the final sunday social: on blogging.

Today is Neely and Ashley's last Sunday Social, so I couldn't resist putting my own spin on their questions.  I can't wait to see what kind of link-up they come up with next!

1. How did you come up with your blog name?
It got to the point where I wasn't a bride-to-be or a recent newlywed anymore, and I wanted a name that reflected the biggest thing I want women planning weddings to know - there is life after the wedding, and there's a lot more to celebrate.  Beyond the Aisle is about celebrating every day and learning to love life by adding as much color and style as possible.

2. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
I've been blogging in some form since I was in high school and I love how I can look back and see how my voice has changed as a writer.  I was very sarcastic when I was younger, and now I'm more serious and try to encourage my readers.

3. What is one thing you have discovered because of blogging and now can’t live without?
Instagram, for sure.  I remember seeing cool, retro-looking square photos on Bleubird's blog and I couldn't believe how easy it was to get the same look.

4. Facebook or Twitter? Why?
Facebook; most of my friends from high school and family members haven't gotten on the Twitter boat yet, and I love being able to see longer posts and photo albums.  Basically I use Facebook to stalk other people's babies.  In a non-creepy way.

5. If one celeb read your blog, who would you want it to be?
Zooey Deschanel.

6. What is something you want people to know about your blog?

When it looks like I'm slacking off on the blog, that's when I'm putting my heart into my family, my home, and my teaching.  I don't let myself feel guilty about not posting because if I'm not living my life I'm not going to have anything to post about!

Beyond the Aisle, according to Google Search Terms

This year, I'm trying to be better about actually looking at my blog's stats and trying to "advertise" Beyond the Aisle.  Margaret's post about Google search terms cracked me up, so I decided to use Google Analytics to find out what strange search keywords have brought visitors to Beyond the Aisle.  Here are the ones that made no sense to me!

"hive geometry" (5 visitors) - I'm a big fan of Weddingbee, so I've probably posted about "the Hive," the community associated with that site.  And I've posted about geometry, in the form of trendy design.  It's those West Elm Hive vases I featured, though, that got this strange search associated with Beyond the Aisle.

"artificial breslelts light" (1 visitor) - Your guess is as good as mine.  What's a breslelt?

"barbadian food menus for weddings" (1 visitor) - I've posted about our wedding's Southern comfort food menu, but I have never posted about the cuisine of Barbados.  If anyone would be interested in guest posting suggested wedding menu ideas featuring traditional foods from various places, I would totally be down with that, though - I think it would be a neat series.  Even just a series on wedding menus, period, might be cool... any takers?

Lesley Wray Photography

"goodwill baking book" (1 visitor) - I like Goodwill.  I like baking.  I like books.  I bought a lot of books from Goodwill to decorate my wedding tables.  One of them was even called Eat Cake.  But none of them was about baking.  I think most of the cookbooks I've seen at Goodwill are full of recipes that cause heart disease and diabetes.

"yoga star wars figure" (1 visitor) - Read that one a few times.  It gets funnier every time.  Or maybe that's just me.

"χειροτεχνιεσ για kalokairi" (1 visitor) - Anyone care to translate?

wedding blog spotlight: style me pretty

There's one wedding blog that I don't think I'll ever stop visiting, no matter how long I've been married.  Style Me Pretty is one of my favorite wedding planning blogs because it features some of the most gorgeous wedding ideas and photography I've ever seen, every single day.  SMP features weddings from all over the United States and the world.

Miranda Laine Photography via Style Me Pretty

Abby Larson founded SMP and serves as its editor today.  She got into the wedding industry as an invitation designer and her eye for style is impeccable.

Gabriel Ryan Photographers and Sweet and Saucy Shop via Style Me Pretty

In addition to a rapidly-updated slate of real weddings, SMP features local blogs and a wedding vendor Little Black Book.  On top of all that, Abby has published a BOOK!  Style Me Pretty is a huge inspiration to me as a blogger because Abby features weddings that fit her own style and vision, and supplements the wedding-related content with DIY project tutorials and home decor and entertaining ideas that everyone can appreciate.  Even though I'm no longer planning a wedding, SMP keeps me inspired.

Sophia Barrett Studios via Style Me Pretty

What are your favorite wedding blogs to visit?

when wedding blogging gets ugly...

Many of you know that I started this blog when I fell in love with all things wedding as a bridesmaid for one of my best friends.  I started visiting various wedding blogs, telling myself I was helping my friend find ideas, but let's be honest, secretly planning my dream wedding to Mr. Q the whole time.  One of the first wedding blogs that I visited on a regular basis was Weddingbee.  For a long time, I assumed that when I got engaged, I would apply to be a Bee blogger.

When I did get engaged, I started meticulously blogging about every little aspect of our wedding planning... and found that I no longer felt the need to apply.  Having my own space was fine, even if my readership was minuscule.  I would have updated just as often and in just as much detail with zero followers - because I realized that I was blogging so that I could remember everything that went into creating our wedding.  I thought potentially being able to inspire and help other brides the way the blogs I read helped me would be a nice side effect.

Some of my friends have gotten a little more serious with their wedding blogs, and recently two of my blogger friends - one a newlywed, one a bride-to-be - became Bees!  I was so proud and happy for them, but I've stopped reading the 'bee as often (since I'm no longer planning my own wedding, I'm looking for out-of-the-box creative ideas to share with y'all rather than advice) and continued to read my friends' blogs by going straight to their homepages.  Recently I found that I could not access one of my friends' sites - her blog was locked.  What the what?

I went to Weddingbee's board to investigate.  It turned out that my friend had stepped down from Weddingbee because blogging was taking her focus off of the truly important things in her life: her relationships an her studies.  I suppose wedding blogging becomes a bit of a false idol for many of us.  However, I also learned an ugly truth through the boards:  commenters had left ugly, hurtful comments on my friend's post about the bridesmaids' dresses for her fairytale themed wedding.  My friend is one of the sweetest bloggers I know, and has only ever had kind things to say on my blog.  Her posts have been full of excitement, enthusiasm and originality.  And these comments must have crushed a little bit of that.

Planning a wedding can be awesome, y'all.  It's an opportunity for you and your partner to infuse your personalities into something fun and special and beautiful and share that with your beloved family members and closest friends - people who know who you are and what you love.  That's where the Internet gets tricky - because when you share your wedding details on the Internet, you're sharing them with people who don't know you, don't know what you love, and don't love you (yet).  And apparently some people have forgotten the old aphorism, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.  Most sensible people are completely capable of realizing they don't like something and moving on until they find something they do.

I've been reading wedding blogs since college, and I've seen plenty of ideas I wouldn't have chosen for my own wedding.  And on the flip side, there are plenty of brides out there who wouldn't dream of matching their bridesmaids' dresses and groomsmen's vests, serving ham biscuits for dinner, or decorating with other people's old stuff from Goodwill - but for Mr. Q and I, those choices fit, and our friends and family knew they were "us."  My friend's wedding guests will no doubt feel the same way - they will grin when they see those fairytale princesses following their queen down the aisle.

sunday social: all about my blog

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging?
My blog is currently called Beyond the Aisle.  I have been blogging in some form since I was in eighth grade, when I started an e-mail zine with my AOL account that was eventually called Loudspeaker.  In high school I had an online journal on the Diaryland website.  In college, I moved to Livejournal, and when my best friend asked me to be her bridesmaid, I started this Blogger site which was originally all about wedding planning and how bridesmaids and friends can help with that process.  When I got engaged, the focus shifted to my own wedding planning, and now that I've been married for over a year I am transitioning into more of a lifestyle blog.

2. Why do you blog?
Writing is my first love!  If I wasn't a teacher, I would want to be employed as a journalist.  I also really loved the world of wedding blogs when I first discovered them, and want to help currently-planning brides plan events that are full of personality without ending up in the poorhouse!  It is possible to plan a beautiful, uniquely "you" event on a budget - Mr. Q and I did!  I am also falling in love with photography and the blog is a great way to experiment with new techniques and stay in practice.  I hope to take a photography class this year.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed?
Since I've been blogging for so long I actually have no idea.  Within the world of wedding blogs, it was Weddingbee, for sure!

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012?
My post about attending a rally for President Obama.  Things like that don't usually happen in Roanoke - we aren't a big city and it seems like the media pretty much forgets we exist.  It felt awesome that President Obama's campaign clearly felt we were a city that could affect the fate of the 2012 election.  This fall, I've gotten more involved with the local education association ("teacher's unions" are illegal in Virginia) and I was really passionate about President Obama being re-elected, not least of all because his stimulus package saved my job and kept class sizes from getting even more ridiculous in my district (a class of 32 students is not unheard of).

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013?
I am not sure what it's going to look like, but I want to write about my faith more on the blog.  I want to be able to do that without alienating any of my readers who are from different faith traditions or who aren't religious.

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow:
Right now I'm loving Yes and Yes, Rachel Held Evans' blog, and A Cup of Jo.

wedding blog spotlight: Southern Weddings

Over winter break, my best friend (and maid of honor from my wedding), Breeze, got engaged!  My Christmas present for her this year was my two absolute favorite wedding planning magazines:  Real Simple Weddings and Southern Weddings.  I like that Real Simple Weddings breaks every step of wedding planning into a step-by-step timeline and section, and I love that Southern Weddings is full of eye candy!

Southern Weddings is one of my favorite wedding planning magazines and blogs because it delivers on its title.  Every issue (and blog post) includes more cowgirl boots, Mason jars, monograms, cornhole boards, peaches, and biscuits than you can shake a stick at.

Modern Barn Wedding at Southern Weddings

Lara Casey, the editor-in-chief of Southern Weddings, is a whirlwind who wears many hats.  In addition to being an editor she works with wedding professionals to grow their brands, started the Making Things Happen movement, and is a mama!  On her SW About Us page, she says she started Southern Weddings because, "I always wanted a place to showcase what fired me up... and to show Southern brides that there was more to telling their unique love story than tulle and stuffed chicken." 

beyond the aisle: my favorite posts of 2012.

Yesterday I shared the ten most popular posts at Beyond the Aisle from 2012.  They were the posts that had received the most visitors and pageviews, and the posts that have appeared the most on Pinterest!  In reviewing which posts you loved, I realized that we love the same celebrities, creating crafts to wear and to decorate our homes with, and that we love inspiration - beautiful ideas for talented people about how to add color and style to everyday life.  Many of my readers are currently plannings, but the name Beyond the Aisle reminds me that married life can be just as full of sparkle and romance as the wedding day.  In this blog, I want to share ideas to celebrate the ordinary and the extraordinary in our lives.  Here are my personal favorite Beyond the Aisle posts from 2012.

#10:  Inspiration for a Black and White Anemone Wedding

Usually it's all about the color around here, so collecting inspiration for a black and white wedding styled around one of my favorite fall flowers was a lot of fun and a nice change of pace.  More than a year after my own wedding, vintage details are still where my heart lies when it comes to event design.

#9:  A Manifesto

My "deep thoughts" on event planning, marriage, relationships and blogging about those things.  No matter what Mr. Q and I are working on, I believe that simplicity is best, family is something you make, and honesty with ourselves is key to happiness.

#8:  In Search of Direction...

March is when I started to re-shape what Beyond the Aisle is all about, and I guess that's a process that will continue throughout 2013.  What began as a wedding planning blog when I was a bridesmaid in college has become a big part of my life, and I want it to reflect more of my lifestyle and interests.

beyond the aisle: most popular posts of 2012.

One of my favorite things about being a blogger is being able to look back and see what was important to me over the course of a year.  I also love being able to see what was important to you, my readers.  Here are my ten most popular posts from 2012:

#10: Clicks of Note: February 12, 2012

Why this particular Monday Clicks of Note post was so popular?  I'm guessing because of Beyonce and Blue Ivy.

#9:  Celebrate:  Kate Middleton's Olympic Wardrobe

I'm so glad y'all love Kate Middleton, and the Olympics, as much as I do - one of my favorite things about watching the daily coverage on television was spotting what Kate was wearing and looking out for affordable versions of her outfits.  I learned a thing or two about packing for a trip from Kate!

#8:  Independence Day Craft:  4th of July Rag Wreath

This was an easy craft inspired by my friend Riley.  Independence Day is one of my favorite celebrations and I love rustic style, so it was the perfect addition to the country townhouse.

clicks of note: dear santa...

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• If you're a New Girl fan, you heard Fitz and the Tantrum's holiday song, "Santa Stole My Lady" at the end of this year's holiday episode.  You can download the song for free at the band's website.

SWOON.

• Elizabeth Anne Designs features a simple ranch wedding with a sweet-looking pie bar!
• I love the romantic neutral Christmas decor at The Essence of Home.
• Ruffled features a Banff elopement with a stunning RED vintage dress!
• I think you will love this elegant, rustic Napa Valley wedding at Style Me Pretty.
• Wedding Chicks features a fun, colorful Texas wedding with mismatched bridesmaids.

SMILE.

• Congratulations, Mr. Bazaar!
• Kris Atomic's Paris photo tour is bright, lively and quirky!
• I think Alyx's blogging confession was just what I needed to read right now.
• The importance of being at choice from Super Hero Journal - in what areas of life can you change your "have tos to "get tos"?
• When I have kids, I think I will use the want/need/wear/read approach to gift-giving.

MAKE.

• I can't wait to try making this chocolate buttermilk cake with adorable chocolate trees from A Beautiful Mess.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared a few of the crafts and DIY projects I made for the holidays:  a paint chip mosaic, silk floral poinsettia wreath, no-sew ruffle tree skirt, and how I decorated our tree.

clicks of note: live every week like it's...

get your week off to a colorful start.

LISTEN.

• I absolutely adore The Beatles, but I'm not a purist - I love a lot of Beatles covers.  I even enjoyed Russel Brand's take on "I Am the Walrus" on the Closing Ceremonies of the London Olympics.  This version of "Here Comes the Sun" by Yuna is so lovely and peaceful, I could listen to it for days.

SWOON.

• This elegant bohemian wedding with purple details featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs reminds me of A Midsummer Night's Dream- it looks almost too lovely to be real!
• I love the artistic take on a library themed invitation from Quill and Fox.  The illustration has such a nostalgic quality.
• Style Me Pretty features a traditional Georgia wedding in a Greek Revival home with the prettiest peach-topped cake.

SMILE.

• Fuzzy green dianthus were last week's Friday flower at Elizabeth Anne Designs... I like learning the names of unfamiliar flowers!
• I'm a little in love with the concept of pop-up dinner parties, a la Oh Happy Day.
• Happy Shark Week!

clicks of note: london calling...

listen & watch.

• The Telegraph offers the entire Opening Ceremony playlist from the 2012 London Olympics.
• The third season of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network starts this Saturday, August 4.

drool.

Style Me Pretty

• My friend Grace's Coptic wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty!  So excited for her.  Fun fact:  Grace accurately diagnosed me with pneumonia in college prior to becoming an actual med student.

smile.

Style Me Pretty California

• A Star Wars wedding that is surprisingly elegant and sweet over at SMP California.
• Over at Yes and Yes, Freya guest posts on how to walk in high heels.  One of my school-year resolutions is to wear more skirts and more heels.
• Tiny Twig will be making a big announcement today, and I'm looking forward to learning about being a better blogger throughout August.
• It's kid-oriented, but I think DIT Magazine's idea of mixing and naming your own breakfast cereal sounds like fun for grown-ups, too.

make & shop.

• Trophy bottle tops would be so cute at an Olympics get together, or to add a little masculinity and retro charm to the bar area.
• My friend Debbie's letterpress studio, StudioTEN15, is now on Etsy!

Sunday Simplicity #68

Ombré place cards and flowers in an apothecary jar?  Hello, elegant genius, brought to us by Weddingbee and The Lab Event.  If you haven't seen the images from this project yet, go now!

Weddingbee

Weddingbee

File this under "why didn't I think of that?"

Blog Heroine: High Tide or Low Tide

I have a new wedding-blogger heroine: Chardonnay of High Tide or Low Tide. The reason? Her diy flowers, which she and her family assembled the day before the wedding.

Here's her bouquet in action:

There are also some nice close-ups of her flowers, including her gorgeous centerpieces, in her details post.

things i learned from wedding bloggers: mrs. bee

I like the idea of having regular "series" style posts on this blog, so today, in addition to "Sunday Simplicity," which will appear on schedule tomorrow, I'm rolling out a new idea: Things I Learned from Wedding Bloggers.

There seems to be a huge difference between brides who want to know everything about weddings, and stalk popular blogs for "wedding pr0n." Both of the vendors I've met with so far (florist and caterer) have commented on how "organized" I am and how I know what I want. They've also seemed surprised/confused by some ideas that I thought were pretty common in weddings due to all of the blogs I read (fruit in centerpieces, a dessert table with cake stands, and a sweetheart table instead of a head table with the whole bridal party). Apparently, most brides have no idea of what they want going into meetings with vendors. And apparently, these very blog-worthy trends haven't hit my part of the country yet. I wish my vendors read the same blogs I do- then they'd know exactly what I was talking about.

In this series I will be discussing the wedding blogs I read and the things I've learned (and ideas I've stolen) from their authors. I've been reading Weddingbee the longest, discovering it shortly after I first found the Knot in 2006. Yes, I've been stalking the wedding blogosphere for almost as long as I've been dating Mr. Spin.

Weddingbee began as Bee Kim's personal blog on Xanga while she was planning her own wedding, and has grown into one of the biggest names in wedding blogging. There are a total of 144 pages of posts by Mrs. Bee on the site today, so I am not going through all of her posts again (though I probably read most of them as they went live!). These are the things I've learned form Mrs. Bee's blog posts:

- To make sure that someone gets pictures of the small details (decor, favors, etc.) on the wedding day.

- That if I don't love my hair and make-up trial runs, I should have another trial or find a different stylist; not assume it will look better on the day of the wedding than it does in the trial.

- How to put together the Ultimate Emergency Kit!

Resources:

- Mrs. Bee created a great stationary guide to help brides sort out all the different paper goods we can have for our weddings.

- She posted a guide to the best weather months for honeymoons in various countries and parts of the U.S. In our wedding month, July, some of the recommended locations include Bermuda, Britain, Ireland, Fiji, and the Northeast U.S.!

Ideas to consider:

- Mrs. Bee raves about the advantages of a day-of coordinator.

- The Bees served signature cocktails at their wedding and they went over very well with her guests.

- Table visits by the bride and groom to welcome each guest.

What I've learned from being a wedding blog reader in general: every bride needs to be true to her personal style. For me, that means I want to incorporate little country/vintage details in my wedding style. And that means I'm going to be on the lookout for cake stands whether my caterer likes it or not. She'll be eating her words when she sees her mini cheesecakes and chocolate covered strawberries on an amazing display! I think I'm going to have our "official" cake baker make a 2-layer vanilla cake with buttercream icing and ask friends/family to make a strawberry cake with cream cheese icing (my favorites) and a chocolate dessert- either cake or pie. I want the dessert table to be so overflowing with goodness that our guests have to take some home!