The Flower Exchange-DIY Flowers

I meant to write this immediately after Mike and Megan's wedding, but forgot. I had written a while back about DIY flowers. I had never done the flowers for a wedding entirely from an online order before, but since we were in North Carolina, it seemed like the easiest and cheapest option. We ordered from The Flower Exchange and I felt comfortable because they had pretty good reviews and I have a relationship with wholesalers in New York and knew I could get a last minute overnight shipment from them.

But there were no worries! The flowers came in better than I had expected. The only issue was the the ornithogalum didn't open before the wedding, but since we had so many other elements, it didn't matter. Plus it was nice to have them (and all the other flowers) throughout the entire week at the beach house.

They had a great selection and a pretty good price, and I would definitely recommend them. I'm debating if next time I should try a new place, or just stick with these guys. Just please remember to order in advance, allowing enough time for the flowers to take up water and fully open before the wedding. These were delivered first thing Friday morning for the evening ceremony on Sunday. Some flowers though, might need up to a week, so make sure you research what you're using before you try this option.

Super Simple Pie Filling

I went to the farmers market yesterday and picked up some cherries and berries for pie. Since my last recipe was for pie crust, I thought it would be great to share this too. Again, this more of a how-to rather than a recipe.

First, wash, pit, stem, wedge, dice, or whatever is needed to the fruit. Today I did two batches-one, just cherries and the other blackberries, blueberries, and currants.

Second, add sugar and lemon juice-about one cup sugar and one lemon (reserve the zest before juicing) for about 2 pints of fruit, but it's not an exact science. Then let it sit. This can last anywhere between 30 minutes and a few hours.Pour the fruit and juices into a large saucepan and add lemon zest and two tablespoons of corn starch. You can vary this by adding cinnamon, extracts, liquors, etc. Mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid is thickened and long enough so that you can't taste the cornstarch.Pour out the mixture and cool without stirring. Store until you're ready to use it.

I was cooking these for hand pies. To make them, roll out circles of pie crust (you can make them any size, but make the circles bigger than you think you need). Spoon out the filling. Seal with an egg wash (egg whites and the tiniest bit of salt to loosen them) and freeze. When you're ready to cook them, cut slits in the top to let the steam out, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 325˚ until they're golden brown.

TIP: If you're working on a few things at the same time, make sure to label them. For these I was leaving the cherries to sit for six hours and the mixed berries for only one, so after I saran wrapped them, I put stickies on top with what time I wanted to go to the next step. This works especially well with items like bread that have many steps with a lot of time in between.

ANOTHER TIP: Make sure to taste the fruit you're using. If it's sour or rotten tasting, you're pie's not going to be very good either. Also make sure to taste the filling at various steps so you can add more lemon, sugar, etc.

DIY-Wedding Arch

Nothing is more meaningful or romantic than creating something unique for the ceremony with your own hands. Not only that, making your own arch as a backdrop can save hundreds of dollars and after the wedding can be used in your garden as a permanent keepsake.

My friends Allison and Ryan are getting married in Iowa next month, and Ryan made the wedding arch for his bride. He went to a workshop there where provided the tools and the plans and took him to find the appropriate twigs and branches. Although, there aren’t any classes similar in the Portland area, it is easy to put together with a little creativity and some simple woodworking skills. You can find plans online or in books from simple to complex. Or if you're really handy, you can follow Ryan's progress in the photos below.

Woodworking-News

Rockler.com

Swingplans.com

Gardenweb.com

Making Twig Garden Furniture, by Abby Ruoff

leslieland.com

I'm not a woodworking expert by any means, but I have decorated hundreds of wedding arches and chuppahs. The easiest way to decorate your arch is to buy some floral wire or ribbons and attach whatever you wish. Allison and Ryan are using flowers and faux birds (they’ve promised photos after the wedding). In the past I’ve used fruit, paper and floral garlands, paper cutouts, sheer fabric (tuille is inexpensive and works great), vines (honeysuckle is my favorite, and all you need to do is wrap the vines around the boughs), flowering branches, floral clusters, or arrangements in Iglus.

Mike and Megan's Wedding

I just got back from North Carolina and wanted to post pictures as soon as I got home--everything was so amazing! Here are some pictures from the setup and the event itself. I'll post new ones once I get some of the professional photos.

Perfect, Easy Pie Crust!

I've been asked to post some recipes. I thought I would start with the most basic, and pie crust is probably one of the things I use the most (this one is going to be for one pie crust, so double if you're doing a crust on the top and the bottom).  The trick is keeping the water and butter as cold as possible. What I do is cut a stick of butter in a few pieces and keep in the freezer along with 1/4 cup of water.

In the meantime I throw 1 1/4 cup AP flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (you can add the same amount of sugar if you're using this for something sweet) into the food processor with the dough blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine. 

Throw the butter in and pulse until the butter is in small chunks. The key is to work quickly and do not over mix. Pour the water in slowly (you might not need it all) until it forms a ball. If there are dry pieces, it's OK, just pat them together. It's better to under mix a little bit than over do it.

Wrap it up in saran wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until you want to use it. 

I use this for quiches, pot pies, tarts, pies, tartlets, crostatas, etc. It's great to have on hand for a quick dinner or dessert.  

SAVING MONEY BY GOING GREEN

It's true that "going green" can increase the cost of your wedding. While it's a good idea to buy fair trade and organic, for example, it can increase your budget. It is possible to save the planet and save money. 

RE-USE: Re-using or repurposing is really the best way to be “green.”  Go to garage sales and thrift stores, and dig through family member’s attics.  Ask around and poke around; you'll find some exciting things. I’m doing a wedding this Sunday, where we’re using any glass containers we could find. Some are those big vases from the national florists. I’m using those as hurricanes for pillar candles. I can’t wait to put together each of the tables. (I’ll have pictures up next week!) But be creative, you can spruce up old cans or terra cotta pots with ribbons, raffia, or anything else you like and use for plantings, arrangements, candlelight, etc.

There are a lot of issues with buying imported flowers because of the lack of regulations on child labor, pesticides, etc., so buying local is important for keeping your wedding green and socially responsible.  If you decide not to use flowers at all, you can make unique arrangements with interesting items you find in a thrift store. A beautiful bowl with fruit also makes a great centerpiece.  Candlelight alone makes a great statement for an evening wedding; not only do you save on flowers, but also electricity. 

Consider renting your dress or buying a used one. You can find them on eBay, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, and Brides Against Breast Cancer.

REDUCE: It’s the most important day of your life, and I am not suggesting that you opt out of things that are really close to your heart, but look closely at your budget and see if there is anything that is unnecessary. The idea of electronic invitations makes most people cringe, but maybe you could opt out of a paper save-the-date announcement, a wedding program and menu, or RSVP card. You can post the program and menu on your wedding website, and ask that RSVPs are sent electronically or by phone. 

A lot of times favors go to waste. If you don’t want to cut these out completely, make sure that it is something the guests can use. And be considerate of your out-of-town guests; make sure that it’s something that travels easily.    

LOCATION: One decision that can really have an effect on the carbon footprint of your wedding is the location.  Selecting a nearby location rather than one that requires most of your guests and vendors drive long distances will keep money in your local community and burn far less fossil fuel. 

Other questions and options when looking for a venue:

• Is it near public transportation?
  
•  Do they recycle and compost? 
  

Some non-profits like botanical gardens, farms, and parks have event spaces and so 100% of your rental fee is going towards a good cause.

THE HONEYMOON: From volunteering to taking the train, there are so many options to make your honeymoon more meaningful and environmentally sustainable. Check Ethical Traveler and the International Ecotourism Society.

These are just a few of the ways you can make your wedding -- or other special event -- more sustainable. I am more than happy to work with you on creating just the right wedding for your values and your lifestyle.

Kitchen Basics

I get a lot of questions about what you need the most in the kitchen. There are so many things I can't live without, I think I will have to do this in two or three installments. These are great for your registry if you're looking to stock your kitchen from scratch, or if you just want a couple ideas about how to make it a little bit more efficient.

Food processor. I have the 14 cup Cuisinart. I mostly use this for doughs, but of course it’s great for sauces, shredding, slicing, chopping large amounts.

Stand Mixer. I use this for bread and batters mostly. I’ve read complaints about kneeding bread dough with this mixer, but I have a refurbished model and have never had an issue. 

Heat proof spatula. 

Microplane and zester. When we moved to Oregon we were staying with my parents for a few weeks until we found a place of our own. My mom has an old school zester (or at least did, since I convinced her to buy a Microplane) and it took me about 30 minutes to zest a lemon and my wrist was killing me afterwards. You can't beat the Microplane graters and the zester I listed is great for an easy garnish for anything.

Disposable pastry bags. Obviously these are great for piping and decorating, but I've also used them to pipe out the cheese layer in a lasagna, fill cupcake cups with batter, pipe out cookies, and just about anything that requires wrangling things that are liquidy. I have a few flex bags, but the disposable bags are great. 

Sheet pans. I use for pretty much everything I put in the oven from roasting vegetables to baking cakes like roulades or petit fours.

Knives. We're very proud of our knife collection (especially our new Bob Kramer Santoku knife). We have Wusthof and Shun knives, but what's most important is that they're a good quality and it's comfortable for you to hold. The only knives you really need are a chef's knife, paring knife, and bread knife. 

Candy thermometer. These I use for sweets and deep frying. Basically, everything that's good in this world.  

Dutch oven.

Storage containers. Besides saving leftovers and storing food, I use these to keep all my dry goods to make baking and cooking easier. It makes it much quicker and cleaner to measure out flour, sugar, salt, etc. 

Parchment paper. I posted a link to the parchment paper you would find in the grocery store. I don't love it, but it's usually all I can find without ordering online. You can use parchment paper to line cake pans, make cones for piping, and cut into squares in place of muffin wrappers. It's also great to help with baking and cooking, you can sift dry goods onto it and it makes it easier to pour.

Circle cutters. Again, there are many uses for these. Cutting biscuits, cookies, doughnuts, cakes, fondant for decorating, and they make cutting pie crust for tartlets simple.

Pasta maker. This I use for pasta (duh), but you can also use for pastry doughs like cannoli.   

Mandoline. I bought this Zyliss mandoline because it was cheap, but it works great and I actually love the fact that it folds up.

Fine mesh strainer. This you would use for things like pastry cream, sauces, sifting dry goods, etc. 

The Best Summer Wine

I was an exchange student in Italy in high school, and went back to visit my host family in 2003.  One day my host dad asked me if I wanted to go wine shopping with him.  They always had those huge jugs that hold 50 bottles of wine, and I just figured we were just going to go a short distance and pick a couple up and come home. I was wrong, we ended up in Piedmont at a winery, tasting every type of wine they made and having the best food I've ever eaten (which to this day has not been topped).  I'm not a huge fan of white wine (or at least I wasn't at the time), but everything was great. I noticed everyone was gathered around one of the vats. I asked what it was and he said it's the rosé. I must have made a face as I was used to the the syrupy stuff I had been served back in the US. He forced it on me, and it was amazing. We bought about 50 bottles worth and came home. Ever since, I've been hooked. I still mostly drink red wine, but there's nothing better on a hot summer's day than a  really good, dry, crisp rose. 

The other night, at a wine tasting I was surprised when they brought out the rosé. Everyone was talking about how they did not like rosés, that they were too sweet, etc. I don't know why they got such a bad rap, but I remember thinking the same thing the first time I tried a really great rosé. 

We can't drive to Piedmont to get it, but have found some great inexpensive rosés that are great. I've also bought a couple recently that weren't so great, but don't let it keep you down. That's part of the fun of trying new wines and it makes it even better when you find a great one.

My favorites this summer so far have A to Z (I get it for $10 at my grocery store) and La Vieielle Ferme (for $8, you can't beat that!) 

Next on my list to try are:  Thomas Winery Acme Wineworks Rose NV, Firesteed Oregon Pinot Noir Rose, Ponzi Vineyards "Rosato" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rose.

Brides are always asking how to save money, and a really great pinot noir rosé will save you loads, and is awesome for a summer wedding!

DIY Bouquets

With the economy down and lots of resources online, some brides are deciding to do their own wedding flowers. Some just love the idea of creating their own floral arrangements. I love the idea, too, but there are a few things you should think about before making the DIY decision.

Flower selection

Once you select your wedding colors, you'll start selecting the flowers. Most of the flowers you find online are available year-round and sourced from South America and New Zealand. The online selection is limited, and it's hard to judge quality – either of the service or the flowers. It's best to talk to people in your area: local florists, farmers -- there may even be flower CSAs where you live. You need to research the flowers you want to use and make sure they’ll work for you. Some flowers need extra conditioning (like freesia, lilies, and roses), which requires storage space and water buckets to hold them as they open. We did bouquet of hydrangeas and cymbidium orchids for a fall wedding. The hydrangeas were great, because the weather was cool and the wedding was indoors. They might not work so well for an outdoor wedding on a hot summer day. If you plan to use an orchid like these cymbidiums, they will need to be wired and taped, which takes some practice. They may not be the best choice if you aren’t familiar with basic floral technique.

Know the supplies you'll need

If you choose DIY arrangements to save money, planning (and good math skills) becomes critical. To the cost of the flowers, you need to add wire, tape, clippers, a knife, wire cutters, buckets, and the cost of shipping the flowers. You should order a few flowers ahead of time for a couple of practice bouquets, and, of course, you’ll need ribbon, vases, pins – you get the idea. You need to add in all your expenses and compare it to a florist's proposal. It can be shocking to see that you’re being charged $200 to $400 for your bridal bouquet, but if your bouquet has 60 stems of roses and cymbidiums, and most of those need to be wired and taped, you probably won’t save much by doing it yourself. On the other hand, by planning arrangements that require fewer supplies, you can save more money.

Create a plan

You know you'll want a bridal bouquet, but what about the other pieces you'll want? If you are doing it yourself, you'll want to keep it simple, but even the most basic wedding will require corsages, boutonnières, a centerpiece, and bouquets for attendants. Plan exactly what your floral needs are, then calculate how many flowers you will need. Do you need arrangements for the front of the church? On the pews? Who gets a corsage? How many attendants? What about table decorations? How can you save time and money there? Make a list, then check it twice.

Calculate how many flowers you’ll need

An easy way to do this is to use a photo and simply to count the number of blossoms in the picture, then double that number if the photo is from the side. Brides have told me that they underestimated the number of flowers they would need to achieve a certain look. This bouquet of red roses required more than 30 stems of conditioned roses, and it was a relatively small bouquet.

Remember flowers need special care

If ordering online, check the website to make sure you order far enough in advance. This can vary, depending on the type and number of flowers you are ordering. Even if you are ordering from a local supplier, make sure your order is placed in plenty of time. You’ll want the flowers to arrive a few days before the wedding. Make sure there is someone available to accept the delivery and that you have a cool place to store them. If you miss the delivery, the flowers can be in transit and out of water for another day. This might be OK, but again, it depends on the flowers you choose.

Know basic technique

A basic knowledge of how to wrap stems, make a boutonniere, put a corsage or bouquet together can be very helpful. For example, it’s not always feasible to put all the stems together in a bridal bouquet. If you are making one with 30 to 60 stems, you’ll want to wire at least one-third of them, or you’ll need a wheelbarrow to get your bouquet down the aisle. A little knowledge before you start can go a long way in reducing stress. Courses are often offered at community colleges, but you need to factor this into the cost of your wedding.

Practice

Now that you have your plan, make sure to practice at least once, and use the same supplier you plan to use for the wedding. If you ordered your flowers online, did they arrive in good shape? How long did it take for them to arrive? No matter where you bought your fl

owers, notice if they were fresh? How did they hold up? Were they dropping petals before the end of the day? Were the flowers wilting or losing leaves? Make one bouquet and see how it looks. If you plan on being in the sun for a couple of hours, make sure the flowers in your bride’s bouquet will hold up. Making a practice version of your bouquet and at least one corsage can help you be more relaxed when the day comes to make them for real.

I know this all sounds pretty intimidating, but creating your own wedding flowers can not only save you money, but can also be a lot of fun if you get some help – both from your friends and from a professional. Whether you seek the advice of local florists or take a class, getting help can ease the stress. At Little House Events, we offer a special DIY package to help brides save money and keep the fun of doing their flowers themselves.

We help you plan the type of flowers that are best for your location, weather, and style of wedding. We put together a flower order for what you will need – or we’ll order the flowers ourselves. We make sure you have all the tools, clippers, wire, and tape you’ll need.Whatever your budget and time commitment, we’ll organize a plan that best suits you and your wedding. For example, you might just want to get your friends together to do the personal flowers – the corsages, boutonnieres, and attendants’ bouquets – while the table decorations, bridal bouquet, and flowers for the front of the church are professionally done. If you want to have party to work on the floral arrangements, we will do the set up, training, and we’ll even bring refreshments for the crew.

The most important thing is that you are happy with the outcome. If you are an easy-going person, who is having a casual wedding, our DIY option might work very well for you. If you are planning a dramatic, formal wedding, you will probably be happier working with a professional florist.