Before The Aisle

Do Not Disturb signs

2011-02-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Wedding tip of the day:

Be sure your guests are not disturbed the next morning!

Create simple Do Not Disturb signs for your welcome bags/boxes for guests staying overnight. You can design these yourself to match your wedding colors. Be sure to include “Recovering from the Wedding of” on these for a really cute touch.

End of the Night Coffee Favor

2011-01-29T10:47:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Coffee Fix!

Refuel your guests with some caffeine at the end of the night. Purchase personalized travel coffee mugs (check promotional item websites for inexpensive versions like this one) and have your caterer set up a coffee bar. Guests who are traveling far will really appreciate the caffeine fix and the travel mug acts as a great favor.

Cookie Buffet

2011-01-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Cookie Buffet!

Consider a cookie buffet instead of a candy bar for your favor. Set out a variety of cookies and have your caterer get small cartons of milk (like you got at recess in grade school). Get some paper straws (check here at Bake It Pretty) and cute little bags and labels so guests can pack up some cookies to take home.

Check out this fabulous cookie buffet from Rebecca Thus

Candle Escort Cards

2011-01-26T03:57:00.001-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

For a fun take on escort cards, print guests names and tables on vellum and wrap it around small tealight holders. Use battery operated lights so nothing gets too hot for guests. Once guests arrive at their table with their “placecards” the tealights will serve as candlelight around the table.

A Backyard Affair

2011-01-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

Real wedding feature:

A not so big backyard, a sunny day and a little help

equals a dream come true wedding for this couple!

In just a few weeks time, and with a little help from the girls over at It's All In The Details, this couple planned the ultimate backyard wedding!

Anyone who has ever said you can't have a wedding with style in the backyard have not met the team over at It's All In The Details. These ladies like a challenge and boy, did they deliver on this one! Transforming this backyard into a beautiful wedding ceremony site (and then reception! more on that later) was no small feat, and they surpassed even the bride's wildest expectations.

The house may have looked like every other on the block before the festivities, but take a peek at these photos from Jeffrey Vock to see what was hiding in the backyard as the festivities were about to begin...

Check out the happy bride getting ready in her fabulous custom sweatsuit

from In Style Before The Aisle.

The invitations and programs were also designed by It's All In The Details and had a lovebird motif. (Check out the adorable red birds just over the groom's shoulder...

LOVE that little detail).

The love could be felt all around...from the groom's brother performing the ceremony to the thoughtfully written vows exchanged by the bride and groom, this was one happy couple!

While the wedding guests moved to the front porch for cocktail hour, the It's All In The Details team hurried to transform the backyard from the ceremony into the reception site. Now, that takes some serious organization, not to mention audacity. This kind of transformation in less than an hour? If I had not witnessed it, I would swear it couldn't be done. But, here are the pictures to prove that the reception was as elegant and beautiful as the ceremony. (Oh, and check out the gorgeous wedding guest tree from LoviDay Wedding Designs. What a great idea! And the escort cards with the love birds...too cute!)

As the night wore on, the guests had a fabulous time. I just love how the crystal curtain backdrop sparkled in the moonlight. The couple put a new twist on the wine bottle favor (with the help of It's All In The Details) by creating a label with a wedding photo!! Talk about instant gratification. But I guess given the amazing feats pulled off that day, anything is possible!

Even the new Mr. and Mrs. were blown away by how elegant and stylish their little wedding in the backyard became. And It's All In The Details, great job ladies! What an amazing job.

Special thanks to Jeffrey Vock for his fabulous photos.

Style Me Pretty Magazine!

2011-01-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Check out Style Me Pretty and their new digtal magazine for loads of ideas and inspiration.

Chic Affordable Centerpieces

2011-01-21T19:54:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Don’t poo-poo more economical flower choices without considering all your options. Some cheaper flowers when clustered together can have a chic look. Carnations crammed in a low dish or used to create a pomander atop a candlestick can be very elegant without breaking the bank.

A little S'more for your guests

2011-01-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

S'more Kit Favor

This week's favorite favor comes by way of this post from Lauren of Lauren Elise Crafted guest blogging at the Valley and Co. blog. And isn't it the cutest "kit"you have ever seen?

It's got everything your guest could need to make their s'more and would be a very easy DIY project. All the necessary smore's ingredients along with a little candle and some matches, and all wrapped up in a neat little matchbox! Check out the blog here for all the details on how to make it and if you want to see some more great stuff check out Lauren's blog here.

Wedding Purse

2011-01-20T05:19:00.000-08:00

Wedding tip of the Day

A Wedding Day Purse you will be proud to carry!

Want to honor your mom or grandmother by using their gown but want to wear your own? Consider having a small handbag made from the fabric/lace/appliqué of her gown. Enlist the help of a crafty friend or seamstress, or DIY with mom as a good bonding experience. The bag will be a treasure for years to come. And it can double as your something old too.

Vintage brooch

2011-01-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Use a vintage brooch or Grandma’s pin in your hair rather than buying a tiara or hairpin.

Don't Just Sit There

2011-01-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Don’t just sit there!

Will you be sitting with your backs to your guests during your ceremony? Consider having the florist or a crafty friend decorate the back of your chairs so guests are not just faced with your back during the festivities. Use small wreaths or a little garland to dress up the seats. For a really fun touch, tie a wooden ampersand (&) between the two seats.

A Touching Momento

2011-01-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day

Honor a departed loved one by tying a locket or small photo charm to your bouquet.

Popcorn Buffet

2011-01-12T17:08:00.000-08:00

Wedding Tip of the Day:

Popcorn Buffet!

Love the idea of a candy buffet without the cost? Why not a popcorn buffet? Look online for a variety of popcorn recipes get to poppin! Provide guests with paper popcorn bags you can buy online.

Guests will love this unique take on the popular treat buffet!

Find some great popcorn recipes here and here and here.

A new spin on the charitable donation

2011-01-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

Favorite Favor of the Week:

Introducing our very first "Favorite Favor" of the week. Each week we will spotlight a favor idea that we just love. Something fresh, a new take on a modern tradition. This week's favorite comes courtesy of The Flirty Guide and is such a cute take on the now standard "donation in lieu of a favor."

The bride and groom selected three charities and then put out three containers and some colored tokens. The sign instructed guests to put their token into the container for the charity they preferred. The happy couple then made donations to all three charities in proportion to how many tokens were collected. So simple! So clever! So cute!

To personalize this idea for your own wedding, you could get creative with the containers: a dog bowl for a donation to your local shelter, a piggy bank in the shape of a heard for The Heart Association. Try including the token on your escort cards to liven them up and then guests can drop off their token on their way into the reception. What a great way to donate to a worthy cause and enable your guests to feel included!

Wedding Crossword

2011-01-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

Wedding tip of the day:

Having brunch the morning after the wedding? Nothing says brunch like the Sunday morning crossword! Create a personalized crossword puzzle with details from your wedding to keep guests entertained throughout the morning, testing just how much they remember from the big day. Check online to hire someone to design this or download a crossword creating program to DIY. For an extra special touch, get some personalized pencils to go with the crossword.

photo source: Martha Stewart Weddings

Wedding Tip of the Day

2011-01-06T04:57:00.000-08:00

Create an inspiration board with pictures and images from website and magazines that convey the look you are going for. Check out Style Me Pretty or Polyvore for an easy way to create a digital inspiration board. Share it with vendors to help them create your vision.

We're back!

2011-01-06T04:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

We've been busy over here at In Style Before the Aisle and we are starting off Twenty-Eleven with a bang. We have added a few new items to the website and we are working hard on several more fabulous items soon to come.

In the meantime, check out our great new feature....Wedding Tip of the Day! Some really great advice and inspiration for your big day. Follow us on facebook and twitter to be up to the minute with tips. And we will be posting them on the blog as well.

Stay tuned for lots more to come!

Creating a photo book

2010-11-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

I wrote a book!

Ok, well sort of anyway. My nephew just turned one and in honor of his first birthday, I decided to create a book for him as a keepsake. I thought it was a great way to chronicle his first year and a nice little tradition to start. I used a site called Blurb to create my book. I really like the different size options and layouts they offer. There are a lot of sites out there that you can use to create this style book, many of which are easy to use and quite affordable. Places like Kodak Gallery will even automatically lay out the photos you upload to them in a preset design. This is a good option if you do not have the time to design each page yourself.

This is a spread over the first two pages of my book once it gets started. I chose 18 closeups similar in size that really demonstrate the change from birth to 1 year. I know, isn't he just the cutest little guy you have ever seen? I created this book as 11x13 - which is big! But it allowed me to put many pictures like this example on one page. Blurb is great because there are so many options for your sizes and layouts. They even offer soft covers which are more cost effective. And you can upload a book design and then share the link with family and friends, so if they choose to buy it, they can. It's great for weddings, family vacations, reunions, you name it. Oh, and you can browse books there that were made by others for ideas and inspiration. There are great forums and tutorials too in case you have any questions.

I wrote a letter to my little nephew, and then I spread that letter out between the photos that were applicable to what I was saying. I also chose not to do the whole thing in chronological order which made it a lot more interesting to flip through.

In the age of digital photography, it is rare to get to hold an actual photo anymore. Creating a photo book allows you to share lots of pictures with your loved ones in a very impressive and cost effective way. Don't be afraid to give it a try. The holidays are fast approaching and this would make a great gift for Grandma and Grandpa. Have family that live far away? This is perfect.

Start a tradition like I did. I plan to make a book for this little guy every year. Taking a little time to sort out some good photos and set up your photobook has a huge payoff when your professional looking, (like I just picked it up at Barnes and Noble) photo book arrives on your doorstep. Your friends and family will swoon over it. And with a little patience you can really wow the crowd.

p.s. Are you not loving that birthday boy t-shirt in the photo above? Check it out here from the ladies over at Wicked Stitches. It has his name and a number one on the back! Too cute!

Chocolate Covered Oreos

2010-10-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

So, can you think of something tastier than the simple goodness of an oreo cookie? I don't know too many people who don't like oreos and I can think of only one thing better than an oreo....

An oreo covered in chocolate!

I thought I would try my hand at these after I realized that getting that perfect shape around the oreos required a simple mold that I found online. There are several places you can find oreo molds, but I found a great selection at Spinning Leaf. They have all sorts of shapes and designs to choose from. And right now they are sending a free mold with every order (bonus)!

For my first attempt, I decided to try to make bat ones for Halloween and some man in the moon face ones just because that face made me laugh. These molds are a really good quality, easy to use and very easy to wash.

I gathered up all my necessities. Oreos, of course! Chocolate candy wafers, a microwave safe bowl, a mold painter, a funnel and some Crisco or vegetable oil. Thanks so much to Bakerella for this tip. I never knew this before, but adding a little vegetable oil or crisco as you melt your chocolate will thin it out and make it a lot easier to work with an pour.

Melting the chocolate in the microwave is pretty easy. I did it in thirty second intervals in a microwave safe bowl, stirring after every thirty seconds. I then used the funnel to transfer some of my orange chocolate into a mold painter, just a little bottle with a fine tip end. This is a great tool if you want to paint on some colors in your mold.

I used some orange to make the bats on my oreos stand out. This took a little time, but once I got the hang of it, it went quickly. Before moving on I had to let this set, so I stuck it in the fridge for about 10 minutes and took a break...I might have eaten an oreo or two along the way.

Then I melted some milk chocolate and poured it into the mold, filling about halfway. I dropped the oreos in next, twisting each one slightly as I did to be sure that the groove between the two cookies got filled in with chocolate. The chocolate began to come up over the top of the cookie.

Then I spooned a little more chocolate over the rest of the oreo to cover it up. Its important not to overfill (as I did on some) because it makes the edge of your cookie come out unsmooth. And back in the fridge for a little while to set.

When they were done, they popped right out of the mold. You can see how a few had less than perfect edges...but no too bad for my first attempt!

I used the leftover orange (rather than waste it) and some mint flavored dark chocolate for these guys. The mint was a nice touch too. Kind of made it hard to decide which to eat first.

And they were a big hit with everyone!

So, give it a try and let me know how it goes.

I am looking forward to trying it again. Next up: Yo Gabba Gabba inspired oreos. I'll keep you posted.

The Wedding Tree

2010-10-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO A

WEDDING GUEST BOOK

Have you ever gone to a wedding and drawn a total blank when faced with an empty page in the guestbook? Wishing you could think of something witty and heartfelt, but forced instead to go with the predictable "Best Wishes?" I know I have. And as a bride, wouldn't you like to wow your guests with something new and different? Something that does not require a lot of thought or eloquence, but that truly lets them leave their mark on your big day? Well, then I have found just the thing for you!

Check out this wedding tree by LovliDay Wedding Designs - The concept is simple. Guests immortalize their presence at your wedding by using their thumbprint to create leaves on your wedding tree. No thought. No need to be witty or clever. Just the simple act of "leaf"ing their mark on your wedding tree.

Guests can sign their name just below their thumbprint. All it takes is an inkpad from your local craft store (we used a kid friendly "washable" one to make removal a breeze), a fine tip marker and some wipes available for quick thumb cleaning. Green was used for this outdoor wedding, but the colors can be coordinated to match your day (or perhaps the room in your home where you plan to hang the tree). The leaves do not have to be limited to one color either. Can't you just see this at a fall wedding with leaves in a few different shades of red and brown? LovliDay will print the design for you and ship it to you for about $40 depending on the size of your wedding (they even include the little sign asking guests to "LEAF" their thumbprint!), or you can simply request that they email you a PDF file for only $16! Yes, $16! I know, I could not believe it either. Then with a larger format printer (ideally this should be at least 11x14) or at your local print shop (think Staples or Kinko's) you can have this printed for a few dollars. And the end result turns out something kind of artsy that you will be thrilled to hang once you are back from your honeymoon. All together you will spend less than $30-$50! Not bad for something that is sure to really knock everyone's socks off!

P.S. Are you planning a baby shower? Check out LovliDay's Baby Shower Tree! The little bundle hanging from the tree is just too adorable for words. And what a great addition it would make to the nursery decor!

Photos courtesy of Jeffrey Vock Photography

Diamonds are a girls best friend!

2010-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Tiffany Theme Bridal Shower

There may not be a more recognizable gift package then the unmistakeable little blue box with the white bow. And what could be a better theme for a bridal shower? From the "Kimberly & Co." logo used throughout the event, to the diamond rings (keychains) each guest received as a favor, no detail was overlooked at this affair. And all tied together as perfectly as a white bow around a little blue box.

Here are a few of our favorite details:

Sparkly diamonds appeared everywhere at this shower which was held in a family friend's home. The escort cards were tacked to a board with diamond push pins. A super cute detail, these were created easily by gluing large rhinestones onto flat push pins. An easy DIY project that fit in perfectly with the theme.

Tables were set with classic gold trimmed white china set atop a Tiffany blue overlay. Linens can be rented locally and online, but with a little diligence on the internet, they can be purchased for around the same price. Check out www.efavormart.com for reasonably priced linens in a variety of colors.

And of course, no Tiffany themed bridal shower would be complete without an engagement ring. Each guest received the most adorable diamond ring keychain that was presented in a little blue box with a white bow. The box lid was stamped with a Kimberly & Co. logo design. Too cute! And check out that diamond confetti on the table in the background!