Invitation Timeline

We are excited to be starting a series with what you need to know regarding invitations—timeline, etiquette, inspiration. For many of our couples, it’s about that time where you will need to start thinking about what you want to send to your guests. It’s especially important to think ahead if you want to send out save the dates as well as invitations.

Design by Maddie Laidig, owner at Lined Goods.

Before you start worrying about the style and design of your stationery and what information you’d like to include on your invitations, it’s important to have a timeline in mind so things don’t sneak up on you.

Save the dates:
If you’re planning on sending out save the date cards to guests, you should plan to send them out about 6-8 months before the wedding. Save the dates are great if you have a lot of guests coming in from out of town as it gives them plenty of time to make arrangements for travel or if you have a longer engagement.

Designed by Brook Krabill, owner at Smitten with Bliss.

Invitations:
If you decide you are not sending out save the dates, we recommend sending out invitations approximately 3 to 4 months before the wedding. Again, this gives guests plenty of time to make arrangements for travel. If you are sending save-the-dates, we recommend sending the invitations out about 2-3 months before the wedding. Regardless of when you send out the invitation, the RSVP by date should be set for about 5-6 weeks before the wedding. This will give you plenty of time before the wedding to contact those guests who have not sent in their RSVP as well as give you plenty of time to create your seating chart.

Designed by Jordan Santos, owner of Jordan Santos Designs.

We hope that you have found this to be helpful. We would also like to note that all of the invitations we will be featuring in this series are from local artists, we highly recommend checking them out! Now for some more invitation inspiration....

Jordan Santos Designs. Instagram: @jordansantosdesign

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Smitten With Bliss. Instagram: @smitten.with.bliss

2017 Bridal Open House

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Once a year we offer our Bridal Open House event at Bread & Chocolate and this year we are pleased to announce that it will be on February 18. This is a time to celebrate love and all things weddings! This is for our current couples, potential clients and/or anyone else who is married but would love to spend the morning with us and other great wedding vendors. 

Doors open at 10am and will run until 12pm. We hope to see you there!

Fresh Florals For Spring

We seldom see weddings at Bread & Chocolate that do not incorporate flowers in some shape or form. We are no experts on florals; however,  we've been inspired by some past spring weddings and we’ve done our research. We have curated a selection of colorful, in season flowers for your spring time “I dos.”

Absolutely loved the florals from this May wedding. Florals done by Camille's Floral Shop. Photo take by Bekah Taylor and edited by Ruthie Eileen Photography.

Spring is the season for flowers! For your arrangements and bouquets think soft and natural, with an organic focus. However, be bold with your color choices take advantage of the variety of color options and nontraditional buds, they will add dimension and upbeat energy while also being different, flexible and unique. 

Photo from a shoot done by Sj2 Photography feature in Trendy Bride.

Tulips
A classic selection especially for a spring wedding. Tulips come in a variety of soft and bright colors to match any color scheme you wish. You can opt for an entire bouquet of these elegant flowers or incorporate them with other spring time blooms.
Meaning: declaration of love, honesty, happy years, memory

Succulent centerpieces from an early May captured by Grace Pulver Photography. Arrangements done by Camille's Floral.

Succulent and Cactus Accents
Add these non traditional floral picks to your bouquet for a pop of soft green or purple. Succulents and cacti can complement a number of other botanicals, so it's easy to incorporate these blooms into any bouquet or centerpiece. Because these buds or stems are not as fragile as your regular wedding flower, they are extremely easy to ship, making them easily accessible for your spring time nuptials. 
Meaning: enduring harmony

This gorgeous wedding was captured by Bekah Taylor Photography and florals done by My Simple Soiree.

Peonies
Unlike succulents or cacti, these fragrant blooms are a more traditional pick. These soft and delicate flowers are often imported year around and are most accessible from April to June. Peonies come in a variety of colors and look beautiful as full blooms or as unopened buds. 
Meaning: beauty, welcome, bashful

Photo from a perfect early April wedding captured by Vina Sananikone.

Hydrangeas
This fragrant and full flower that can stand on its own is at the height of it’s season in March. These flowers come in a range of colors from white to deep purple.
Meaning: devotion, remembrance, boastfulness

Captured by Bekah Taylor Photography and florals done by My Simple Soiree. Cake by Bread & Chocolate.

Anemone
These flowers have a striking jet black center, which creates an interesting contrast to their light petals. Their petals are very delicate and sometimes nearly translucent and come in a variety of cheerful colors. In season from October to May, making them a great selection for an early spring time wedding. These anemone’s look beautiful garnishing our naked cutting cake.
Meaning: expectation, protection

Photo from an April wedding. Florals by Camille's Floral.

Greenery
Did you notice all of the beautiful greenery in each picture? Pantone's color of the year for 2017 is greenery so expect to see a lot of organic, vibrant greenery throughout the year! 

Photo from a fun early March wedding taken by Lexie Williams Photography. Boquet done by Camille's Floral.

Whether or not you're planning on getting married in the spring, we hope that this post has inspired you! We encourage you to shop locally, to support other small businesses like ours!