As we set up a wedding, we can tell when we've done a good job by the comments from the serving staff and others in the venue.  While we were setting up a recent wedding at The Edgeworth Club, a little girl walked onto the balcony overlooking the dining area and exclaimed "Wow!"  That made our day, and pretty much summed up what people thought about the flowers.

As guests passed through the foyer, they were greeted by a large arrangement of hydrangea, dendrobium orchids, pink peonies, pink garden roses, hot pink roses, peach spray roses, curly willow and mixed greenery placed in the curve of the club's beautiful spiral staircase.

Guests found their seating cards under a lush arrangement of white hydrangea, pink peonies, hot pink roses, orange spray roses, curly willow and mixed greenery in a cut crystal vase.

Prior to the reception, guests enjoyed cocktails in two rooms outside the banquet hall.  The living room was decorated with a centerpiece of pink stock, hot pink roses, white hydrangea, orange spray roses and pink peonies in a crystal vase.

The bar area was decorated with arrangements of white hydrangea, pink peonies, hot pink roses and orange spray roses in crystal bowls.

Guest tables were adorned with either high or low centerpiece.  High centerpieces were made of white hydrangea, pink peonies, pink garden roses, hot pink roses, orange spray roses and pink stock.  The entire arrangement was placed on top of a pilsner vase, with a single hot pink rose inside.

Low centerpieces were comprised of white hydrangea, pink peonies, pink roses, hot pink roses, orange spray roses and pink stock in a crystal bowl.

Designs for this wedding were created by Polly Berginc, AIFD.

For some time now, couples have put disposable cameras on their guests' tables, the guests would take photos, and leave the cameras behind.  Couples would develop the cameras and have candid photos and memories from their receptions.

Recently, fewer and fewer couples have been doing this, partly as a move to save expenses, and partly because so many guests are bringing higher quality digital cameras and giving photos to the couple on a CD.

Enter The Wedding Lens.  As they describe themselves:

The Wedding Lens allows you to create a customized online wedding album filled with photos from you and your guests. Everyone uploads their photos into one online album that is only accessible by you and your friends. From there, you can download and print whichever photos you like – regardless of who uploaded them to the album.

It's a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to have the equivalent of disposable cameras on each table. But it’s even better because you don’t have to print blurry photos and everyone (not just the bride and groom) get to see all of the fabulous photos from the event.

When you register, you get a customized domain name, which you email to your guests.  Your guests then upload their photos to your album.  The Wedding Lens stresses your guests do not need to register, all they need is the web address, their email address and password.  You and your guests can then upload as many photos as you want, and all guests can see and comment on photos in your album.  You and your guests can download the photos you want to keep, or have them all burned to DVD.

If you're trying to decide to place cameras on your guest tables or not, maybe you should consider The Wedding Lens.

P.S.  If you're the lovely bride planning her wedding we talked to at the Airport Doubletree today, this is the blog post we promised you.

One wedding industry tracking group calculates the average wedding cost in 2009 was slightly under $22,000, not including the honeymoon or rings.

In a recent Post-Gazette article reporting how brides are planning smaller and less expensive weddings, our pal Herman Heyl helps make a point we've wanted to for a while:

Brides are opting to use more greenery and less expensive flowers, such as daisies and carnations. Smaller bouquets might save a little on price because fewer flowers are used, but the charge for labor is nearly the same as for a larger bouquet.

One great way to save money on your wedding centerpieces is to buy your own glassware and apply your own elbow grease.  If you're lucky enough to live near an Ikea, that's a great place to get inexpensive glassware, such as the rectangular vase below (much of their glassware is also available online at http://ikea.com):

One of our recent brides did just that--she purchased her own glassware, and some ribbon, and decorated the vases herself.  We then made simple arrangements of white hydrangea, orange spray roses and green hypericum berries, and delivered the final piece to the reception site, Greystone Fields.

Working together, we were able to create an elegant centerpiece that fill well within her budget.

Not every florist is cool with the idea of brides supplying glassware, so you may have to ask a couple to find one willing to work with you.  Remember to buy and decorate a few extra vases, just in case.

If you're a fan of hydrangea, you need to check out Hydrangea World, a site dedicated to hydrangea.  Hydrangea World is filled with photos of stunning arrangements, information about the different varieties, and photos of the different colors of hydrangea.  You and your florist can use this information as a guide when planning your wedding or event.

Hydrangea World is produced by the Flower Council of Holland, and has more of a European vibe than South American, where a great deal of hydrangea are also produced.

You know you don't live in Louisville anymore when people get married on Derby Day.  Fortunately, our part was done in time for the race.

The bride's bouquet was a hand tied mix of pink peonies, ivory garden roses, light pink roses and ivory spray roses.  Approx. cost, $170-$185.

The couple was married under the gazebo at The Atrium, and we decorated with a lush fern garland and overhead spray roses, snapdragons and larkspur in shades of pink and cream.  Approx. price for floral spray, $95-$110.

The aisle was adorned with pomander balls made from pink carnations, and hung from the chairs.  Approx. price, $20-$30 each.

This is a sample we made for the Butler Country Club's bridal open house.  There were about eight white garden roses and about six stems of purple lilacs.  It may be the most beautifully fragrant bouquet we've ever made.

This weekend is the beginning of wedding season, and the end of wedding open house season.  Our final public appearance this spring will be at the Butler Country Club, April 26 from 10am to 1pm.

Today is the last day to RSVP for the Butler Country Club's 2009 Wedding Open House.  This is a public open house, and is a great chance for you to see BCC's beautiful facilities, as well as meet some of their preferred vendors.

You do not need to be a member to have your wedding at the Butler Country Club--for full details, ask one of their event coordinator on Sunday.

Give your guests a secret number!

When assembling your guest list, give each address a number.  Write this number lightly, in pencil, on the back of your response card prior to mailing.  If guests forget to write their name on the card, or if you can not read their writing, you know who is responding by their secret number.

Consider KwikSeal Self-Sealing Envelopes!

KwikSeal Self-Sealing Envelopes are available with most Birchcraft invitations and save time and effort when mailing your wedding invitations.  Simply uncover the self-adhesive edge by peeling off the protective strip and press the envelope closed.  Save even more time when you choose to pre-print your address on the back of these envelopes.

Why is it so important to put your address on the back of the invitation envelope?

Nobody is perfect!  Should you have an error on your guest list, the invitation will be returned to you by the post office.  Otherwise you will never know your invitation did or did not arrive.  For a minimal charge, you can have your return address printed on the invitation envelope in a matching ink color and lettering style when your invitations are being printed.

Why do you send a Response Card?

Response cards are a convenient way for your guests to reply and for you to plan properly.  They save time and money on your reception cost, especially if a meal is being served, by allowing you to keep track of an exact head count.  If you are offering a meal choice, this can also be indicated on the response card.  Response cards include a reply envelope printed with your name and address (or that of a parent or friend collecting the RSVPs).  Do not forget to affix stamps to the reply envelope!

Why is using the correct postage most important?

Before addressing your invitations, put together a complete invitation ensemble with all of your enclosure cards and envelopes.  Bring your invitation ensemble to your local post office and have them weigh it and determine the proper amount of postage.  Invitations that are over one ounce, or square or oversized (which is most invitations) require extra postage.  If your invitations are returned for insufficient postage, your envelopes will be ruined and redoing them will not only cost you more money, but interfere with your time frame.  While at the post office, ask the postal clerk to show you their beautiful wedding stamps.

When do you order your invitations, and how many do you order?

Be sure to have confirmed details of your ceremony and reception before ordering your invitations.  This includes the date, time and the location(s).  You should also have an accurate head count.  Order one invitation for each single adult, and one for each couple/family invited.  Order 25 extra invitations now, just in case.

When do you send out your wedding invitations?

Invitations are traditionally sent out 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding.  Send a Save the Date card or wedding announcement 4 to 6 months before your wedding to notify guests you are getting married, especially if it is during a holiday weekend or if they need to travel.  This will provide plenty of notice if travel arrangements and hotel reservations are required.

Find more great advice for wedding invitations in our Wedding Invitation category.

The Bloomery is pleased to feature invitations from Carlson Craft and Birchcraft, most at a 30% discount.  You can order online from either site and still receive the discount.

The Succop Conservancy, one of our favorite ceremony and reception sites, is having its third annual bridal open house tomorrow, March 29, 2009, from 11am to 3pm.  If you're interested in an outdoor ceremony and/or reception, you really need to check out The Conservancy.  The grounds feature two ponds, a gorgeous estate house, a pondside shelter, and manicured gardens.  Indoor functions are also available, but the ponds are outside.

The weather should be nice tomorrow, so you can tour the beautiful grounds of this country estate.  We have a table with some silk arrangements and information, but are unable to attend because of an event conflict.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Besides running Lake Arthur Country Club (where we had our wedding reception), Tim and Marie have started a new venture--making hand carved unity candles.

Tim carves the unity candles in a variety of patterns, including angels and crosses, in addition to the designs below.  Current colors include Christmas red and Christmas green, royal purple, coneflower blue, pink, yellow, black and white, with additional colors not in the melters--call or e-mail if you want to discuss a particular color combination.

Besides the TLC that goes into making these candles, what makes these candles so special is that they don't actually burn.  At the top of the candle, Tim inserts an oil lamp and 500-hour wick.  The bottom accommodates a small battery operated LED for additional light.  This allows you to use your candle in your ceremony and enjoy your candle afterwards without ruining it.

Some photos of their work are below.  If you're interested, call Tim and Marie at 724-865-2765 (during the golf season, this rings in the pro shop), or e-mail Marie at mavunc1@aol.com.