Chagrin:
I was able to accomplish this using the exact method that spirilis described using a hot plate. I did however have a couple short out during testing because it's very difficult cleaning out any leftover flux from underneath them. That's another pitfall to watch out for.I'd also agree that using long traces would be a good fallback plan.
Excess flux is a good thing - excess solder is a problem as it will cause shorts. Surface mount soldering is very reliable when done properly (by machine...). It relies on the right amount of solder paste on the pads before heating - moral: use less solder.