my fall and winter bucket list

• Donate summer clothes and streamline my cold-weather wardrobe
• Go to one of my students' football games
• Attend a wine and painting class at the local winery or Paint Nite
• Movies to see: Wish I Was Here, Lucy, The Hundred-Foot Journey, What If, If I Stay, About Alex, This Is Where I Leave You
• Books to read: Dragonfly in Amber, Where She Went, City of Heavenly Fire

• Go biking on the Greenway with Mr. Q
• Try some new activities at GO Fest (outdoor yoga class!)
• Use my new YMCA membership (spin class!)
• Make s'mores in the fire pit
• Movies to see: The Good Lie, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Kingsman, The Best of Me
• Books to read:  Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Atlantia, Yes Please

• Learn to use my sewing machine
• Have the art we've purchased framed and display it in our townhouse
• Little home improvements: setting up the daybed frame in the guest room, installing a ceiling fan in the master bedroom
• Participate in the Color Me Rad 5K with my coworkers
• Movies to see: The Theory of Everything, Mockingjay Part 1
• Books to read: The Bane Chronicles

• Movies to see: Wild
• Books to read:  My True Love Gave to Me

What's on your to-do list for this fall and winter?  

What are you most looking forward to?

Linking Up With:

Living In Yellow

Travel Babbles

Fall 2014 - Sangria and Gold

Now that we're solidly into fall, it's time to break out the bold, rich colors that remind us of comfort and luxury.  I'm really digging the combination of sangria and gold at the moment - so classic and sophisticated.

1. Old Navy satin boho blouse  2. Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in "Soft Raspberry"  3. LOFT floral scarf  4. Old Navy pixie pants 

5. Zoya nail polish in "Aubrey" 6. Fossil "Preston" colorblock purse  7. Albeit lipstickin "Bordeaux" from Anthropologie  8. "Elsa" scalloped ballet flats from Payless

Which of these bold, classy pieces is your favorite?

Linking Up:

Manic Monday at More Pieces of Me and The Daily Express

Passion 4 Fashion at Rachel the Hat

Style Sessions at Style Elixir

Style to Inspire with Rhea Et Cetera and Life in the Fash Lane

clicks of note: who knows what we'll find...

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

• Jason Mraz will always be one of my favorites.  Right now I'm loving "A World With You" from his new album Yes.  I'm linking up with My So-Called Chaos for Musical Mondays.

SWOON.

Meg Runion Studios via Style Me Pretty

• This Verulam Farms wedding is so Charlottesville.
• The Woodgrain Cottage's fall home tour is so cozy.
• Wedding Chicks features gorgeous hairstyle ideas.

SMILE.

• 13 Days of Halloween starts this weekend!
• Need a quick escape? Road trip photography.
• Love this natural engagement story via Jo.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up blush + taupe wardrobe updates, shared Halloween costume ideas for couples + groups along with some Gatsby-inspired options, and completed an A to Z book survey.
• Two years ago I shared navy + orange wardrobe ideas, put together inspiration for a rustic navy wedding, rounded up wedding cake pop ideas, shared my photos from High Point Furniture Market as well as a what-to-wear guide, and put together a musical alphabet.
• Three years ago I rounded up fall centerpiece ideas and shared photos from my first trip to High Point + a recipe for crock pot baked apples.

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!

sunday simplicity.

1326 Studios via Wedding Chicks

clicks of note: i hold your name up to the sky...

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

• Sucré is French for "sugar," and is pretty much a perfect description of Stacy Dupree-King's voice. This song blends classical influences with house music in such a creative way. I'm linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos (come join us!).

SWOON.

Haley Rynn Ringo via Style Me Pretty

• SMP's got a bohemian wedding with beautiful calligraphy.
• Loving this colorful fall porch tour from City Farmhouse.
• Elizabeth Anne Designs features a lovely Southern wedding.
• At Snippet and Ink, an insanely romantic garden affair.

SMILE.

• Bill Hader is hosting SNL this weekend- bring on Stefon!
• Way too funny: Vulture's "real or fake Winston storyline?"
• October wallpapers from The Party Girl, and Oh So Lovely.
• From Tremendous Times, how to make life an adventure.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I put together some casual outfit ideas for my high school reunion,
• Two years ago, I shared honey gold and camel wardrobe ideas for fall, rounded up ponytails that are pretty enough to be wedding hairstyles, and recapped the #Septemberstories Instagram readers' challenge.
• Three years ago, I shared a peek at our cocktail hour, our outdoor wedding party portraits and couple portraits.

sunday simplicity.

Elizabeth Messina via Snippet and Ink

"The king's son was always by her, and never ceased his 

compliments and kind speeches to her. All this was so far from 

being tiresome to her, and, indeed, she quite forgot what her 

godmother had told her. She thought that it was no later 

than eleven when she counted the clock striking twelve. 

She jumped up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The prince followed, 

but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass 

slippers, which the prince picked up most carefully." - Charles Perrault

October Favorites

This month's favorites post is a day late, but I have a good excuse - I spent yesterday afternoon visiting a brand new baby!  My best friend Breeze is officially an aunt, and that means October is off to an amazing start already.  Today Mr. Q and I will be attending my college roomie's wedding, and the rest of this month's weekends are packed with apple orchard visits, outdoor festivals, a 5K, and other fall fun.

1. The used book fair - Roanoke's American Association of University Women chapter hosts a huge book fair every fall and winter and the selection gets better every year.  They always have a bag sale on the Sunday of the book fair, and I scored some just-like-new books for my classroom along with a few for myself.

2. Sugared Apple Yankee Candle - This candle has the perfect apple to vanilla ratio.  I've found myself lighting it every single evening when I get home from work as part of my fall routine.  It makes the townhouse feel so cozy!

3. Hocus Pocus - The best movie ever, filled with slightly inappropriate jokes that went over our heads when we were kids.  I will never get tired of this movie, Thackery Binx, or Bette Midler's performance of "I Put a Spell On You."

4. Sleepy Hollow - I am a wimp when it comes to scary movies and creepy TV shows.  Sleepy Hollow is perfect for me because it balances out the demons and monsters with U.S. history and procedural mystery-solving.

5. Fall gardening - Basically every fall consists of me walking into the garden center and going, "Give me all of your chrysanthemums, please."  In addition to their plethora of mums, our garden center had some pink flamingos painted to look like skeletons, and it was GENIUS.

6. Wine festivals - Mr. Q and I are actually planning some winery road trips this fall after enjoying ourselves immensely yet again at this year's wine festival at the lake.

7. Pumpkin Spice Oreos - These little babies are almost too sweet for their own good.  SO GOOD.