33 Orchids
The Fragrance
33 Orchids is a captivating fragrance that is delightfully fresh and uplifting. Breezy notes of sea salt & melon dances with white orris, violet, and fig. A soft base of sandalwood, amber, and musk balances the fragrance for a luxurious feel.
The fragrance blend was created for a special tribute to the most iconic wreath in the world – the Indy 500 winner’s wreath.
History of the Winner's Wreath
The winner’s wreath is a fabulous tradition. The wreath prominently adorns 33 Orchids representing the 33 starting drivers. It has 33 checkered flags, patriotic red white and blue ribbon, and wooden Borg Warner lettering. It’s a fresh floral wreath made to be worn. It awaits the winner in victory lane alongside the glass bottle of milk and the prestigious Borg Warner trophy. This trio of traditions culminates in an epic moment supercharged with emotion, historic beyond comprehension.
Julie Vance of Yorktown, Indiana is the designer and creator of the wreath. She’s only the 2nd person to create it since the tradition began in 1960! William J. Cronin made it for 29 years using a European style sash design. In 1992, Julie Vance took over and created her own original design. Al Unser Jr. was the first to wear it. She continues this design every year. It takes months of planning to procure everything she needs to make 2 wreaths – 1 for Race Day and 1 for the day after photo shoot. She makes them at her floral business in Yorktown called Buck Creek in Bloom. They are delivered to the track the day before the race. The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will be her 34th consecutive year. Bravo Julie!
Meeting "The Wreath Lady"
Creating 33 Orchids was a journey. We waited 2 years to find a fragrance blend “worthy enough”. In early 2025, we found the perfect fragrance. Fascinated by the wreath’s tradition, we had to meet “the Wreath Lady”. On her website www.buckcreekflowers.com, we discovered we could order our own mini victory wreath. So we did! We made arrangements to pick it up and took a road trip to her shop. We walked in and our jaws dropped. A gorgeous wreath was ready and on display – an exact mini version with 33 Orchids, 33 checkered flags, red white and blue ribbon on lush green foliage. It is silk to last a lifetime. The orchids look and feel real; we even had to ask. A voice said “that’s your wreath”. It was Julie Vance “the Wreath Lady”! Julie is beautiful, gracious, and down to earth. We were thankful to meet her and lucky to catch her with some free time. We looked at her walls covered with photos of Indy 500 winners wearing her wreath and listened in awe to her stories. She gave us a sneak peek on how she constructs the wreath and demonstrated an old vintage stemming machine. It places a steel pick on a floral stem at the pull of a lever.
Julie was only 22 years old when she began making the wreath in 1992. Things change over 3 decades. It’s increasingly difficult to secure everything needed to make the wreath. Over the years, suppliers retire or close. She gets it done. One can only imagine the months of pressure and hard work it takes every year to guarantee delivery in time for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Julie is a rockstar.
Sea Salt - Honeydew Melon - Orris - Fig - Violet - Amber - Musk - Sandalwood
- Candle size - 7.2 oz
- 40+ hour approximate burn time (Keep wick trimmed to 1/4")
- Hand poured from small batches
- 100% natural soy wax
- Phthalate-free fragrance oil
Candle Care
For optimal burning, keep wick trimmed to 1/4" prior to each lighting.
With each burn, allow wax to melt all the way to the edges to prevent tunneling. This is especially important with the first burn as soy wax has a memory.
Candle Safety
Never leave a lit candle burning unattended.
Never use a candle as a night light or while you may fall asleep.
Never move or handle a burning candle. The wax and the container get hot when in use. Extinguish and allow to fully cool after or in between use.
Keep burning candles away from all flammable objects.
Keep burning candles out of the reach of children and pets.
Cease burning candle when only 1/2” of wax remains.
Extinguish a candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly.
For more information on candle safety, visit the National Candle Association at: http://candles.org/fire-safety-candles/