this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON.

Project Nursery

• A sweet little baby nook in a master bedroom.
• A two-bride modern organic inspiration shoot.
• A buffalo check camp-themed kids' birthday party.
• "Cinco de Derby" is happening next month!

SMILE.

• Desktops from Minding My Nest and Cross Cards.
• 7 types of people you need in your life by your 30's.
• DIY luggage tags would be a sweet bridesmaids' gift.
• I loved reading Emily's take on "natural" childbirth.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: Literary Junkies, Mr. Q's blog takeover, and April in entertainment.
• 2014: Entertainment faves and spring in Instagram.
• 2013: Goals for the future.

pinspiration: a farmhouse Easter

Maybe it's the copious amounts of Fixer Upper I've been watching lately (it's the perfect thing when I'm in preggo nesting mode, but too tired to actually clean or work on my own house), but I'm really feeling a farmhouse-inspired theme for Easter this year!

I'm so inspired by the cobalt and terra cotta tones in this very Anthropologie-esque vignette from House By Hoff.

How cool are the Rae Dunn inspired Easter eggs from DIY Beautify?

Using temporary tattoos to decorate eggs is one of those ideas I'd never think of - Lia Griffith is so creative!

To make your holiday extra special, here's a playlist that would be the perfect background music for a farmhouse brunch:

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON. this week in pretty things.

Bridget Matkovich via Project Nursery

• An ethereal bridal shoot in the Scottish highlands.
• The DIY Playbook's calm, modern boy's nursery.
• Monika Hibbs rounds up spring entertaining pieces.
• Love this idea for displaying photos via A Cup of Jo.

THIS WEEK. the kids are all right.

• Photos from March for Our Lives rallies worldwide.
• The New England Patriots lent Parkland kids a plane,
• Veterans are showing their support for the youth activists,
• and the protest signs were creative, moving, and heartbreaking.

FLASHBACK. let's see how far we've come.

• 2017: Niagara blue pinspiration and March favorites.
• 2016: Literary Junkies, spring getaway pinspiration, book + concert reviews (Elton John!), and my March Stitch Fix
• 2015: I pretty much predicted the Colors of the Year for 2016.
• 2014: Sunday Socialabout ideals and accomplishments, my fave green and black and white picks, and my April favorites.
• 2013: rainy day fashions, white bridesmaid dress inspiration, explained how we save money on groceries, completed my second Liebster survey, and shared my love story with Mr. Q for the Love and Marriage series.
• 2012: I collected inspiration for an April Fool's wedding.

pinspiration: a stars and stripes hostess...

Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow American readers. I hope that whatever you're up to today, you have a lot of fun. Here are my best bets for the hostess - what to serve, what to wear, and the ultimate July 4th Americana playlist.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• My current guilty pleasure is this chronicle of Cole Swindell's epic man crush on Dierks Bentley. #sorrynotsorry

SWOON.

Zevy Joy

• Zevy Joy makes dollar store glasses look so elegant.
• An elegant wedding with bright florals in Washington state.
• A Toronto wedding from Ruffled filled with candlelit magic.
• A barn wedding styled shoot with modern geometric style.

SMILE.

• July desktops: Sarah Hearts, Daily Dwelling, Candidly Keri.
• How amazing is this treehouse from the Handmade Home?
• Now obsessed with the Accidental Wes Anderson Reddit site.
• Fantastic interview with Danielle Brooks (spoilers for OitNB):

"I want to get into some action films because I don’t like the sense that people feel that curvy women, plus-size women, aren’t active as well. I think that’s very important to let the world know that I can jump up shit and do fancy things with swords, too, like combat. I went to Juilliard, for God’s sakes, I know a little something about combat. To get in that, to show that side of someone who is bigger than a size 6, would be fun for me." 

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: a rustic wedding recap, my 4th Stitch Fix, favorite aliens for #5FandomFriday, and a Literary Junkies post about summer reads and re-reads.
• 2014: Sunday Social, patriotic style picks, romantic escort card ideas, and our Williamsburg, Virginia vacation.
• 2013: a movie-themed Sunday Social, sunny yellow poolside essentials, the return of SYTYCD, my mixed-berry cobbler recipe, and patriotic wedding inspiration.
• 2012: 4th of July style inspiration, party decor, desserts, and side dishes.
• 2011: our last-minute wedding projects.

pinspiration: Easter in the garden

What are your plans for this weekend? I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday and getting inspired by floral maxi dresses and full-on garden party vibes. Hopefully it will be warm enough to fire up the grill after church and invite some friends over for brunch on the patio!

If there's one day of the year that a flower crown is acceptable in public outside of Coachella, let it be Easter Sunday.

Love this vintage-inspired garden sign from Ella Claire.

How pretty are these botanical painted eggs from The House that Lars built?

There's lots more Easter inspiration over on my Pinterest boards, and I'm working on a Spotify playlist to celebrate:

pinspiration: millennial pink new year's eve

Well, darlings, we're wrapping up another year here at Beyond the Aisle, and my thoughts this week are on 2017, and, of course, New Year's Eve. While the experts at Pantone have named Greenery the new Color of the Year, I'm honestly not over 2016's Rose Quartz and it's many permutations - fall's Dusty Cedar with its decadent 70's vibe, and of course the ubiquitous shade journalists have dubbed "millennial pink." My ideal New Year's Eve party would be laid-back with a bohemian vibe, plenty of champagne, a plethora of pink, the potential for a Nerf gun war, and, okay, some actual greenery thrown in as a nod to the New Year to come and all of its possibilities.

What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

clicks of note: dream about the time i had with you...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• How amazing is this cover of The Proclaimers' "500 Miles"? How weird is it that it was featured in a Budweiser commercial? How ready are y'all for Thanksgiving? Discuss.

SWOON.

Annamarie Akins Photography

• An elegant Virginia wedding from Annamarie Akins.
• At One Love Photography, a cheerful Napa wedding.
• Modern model home perfection from Rue magazine.
• At SMP, maybe the most elegant camp wedding ever.

SMILE.

• Alex's good advice about adding wit to your writing.
• Kate Spade yoga wear! Spring 2016 just got exciting.
• Fantastic Beasts photos! Fall's looking great too...
• Oh Happy Day's tips for taking holiday card photos.

NEST.

• In time for Thanksgiving: what guests won't tell you...
• and Camille Styles' rules for being a good houseguest.
• APW's roundup of noncommercial holiday festivities.
• Erin chooses a holiday theme to keep things simple.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I shared red picks for fall and easy Thanksgiving decorating ideas.
• Two years ago, I rounded up festive pink pieces for a holiday wardrobe, inspiration for a pink vineyard wedding, and recapped November in Instagram and our quiet Thanksgiving at home.
• Three years ago, I shared my "no thank you" list, inspiration for a woodland fairytale wedding, cabin-inspired wardrobe and home picks, a Sunday Social that was all about the 4's, and my updated DIY Christmas wreath.

clicks of note: you're standing here beside me...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• Sam Beam, a.k.a. Iron and Wine, teamed up with Band of Horses' Ben Bridwell, and the result is absolutely gorgeous. I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Annemarie Akins

• From Annamarie Akins, a Richmond fall e-shoot.
• Ethereal modern inspiration from Morgan Gosch.
• At SMP, an absolutely elegant Pasadena wedding.
• A sweet Southern Wedding at Front Porch Farms.

SMILE.

• Desktops: The Front Door, Uppercase Design.
• Sarah and Nick's custom Guess Who game = genius!
• SW ideas for a fun, festive at-home football tailgate.
• Pinterest inspiration for a traditional Thanksgiving.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up cozy layered looks for groomsmen, recapped my fall in entertainment, and shared my November favorites.
• Two years ago, I featured purple pieces for fall and my favorite Instagrammers.
• Three years ago, I shared cozy fall wardrobe picks, my decorations for our family's Thanksgiving, my blog loves, and tailgating outfit inspiration.
• Four years ago, I rounded up barn wedding inspiration:  a rustic celebration, a cedar and teal color scheme, and a modern party.  I also shared Thanksgiving tablescapeideas and my apple-cranberry pie recipe.

clicks of note: beautiful things.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

The Nichols

• A Kate Spade inspired wedding from  Edyta Szyszlo.
• How cool is this desert wedding from the Nichols?
• Ryan Ray features a classic wedding in Alabama.
• A moody coastal elopement at Wedding Sparrow.

SMILE.

• New Star Wars video from Comic-Con makes me happy.
• Pretty desktops: Card Store, Kate Spade, Paper Leaf.
• This pegboard gallery wall via Design Sponge = genius.
• Gorgeous furniture makeover from The Painted Hive.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I participated in a Sunday Social all about the special people in my life, reviewed an eShakti vintage-inspired dress, recapped our trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown Settlement, and checked in with Literary Junkies.
• Two years ago, I had fun rounding up gorgeous inspiration for log home exteriors and interior design and collecting rustic wedding inspiration as we started planning Breeze's big day.
• Three years ago, I shared a few of my favorite blogs and a round-up of braided bridal hairstyles.
• Four years ago, I recapped the bridal shower my friends gave me, my final hair and makeup trial, and my bachelorette party.

sunday simplicity.

"I had that familiar conviction that 

life was beginning over again with the summer."

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Images by Ashley Seawell Photography via Snippet and Ink

clicks of note: don't you dare look back...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• I hope that you're all enjoying whatever Memorial Day finds you doing. What a busy weekend we've had - I chaperoned a school dance on Friday (Karaoke room duty was way more fun than I expected), Breeze's youngest sister graduated from high school on Saturday, her middle sister's bridal shower was yesterday, and our little tribe is having a cookout today. This week, I've got eighth grade Field Day, the last day of classes on Wednesday, a retirement/going away party for two co-workers, two teacher workdays to pack up my classroom, and my 30th birthday on Friday. I'm getting tired just thinking about all of it.

LISTEN.

• It may not officially be summer yet, but Walk the Moon's "Shut Up and Dance" is my official Summer Jam. I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Jenna Henderson via Bridal Musings

• Bridal Musings features a charming rustic barn wedding.
• At SMP, an elegant Baltimore wedding with pretty details.
• SW features a beach wedding full of fairytale perfection.
• Wedding Chicks shows off Justin Alexander's new gowns.

SMILE.

• Buzzfeed rounds up .gifs from body-positive female celebs.
• Mindy Kaling has not one, but TWO new books coming out.
• Five secrets to being a great party hostess, from the Kitchn.
• Redneck Avengers had me laughing out loud like a weirdo.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up the #1 hit song on my birthday in years past, featured my spring blog loves, and recapped my April and May in Instagrams.
• Two years ago, I celebrated my cousin's homecoming from Afghanistan, showed off my favorite pieces from Target for link-up, rounded up some of my favorite Instagrammers to follow, and shared my entertainment faves from May.
• Three years ago, I rounded up confetti-inspired wedding inspiration.  
• Four years ago, I shared ideas for signature cocktails, memorial day party inspiration, and the ways my "venue twins" styled their weddings, and shared our wedding invitation!

 

Favorite Pins: Memorial Day Inspiration

Is it just me, or has Memorial Day snuck up on us this year? For some reason I could not wrap my brain around the unofficial start of summer being a week earlier than usual. I'm definitely looking forward to the long weekend. Here's some plans that have me hoping and wishing for a laid-back lake weekend sometime very soon.

What are your Memorial Day plans?

clicks of note: if you truly wish to be...

get your week off to a colorful start...
WATCH.

• I don't care how stressed out I am, the Muppets will always make me smile. This video has me wishing the powers that be had chosen Josh Groban to play Willy Wonka instead of creepy Johnny Depp. Linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

• China pattern fans rejoice: the new White House set.
• Are you loving the brass kitchen hardware trend too?
• SMP features this elegant multicultural wedding.
• At SW, a creative, beautiful equestrian center soiree.

SMILE.

• Desktops from Card Store and Going Home to Roost.
• If I ever start my own school it will have rainbow stairs.
• How cute is Lia Griffith's jellyfish beach party garland?
• Beautiful paintings inspired by Searching for Sunday.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I shared a TV flashback themed Sunday Social post, rounded up lemon yellow picks (including my favorite scent) and inspiration for a rustic lemon wedding, and shared a typical day in my life as a teacher.
• Two years ago I shared my past and made predictions about my future.

clicks of note: over the seas I'll go 'til I'm home...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• I have long believed that the Monday after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday and mandatory day off work - because let's be honest, are any of us really going to be productive today?  Here are some fun clicks for the time you spend procrastinating.

LISTEN.

• Old Man Canyon sounds like what would happen if Mumford and Sons got together with Of Monsters and Men. This track, "The Road," appeals to the side of me that wants to run away to a log cabin in the woods. Today I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

• Bridal Musings is giving away a velvet ring box!
• Loving Katelyn Brooke's calm January moodboard.
• Via Style Bistro, ballerinas to follow on Instagram.
• SMP features a creative garden inspiration shoot.

SIMPLIFY.

• Lovely desktops from Cardstore, Ruche, and Sarah Hearts.
• Anthropologie's just-add-pants outfit formulas are so easy!
• Jo shares her method for choosing wine by similar tastes.
• Fifty useful, content-rich blog post ideas from Elle + Co.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year's Sunday Social was all about the 4's.  I also rounded up my favorite red picks for Valentine's Day, showed off some easy Valentine's Day party ideas, rounded up my favorite things for February and reflected on what I learned from 2013.
• Two years ago I created the Beyond the Aisle Facebook Page, shared ideas for a Valentine's girls night in, and rounded up bridal gowns with lace sleeves
• Three years ago I shared a pretty pink Sunday Simplicity post.
• Four years ago, I featured black and ivory tuxedo style inspiration and the reason I went with wholesale flowers for our wedding.

clicks of note.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

• 100 Layer Cake shows off rustic Nashville nuptials.
• At Elizabeth Anne Designs, a Seattle garden wedding.
• SMP features a fairytale-quality Michigan wedding.

SMILE.

• What do you think of Jordan's 52 dinner party goal?
• Joy shares a gift idea for friends expecting baby #2.
• Kelly's tips for sticking to a workout plan are on point.

FLASHBACK.

• In last year's Sunday Social, I dished about my beauty routine, rounded up dazzling blue wardrobe updates and my favorite looks from the Grammy Awards, recapped my January in entertainment.  I also attended the sweetest blended family wedding.
• Two years ago, Sunday Social involved some deep thinking, and I listed my classic style staples, rounded up wedding dresses with beautiful full skirts, shared a review of our Blurb wedding album, and went to B's Super Bowl party (with cookie cupcakes).
• Three years ago I shared round-ups featuring inspiration for adding warm neutral coffee and nougat shades to your wardrobe, home decor, and to a wedding (with pops of pastel pink!).

year in review: favorite posts of 2014

Yesterday, I shared some of the most popular posts on Beyond the Aisle from 2014.  Today, I'm celebrating the end of a great year with a little hat-tip to my personal favorite posts.

My January in Entertainment - I really started the year strong with my media choices - I read Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books, my all-time favorite memoir about Christianity, and started a YA series that I loved.

Valentine's Day Party Ideas - Even though none of my party ideas were that innovative or fancy, I really had fun throwing a Valentine's Day party for my girlfriends.

If My Blog Was an Outfit - This was just fun.  I love ideas that circulate the blogosphere and help me be more creative.

Goal Setting: What Fires Me Up! - I come back to this list when I need a reminder.

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink - I love my weird posts, and my idea to create Polyvore outfits for each of the main characters in Mean Girls was definitely weird.

Photo an Hour - I think that when I've been teaching for 10, 15, or 20 years it will really be interesting to come back to this post to remember what a day of teaching eighth grade in 2014 was like.  Four 84-minute class periods of up to 30 kiddos each, interactive white boards, journals, and bulky metal laptop carts are all so normal to me now, but who knows what's to come in my teaching career.

My Early Summer in Entertainment - I can't believe I got to see Delta Rae, Willie Nelson, and Alison Krauss this summer.  Still not over it.

Our Williamsburg, Virginia Vacation Part 1 - A.K.A. the vacation I thought would be lame that ended up being totally fun.

My Late Summer in Instagram - Instagram round-up posts really remind me how special and beautiful my life really is.

Letting My Geek Flag Fly! [Geek Girl Tag] - Since no one chased me with a pitchfork after I posted this one, expect things to get even more geeky around here in the future.

My Fall in Instagram - In which I was a pony for Halloween.  NEVER FORGET.

DIY Cardinal Christmas Wreath - Probably my favorite craft project of the year; I really do love making wreaths.

Happy New Year's Eve!