Vermont is a beautiful place to get married at any time of year, but this is especially true in the fall. In fact, autumn is a very busy season for Vermont weddings, because the setting, complete with rolling hills that are alive with red, orange and yellow hues, creates a stunning backdrop for any special celebration.

With Autumn Vermont weddings in mind, we thought we would suggest a few tips to help you plan the perfect event here:

1. Favors: Of course, you’ll want to make sure you have the right favors to give your guests, and what could be better to show your guests what Vermont is really about than Vermont chocolate? We have a selection of favors for you, from truffles to chocolate hearts. If nothing there sings to you, try reflecting the autumn colors around you by using some of our foil-wrapped peanut and caramel chocolate leaves?

2. Venues: When looking for venues, remember to find places that have contingency plans for rain or cold weather. Vermont in the fall is lovely, but it can also rain (or even snow!) so if you are planning on an outdoor ceremony, make sure that you either find someplace that also has an indoor space you could use, or hire a tent. If you’ve found the perfect location but need some covering, have a look at VT Tent.

3. Weather: Speaking of Autumn in Vermont, it can be cold up here! Make sure to tell your guests to dress appropriately, and if you are looking at an outdoor venue, maybe think about having a basket of blankets or shawls for people to use if they get chilly.

4. Colors: Choose colors that will match the scenery around you. Reds, oranges and browns will surround your venue of choice, so a bright pink or neon green might begin to clash a little. Try keeping your colors muted and natural. Perhaps use a burgundy or a dark brown, and maybe an ivory or a sage green.

5. Local: Vermonters are all about local products, and there are a lot of great food producers and craftsmen within the state. Find a caterer who is part of the Vermont Fresh Network, use products from local farms, and give bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts from a somewhere local. Frog Hollow is a great place to look.

Finally, if you’re looking for vendors, or for help planning your wedding, be sure to check out Vermont Vows, VermontWeddings.com and the Vermont section of wedding wire.

Fall is in the air, we're reflecting that in our stores. We've started seeing the leaves turn in the trees as we drive by them...

...but now you can get that feeling in our stores as well. You've already heard about our artist's vision for our fall collection, and we've decorated our stores to match:

To echo the changing seasons, we've brought out a number of exclusive fall chocolates of Vermont. In addition to our peanut butter and caramel leaves, we also have some specialty autumn gift boxes. In the true spirit of fall, we are offering a unique truffle flavor that is only available this time of year: the pumpkin truffle. If you like all things spiced, be sure to taste this one. Made with real pumpkin and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg, this truffle is the chocolatier's answer to the perfect pumpkin pie. Want to try one? We have them in our autumn collections, or you can stop into one of our stores and find them behind the counter.

Although the weather is helping us start to think about autumn here in Vermont, you can get yourself in the mood for fall anywhere! Maybe a little of our chai gourmet hot chocolate would help?

And if you're in the area, stop by our factory store for a factory tour! The summer rush is over, and the tours are becoming much more intimate. Plus, as we gear up for our busy season, we're making more and more cool chocolate confections in our factory.

However you decide to celebrate, have a great end-of-summer.

Hello everyone! I’m Lauren, the new research and development assistant here at Lake Champlain Chocolates. I just recently graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with a degree in baking and pastry arts and moved north to help create some new chocolately deliciousness for all of you! It was a long process to get here, but when I walked through the front doors of our Pine St. factory location for the first time I couldn’t believe it. I think it finally sunk in. I get to make candy for a living! Are you serious? Yes, I’m fairly certain this is real. As a chocolate geek with quite possibly serious addiction problems, this is a dream job, and I am grateful to have such an amazing opportunity.

Moving to Vermont by way of Tennessee, I didn’t really know what to expect. Everyone I spoke with asked why I was moving to a land so cold. I usually responded, “I’m doing it for the chocolate!” Honestly, though, all I had heard were vague descriptions of the landscape or a few comments about how cold it really gets, but I did not know that much about this small state. For those of you who have never been, it is absolutely beautiful here. You can be standing on the shore of Lake Champlain staring out over the water at the Adirondack Mountains with a breathtaking blue sky filled with rolling clouds, and the next minute you can be downtown Burlington with its vibrant culture, shopping, and activities. It really is a tremendous place. I know it will be great inspiration for new chocolates and candy. And sure, it is cold – pretty darn. They weren’t lying. Trust me. I’m working on developing my thick winter skin as we speak.
So, I am here, ready to brave the winter weather and hopefully make some pretty amazing stuff. Every once in a while I hope to stop by to let you know a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes at Lake Champlain Chocolates.