Heart Chocolate Boxes with a Lift-Off Lid

What is a heart chocolate box?

It is a box with a heart-shaped base and a lid of the same shape that lifts straight off. Inside, a tray shaped to the heart holds the chocolates in a pattern that follows the curve of the box.

The three photos show the range of looks: a red lid propped against an open tray, a burgundy lid with gold lettering beside a gold tray, and a pink heart on marble. All are samples; your box carries your own artwork.

Heart boxes are a gift shape first. People buy them for someone, so the outside matters as much as the chocolates.

When do people buy heart boxes?

Heart boxes sell all year, not on one date. Weddings, anniversaries, engagements, birthdays, a new baby and simple thank-yous are all reasons people reach for one.

Shops that stock heart boxes all year often keep two sizes on the shelf: a small one beside the till for a quick thank-you, and a large one in the window as the showpiece. The same artwork scaled to both sizes ties them together.

• Wedding favours with names and the date on the lid
• Anniversary and engagement gifts
• Birthday gifts from a chocolate shop counter
• Thank-you gifts for teachers, nurses and carers
• Mother's Day and Father's Day ranges
• Hen party and baby shower favours

How many chocolates fit in a heart box?

It depends on the size of the heart and the size of each piece. A small favour heart might hold two truffles side by side. A large gift heart can hold around 20 to 24 small pieces.

Because the heart narrows towards the point, it holds fewer pieces than a square box of the same width. We work out the count from your piece size and show it on the proof.

How is the tray laid out?

The tray follows the outline of the heart, with a row along each upper lobe and a shorter row towards the point. A food-safe PET tray can be formed with cups in exactly those positions. A card insert can do the same with die-cut holes.

If you sell a mix of shapes, we can give the tray two or three cup sizes so a heart-shaped piece sits at the centre with rounds around it.

How does the lid fit?

The lid is a slightly larger heart with a deep rim that slides down over the base. It should go on easily but not fall off when the box is lifted by the lid.

A deeper rim covers more of the base and feels more substantial, which suits rigid hearts. A shallower rim shows more of the base, which can be printed in a contrasting colour.

On card hearts the rim is formed from a strip of board glued around the lid top. On rigid hearts the board is bent around the shape before the printed paper is wrapped over it, which gives the smooth, unbroken curve people expect from a keepsake box.

Either way, we check the fit between lid and base on a sample before the run is made.

What can be printed on a heart box?

The lid top is the main canvas: your logo, a pattern, names and a date for a wedding, or a short message. The rim can carry a repeating pattern or your web address. Inside the lid is a good spot for a flavour key or a note from the maker.

All print uses food-safe inks. Foil on lettering is very popular on heart boxes, as the burgundy box in the photos shows.

For other ways to finish a box, see our printing and finishes guide.

How do you pack a heart box?

1. Set the base on the bench with the point towards you.
2. Drop the shaped tray in so it sits flat to the curve.
3. Fill the outer cavities first, then the centre.
4. Add a heart-shaped pad or glassine on top.
5. Lower the lid straight down so the rim slides evenly over the base.

Card or rigid heart: which suits you?

Card hearts are made from printed board that is cut, folded and glued into shape. They are lighter and better value for favours and everyday counter gifts.

Rigid hearts are made from thick board wrapped in printed paper. They feel heavier and are often kept as a keepsake box. Rigid styles are quoted higher than the card starting price and take 8 to 10 working days.

What should you avoid with heart boxes?

Ordering a heart box sized for square chocolates is a common slip; the corners waste space and the count falls. Round or heart-shaped pieces fill a heart better.

Another is leaving the order late for a wedding. Rigid hearts need longer, so build the proof and production time into your plan.

A third mistake is a design that ignores the point of the heart. Artwork centred on the widest part often looks low once the box is made up. We nudge logos slightly towards the lobes so they sit where the eye expects them.

How long do heart boxes take?

Card hearts are produced 4 to 6 working days after proof approval, rigid hearts 8 to 10. Delivery across the UK mainland is free, tracked and takes 2 to 3 working days.

Report any misprint or damage within 10 days and we reprint or refund.

If you need hearts for a fixed date, give us the date on the first message. We tell you at once whether card or rigid can make it, before you spend time on artwork.

How do you order heart chocolate boxes?

Tell us the size of heart you want, the number and size of pieces, card or rigid, and your design. For weddings, include the names and date so the proof shows them in place.

We send a price by email within one working day. Minimums are low and set per job.