it’s so fragile, it wasn’t damaged at all and it’s perfect! You also kindly included another small white candle I can place inside the main one when it burns down to a point where I wouldn’t want it to burn to the bottom, and then I could just put that one in there. Come Christmas, I know what I getting for some of my friends and family! Thank you for being such a careful packaging company and putting so much attention to detail and care into your products!”

-John H. Torrance, CA

“Hello its Linda here, and I wanted you to know that I received my candle yesterday the 29th just like you said I would. It was in great shape and packaged very well, thank you for all of that wrap, it was in excellent shape when it got to me. It is so beautiful and I thank you so much. I took pictures of it and will show my friends at work and maybe they will order too.”

-Linda H., Staunton, VA

“I recently purchased a candle (Dutch Garden, Raspberry Tri) from your website, which I received this afternoon 2-8-08. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this masterpiece!! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone at Holland House Candles for making this a very special Valentine’s Day for my special someone. You all may have just landed me my future girlfriend/wife! Thanks a million!.”

-Larry S. , Los Angeles, CA

“The Candle arrived unharmed and right on time for my wife’s birthday. She loves the candle and it is even more beautiful in real life. I forsee many years of use to come. I can’t say enough about the wonderful candle and the wonderful job you did. Thank You So MUCH !”

-Jerry S., Prairieville, LA

“I just wanted to let you know that we received our candle yesterday and it is just beautiful. We lit it as soon as we got it out of the box (great packaging by the way).

My Mom’s birthday is Feb 26th so we are going to order her the same one we got. She will love it, my son says As soon as the weather gets better – we are gonna go to the shop and check out all the stuff there. Thanks again and stay warm..”

-Debbie S., Rockford, MI

Just a note to thank you for doing such a beautiful job on our 25th Anniversary candle. It is absolutely stunning. I was not disappointed. From our daughter’s wedding candle, to my parent’s 50th anniversary candle and now to our own anniversary candle, the quality is outstanding. Thank you for adhering to such high standards. All of us treasure our special moments.”

-Rita T., Sylvania, OH

“To Holland House Candles, Thank you so much for making such a beautiful unity candle for my wedding. The color & everything is perfect!! I love the candle and the beautiful detail. No one else in Nebraska will have one like it. I love everything about the candle and its uniqueness. I can’t thank you enough!”

-Sara J., Kearney, NE

“Dear Holland House Candles, I am writing to thank you for your exemplary customer service and also to let you know that the second candle arrived in perfect condition. I know the candle, as a gift, will be treasured for years to come.

-Kim S., Belmont, MI

“To: Holland House Candles, I just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that my order arrived on Tuesday in excellent condition. It is absolutely beautiful and I am sure my son and his new bride will love it as much as I do. Thank you so much for your prompt service. I have several friends who would like information on the candles you make so please send me some literature and a price list that I can share with them. Again, thank you so much for such a special gift.,”

-Lola S., Grand Rapids, MN

“I am getting married this Friday July 7, 2006 in Charleston, SC. My aunt lives in Holland and sent us one of your candles as a wedding gift. When my fiancé’ and I opened the package, it took our breath away!!! I had not yet purchased our unity candle and was thrilled with the uniqueness of this one. I can’t wait to show it off during our ceremony and maintain it as a treasured keepsake for years to come. I will definitely bookmark your website for future gift giving!”

-Lisa M., Goose Creek, SC

My beautiful candle arrived today, and I want to compliment you on the way it was packed. It arrived in perfect condition, thanks to the most careful packing I think I’ve ever seen!  Putting the whole wrapped candle in a plastic bag with handles was BRILLIANT, as it made it so much easier to remove from the box without damage.

I appreciate not only your artistry in making the candles, but your care in packing them for shipping. Thanks so much!,”

-Carleen W., Salt Lake City, UT

We have now received both candles. They are just magnificent. My wife says the big one is too big for our house, we need to move. Not likely!

Could I say a sincere thanks to yourself for all the effort you put into communicating with me to make the process so easy. Also whoever wielded the carving knife is a genius, thank you.  You have a customer and referrer for life and I look forward to the next time we have an occasion because you will be the first people on my list. Your work is just something else. I have no doubt now but that the people in Australia will be awestruck as well. Any amount of postage is worth it.

I wish yourself, family and the staff a Merry Christmas!

-Donie O., Ireland

Just dropping a line to say I have received my candle, which came just in time for my sister’s birthday. She was overjoyed by the stunning craftsmanship involved and its uniqueness. As well as other friends and family who have seen it.

I noticed your candles being made on a French Canadian programme called How its Made, being shown by the Discovery Channel, which showed how the process taken to make the candle. It was this short documentary that prompted me to place an order.  Also there were no customs/import duties payable on the delivery, and arrived undamaged.

Many thanks for the promptness of the order and I’m sure that I’ll have another order to place in the near future.”

-Kabir, Lancashire, UK

“The candles arrived yesterday. They are really beautiful. My husband will love them. I think I would like some more of different colours!

The packaging was amazing. So many people ship with inadequate packing and it is so frustrating and disappointing to receive damaged goods. As I live on a tiny Island, all my ‘shopping’ comes by Post, so it was a pleasant surprise to see such good packing.  As for Import Duty – I did not have to pay any. But this is because I live in the Channel Islands which is not covered by the same Import laws as the UK.

I will keep your details and am sure I will be ordering again.”

-Pauline S., Channel Islands, UK

“I just wanted to tell you how pleased my wife are with the Beautiful candle we purchased from you. We saw the show on TV “How its Made”. We were sold the minute we saw the person carving it. We’ve been telling all our friends and showing it to everyone who stops to visit. I compare it to buying fine jewelry. Thank you so much for the wonderful gift you have provided us with. I will purchase another one soon. ”

-Tom and Barbara A., Sioux Rapids, ID

“I ordered personalized wedding candles December 6th for my wife’s and my Anniversary (December 21st) and when we talked on the phone, you were not sure if the order would arrive before Christmas, which was expected due to the timing of the order. I wanted to let you know the candle arrived on December 20th, to both my wife’s and my surprise, just as we were leaving for a Christmas trip to Euro Disney. It was an even bigger and GREAT surprise for my wife since she picked it up at the base post office. Just seeing how fast it was completed and mailed, tells me that you and your wife must have moved up our candle on your priority list to get the candles to England by the 20th…

We didn’t have e-mail access at Euro Disney, but now that we do I wanted to write and say THANK YOU very much for providing such an awesome looking candle and the effort it must have taken to get it completed and mailed so that it arrived not only by Christmas, but our anniversary as well!!! It may seem like a small thing to some, but we both know the effort that took and we both wanted you know how much that type of effort is truly appreciated and the level of character and class it shows… It made our anniversary and Christmas very special for us, and it also uplifts my wife and I to know that there are people in this world who will go out of their way to do something special for someone else (which is magnified even more so during this holiday season).

My family and I want to extend our thanks and gratitude to you and your wife and all of those at Holland House that made our first anniversary a very special one. The effort and kindness you and your company has shown has made a significant positive impact this holiday season for a family stationed in England away from their family and friends…

From our family to yours and all the families at Holland House we would like to say Thank You and we pray everyone has a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

With kind regards and special thanks…”

– Christopher K. and Family, Stationed in England

Good Afternoon,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the beautiful candles. They are PERFECT. We lost my father to cancer in August, and I made a special request for butterflies and hummingbirds on the Tulips Candle since they hold a special meaning to us – – I have been sitting on it, waiting for a sign to know when to give it to her since Christmas is going to be rough this year, and suddenly had a feeling it was that night. So I went ahead and gave my mother the candle (with the extra butterflies and hummingbirds) last night and she loved it. I have to tell you the whole story though – she went out with my aunt for dinner, so I snuck over with the candle, some roses, and a card to lay out for her to find when she arrived home. Left the candle with its LED candle going and left (after standing there admiring it for a bit). Got a call a few hours and I could barely understand her. She was so surprised and happy with the candle. It turns out when they pulled in to the driveway a transformer in the neighborhood had just blown, so the only light going in the house was your candle.  It confirmed to us both that we thought it was God’s timing.

Any how, I cannot wait to give my other candles at Christmas (and will order myself one someday). But I just wanted to let you and your company know that you helped a grieving family feel close to their beloved father/husband with your product. I will continue to share you product information with all of my friends and suggest you for gifts.

Sincerely, 

~Sydney M., Brandon, AL

 

Beautiful candles, the led lights are great, no need to have a small votive.
They arrived within the time frame and were packaged so the candles would not get broken.
If anyone is looking for that special gift for someone, look to the Holland House of Candles.

Thank you

~Sandra J., Lincoln Park, MI

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