Hi! I’m Sarah Grace, and I am so glad you’re here! I’m a wife to Mark, a mama to Emma, Wells, and our precious pup Louie, and the owner and the creator of Ava Aliza Candle Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 2016 after dealing with a tough year of bad anxiety the year before, I decided that I wanted to do something to occupy my mind and keep me busy. Something that was unique to me that I could make my own and enjoy doing! I have always loved candles, and always had them burning in my home, so I decided to try making them myself! I started small, with just a basic candle making kit from a local craft store. I made a small candle, colored the wax purple and added lavender fragrance. It was AWFUL. It smelled like almost nothing, my candle wick wasn't centered, and it barely burned. But it was so much fun to make! Hundreds of testers, so many candle fails and lots of research later, I finally found my aesthetic and started to really create candles I was proud of. In November that year, I decided to take a chance and I listed my candles for sale on my local womens facebook page...hundred of orders came in, and the rest is history.

I’m a native Charlottean, and most of my heart lives here, but the rest lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. If you’ve been here for a while, you know I have little nods to Pawleys with some of my candles. It’s where I got married, where I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, and the place where the best times are spent with my family. And it’s the place that feels just like heaven to me. I’m truly convinced that there is nothing more beautiful or peaceful in life than Pawleys Island at golden hour, out on the creek dock watching the tide come in, and a chilled glass of wine in my hand.

In Hebrew, Ava means ”living” and Aliza means “joyful.” I took that to heart, and it’s the mission behind what I wanted to create with my brand; to be someone and create something that encourages you to choose joy everyday, even on the hard days when you feel like you can’t.

I’m so glad you’re here, and I hope you enjoy these candles and love them as much as I do, and as much as I love making them for you.