Birchcraft's Hearts and Flowers wedding invitations album has just arrived.  When you place your order with The Bloomery, you'll receive a 30% discount off the prices you see in the book.  You can also order online at http://www.yourinvitationplace.com/bloomeryweddings, and still receive the 30% discount.

When Paul Meyer visitied us for a recent magazine cover, he showed us one of the projects he and Cyndy have been working on.  Their new offering is White Ribbon Design Album Design.  Paul brought a beautiful photo guestbook they produce, just back from the printer.  The couple had an engagement sitting with Paul, and they worked with Paul and Cyndy to choose some great photos.  The couple will use this as their guestbook at their wedding reception, and the guests will be treated to gorgeous photos of the couple on the pages they sign.

Their albums are more expensive than the discount ones you'll see online, but it's their quality and attention to detail that make the difference.  The books are actually printed in Japan on a special press, using durable inks and archival quality papers.  Their artistic skill will help you turn your photo guestbook or wedding album into a true keepsake, suitable for display on your coffee table, and something you'll treasure.

We're exceited to report that one of our weddings from last year is featured in the current Pittsburgh Weddings.  You'll find our bride on pages 48-49, and thankfully their photo shows her bouquet beautifully.  The issue is on newstands (Giant Eagle, Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc) until it sells out, and can also be ordered online at http://www.wqed.org/mag/bride/index.shtml.

Pocket invitations are the latest trend in wedding invitations, and Carlson Craft has sent us their Pockets wedding invitations book.  The Bloomery is pleased to announce you can now order Carlson Craft's pocket invitations online!  We offer a 30% discount on wedding invitations every day, so you can have chic invitations at a great price.

Out: Bridezilla
In: hybrid-driving, free-range poultry eating, organic wine drinking

The watchword of wedding trends for 2007 is green -- as in the color and the environmental movement, says Maria McBride, wedding style director of Brides magazine and author of several wedding-planning books.

"Couples are choosing to celebrate as they live, with conscientious decisions that help protect and sustain the earth," McBride says. "Organic fibers set tables, recycled wine bottles are used as vases, green plants or grasses for decor, soy candles for lighting and seasonal, local foods are served for meals with organic wines and spirits for cocktails, and, finally, the couples depart via hybrid limo services."

Couples' quests for environmentally friendly weddings are in step with some broader consumer trends. For instance, The National Association of Home Builders and McGraw-Hill Construction told the Nashua (N.H.) Telegraph that it predicts "a rise in green building to 10 percent of homes by 2010 from 2 percent today."  Full story at http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/BUSINESS/203090321/-1/community.

Even brides who don't make an environmental statement at their weddings are choosing green hues for the big event, says McBride, calling green "the hot color for every season."

(Thanks to Society of American Florists)

Artist Heidi Kumao took wedding cakes to a new level at her wedding.  The Wed-o-matic featured rotating cakes, topped by figurines resembling the bride and groom.  Each figurine was wired to a 12,000 transformer.  When plugged in, sparks jumped between the two figurines.  There's a video of it in action, as well as an article on how they put it together, at http://heidikumao.net/wed.html.

Carlson Craft's Pocket Invitations book has arrived, and it is cool.  The book itself is a stylish brown and blue-a trendy color combination we alerted you to two years ago.  Pocket Invitations is filled with the latest trendy styles of folding wedding invitations.  Over the past several years, brides have moved to more chic invitations, to reflect their weddings better.  This selection won't disappoint.

The Pocket Invitations are not yet available online at http://bloomery.cceasy.com/, but should be soon--stay tuned and we'll post when they are.  In the meantime, please stop by our shop and check them out.  As always, you'll receive a 30% discount whether you order through us at the shop or online.

Chocolate fountains burst onto the wedding scene a few years ago, and proved to be incredibly popular.  Today, they're almost standard issue at many reception halls.  At the recent Winter Bridal Extravaganza, we were intorduced to what may be the next trend at weddings--margarita machines.

Frozen margaritas offer a number of options at a wedding reception.  You could have one mix for the kids, and one mix for the parents.  Or two different flavors for the adults.  Or even offer something other than iced tea and soda at a totally dry reception.  If you're working on a tight budget, frozen margaritas are a great way to stretch your bar dollars while still allowing your guests to "have a good time".  Plus, since frozen margaritas have a lower alcohol content than straight shots, you wouldn't have to worry too much about guests overdoing it too easily.

We don't expect to see these at more formal receptions, but plenty of couples are having more casual or even themed receptions, and frozen margaritas would fit right in to those events.

The machine below (the one we saw at the Winter Bridal Extravaganza) is from General Rental Center in Cranberry Township.  You can call them at 724-776-6990 for availability and more details.