Longmeadow resident Katie DiClemente works on candles for her business, Luminere. Photo Credit: Melanie Ruth Photography

LONGMEADOW – Owner Katie DiClemente of Luminere Candle never would have imagined her business growing into what it is today. What started off as a hobby, making candles just for fun on the side and making them for friends and family has become something she’s passionate about.

“I’m so grateful for the people that have given me support to be able to do this,” DiClemente said. “It’s been wonderful. Luminere Candle has grown exponentially, and I hope that it continues to grow over the next few years and we can get into some more retail stores.”

DiClemente started Luminere Candle in 2017 using soy wax and all-natural fragrance oils with cotton wicks that provide an environmentally clean burning candle. DiClemente does customization on her candles from graduations, engagements, wedding boxes, home welcoming and memorials paired with scents inspired by the seasons, blooms and celebrations.

“There’s always a reason that we can give someone a candle whether it’s a new job or a new home, a wedding, engagement or promotion,” she states. “There’s always a reason that you can celebrate someone, and this is a really personalized way to be able to gift something that encompasses that. I always say be the kind of light that no matter where you go, you always add energy and happiness to the people and places around you. You’re passing along that light, energy and happiness to the person you’re giving or receiving the candle from.”

DiClemente told Reminder Publishing running a candle business wasn’t something that she always thought about doing. It began during the holiday season of 2017 and she’s very close with a lot of her family such as her mom, aunts and grandparents. She explained that she was having a hard time figuring out what to get everyone for gifts. Nothing seemed personal, she said, so DiClemente came up with the idea of making something and she made everyone candles that year for Christmas.

“At that time, they didn’t have the Luminere label. It was just a white candle,” DiClemente responded. “I started to getting a lot of great feedback and people were asking if I could make more of the candles. They seemed to like them and wanted to give them to their friends and family. That’s really where I started to grow the business itself. I love mixing the fragrances, coming up with new ideas, new scents and getting feedback from people.”

DiClemente’s clientele has been built through seeing the candles in retail stores or from social media. She tries to target people that are in the market for a gift. Male, female, young, old – DiClemente truly feels that a candle is one of those gifts someone can give to anyone and it’s well received. Customers can go on her website at luminereco.com where most of her orders come in. Depending on the order that’s placed on the website, people can fill in specifics for their order. DiClemente said she works with everyone she makes the candles for, helping them with the customization.

DiClemente explained her process: first, she gets wax chips and fills a large stainless-steel container to melt the wax. Second, she pours the wax into separate containers so the scents she’s putting in aren’t being mixed in the melting device. As soon as the wax is poured into the separate containers, DiClemente adds the fragrances. Then it’s a process of letting the wax come to a certain temperature. Lastly, she prepares the jars and pours the wax in. A lot of attention to detail goes into each candle.

DiClemente makes sure the wick is centered and that it’s poured nicely. Though it’s time consuming, DiClemente said it’s very well worth it.

Once the order is placed online, DiClemente will have it shipped to the customer or to the person receiving the gift. The fan favorite and personal favorite she makes is a pumpkin chai scent in the fall. This scent usually comes out by Oct. 1, but DiClemente typically makes them in early September because customers are already asking for it. She said right after Labor Day people are ready for fall, a cup of pumpkin coffee and pumpkin candles. The sweet pumpkin with the spicy chai scent fills the room, according to DiClemente. For this spring and summer, DiClemente likes fresh and bright scents such as the tangerine and ginger and the coconut and lime. She just came up with a scent named “Spring Break” with pineapple and coconut milk that is reminiscent of a pina colada.

Right now, DiClemente is continuing to grow the brand. Eventually, she hopes to expand into more products and additional retail stores. Her long-term goal is to host a candle making class. Whether that’s inviting people into her studio that she created at home or bringing her stuff into other peoples’ home, DiClemente thinks that would be a fun way to gather a group of friends on a Thursday night or celebrate Mother’s Day with some friends and family.

“I just always thought that would be a nice way to bring people together,” DiClemente replied. “It’s definitely something I think about, so we’ll see on that.”

Customers can follow Katie DiClemente on Instagram and purchase through @luminereco as well and on Facebook at luminereco. Luminere Candle is also sold at Feather and Bloom in Suffield, CT.