Baby Update!

Hey lovely blog readers! I thought I would fill you in on what's up with little Baby Dyer since so many of you are so sweet to check in!

It's Monday at lunch time and we still have no baby in our arms! At our appointment last week, everything was looking great and we were moving along nicely so they felt comfortable keeping the bun in the oven a bit longer. It was great news that everyone was looking healthy!

That night (Tuesday) I was just SURE I was in labor, as I had consistent contractions for over an hour, but not close enough to head to the hospital just yet. THEN they went away! I had some contractions here and there throughout the rest of the week and then the consistent ones returned for over 3 hours Friday morning. Mark even worked from home since they were continuing. And...same story, different day...they went away AGAIN! And finally, yesterday we thought we might be headed to baby land with about 5 hours of contractions, but you know the story.....

We head back to the doc on Wednesday if Dyer doesn't arrive before then. We are super surprised that he isn't here yet with all of this action, but are trusting the Lord's perfect timing for his birthday. We are also thankful for the good, healthy report and the added freedom from bed rest that came along with it! I get to head out on some little adventures (you may see me out for lunch, at the new Orange Mango on Dickson Street, or you may have seen me at church yesterday) that are WONDERFUL! Any and all of your prayers for a healthy and easy arrival are very much appreciated! Check back here for photos of Dyer once he arrives!

Baby & Bed Rest

Hey everyone! It's been a busy week at J.Bailey Occasions between the FABULOUS wedding weekend of Lucy & Chris {MUCH MORE TO COME!} and the progress of my pregnancy! Always exciting around here...

I am going to be off of work for at least the next few days, as I have been instructed to be taking it super easy/on bed rest at least through my next doctor's appointment, which is Tuesday, March 23rd. At that point I will be 38 weeks along and we would be comfortable inducing if we had to! I am working on keeping baby Dyer in the "oven" until then and keeping my blood pressure down in the mean time, so no work over the next few days for this momma.

We will re-evaluate on Tuesday and hopefully have a baby in our arms not too long after that! Your patience and understanding is GREATLY appreciated while we work on being healthy!

If you are a new bride, groom, mother of the bride, or anyone else interested in Wedding Planning Services, please complete this form and return it via email to Jenessa.

Summer Wedding Planning Internships

One of the most frequent emails I receive this time of year, and one of my highest "search words" that leads people to my website, are all about Wedding Planning Internships. I loved having an intern last summer, and I think she really enjoyed all that she learned!

This summer we will not be hosting any internships at J.Bailey Occasions. With the brand new baby boy in tow, I have decided to take the time to get to know what this new life and schedule will look like. I know that there will be days that won't go exactly as planned, and I don't want anyone else's summer experience to be a negative one because everything is so up in the air with a newborn!

I wish all of the planners-to-be the very best in finding summer positions. I know that all of the professional planners value your enthusiasm and willingness to work to learn, and you are a truly precious asset to any company! Thanks for checking in!

The Bachelor Wedding: Molly marries Jason

Yes, it's true. I am a shameless fan of The Bachelor and have been since it began back when I was probably somewhere around 17 or 18 years old. (Okay, so maybe it hasn't been THAT long...or maybe it has!) When ABC announced the second wedding of a Bachelor couple to be televised, you know I set my DVR to record! After watching it yesterday I thought I would share the things I loved and the things I could've lived without for their lovely wedding day.

Let's start with the top 5 things I could have lived without. (I want to finish this post with the things I loved!)

5. All of the other "stars" of The Bachelor who were guests and featured on the 2-hour special. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of Ed and Jillian, but save that for a Bachelor special. It seems as though these reality TV faces made up much of the crowd, and though it is fun to get their updates, I would have rather seen other more important people. Are they really Molly & Jason's nearest & dearest? Maybe they are! Remember this when you are making your guest lists.

4. In the middle of their vows, all of a sudden host Chris Harrison throws us to commercial! And speaking of vows, I didn't hear any "in sickness and health" or "til death do us part" even in their own words. I am all about making your vows your own, but make sure you're promising (AKA vowing) to do something, not just sharing what you love about your hubby- or wife-to-be.

3. The lack of Plan B on the part of the wedding planner & designer. The planner did confess that she hadn't dealt with that kind of forecast before on a wedding day, but you should try to plan ahead. Knowing that this event took place in L.A. and knowing their event resources there, a tent or canopy should have been ready to go to cover the entire event space. At some point in the day, it is the responsibility of the wedding coordinator to make a decision that will be best for the couple, their family, and their guests. This one should have decided to erect a really beautiful clear tent over the space, still giving the outdoor feel, but keeping the guests and the lovely couple protected from the downpour. ALWAYS have a Plan B. If you are not okay with Plan B, you should probably plan an indoor occasion.

2. The awkward dove release done by the mothers. Not only am I not a fan of the dove release, but I would say that the guests who had to duck to avoid dove-in-the-head probably weren't either. They were released from what appeared to be heart shaped white wicker baskets. Overall, the reason I think I didn't enjoy this moment was because it didn't seem very much like Jason & Molly's style. Molly's a little more hip than that!

1. The fact that NO ONE got Molly & Jason an umbrella in the middle of the torrential downpour! The camera whisked around to all of the guests whipping out their clear umbrellas and smiling & laughing, while Molly's Ken Paves hairdo melted in the rain. Where was her wedding coordinator on that? Or how about a guest selflessly giving up their dryness so that the bride could save her hair, makeup, and dress? Here's a pointer for outdoor weddings...always stash AT LEAST ONE umbrella near the bride and groom (or even on the front row) if there is the slightest chance of rain.

Oh, and one last thing...why didn't anyone straighten Jason's GIANT boutonniere? It was floppy the whole time!

Okay, enough of that, let's get on with what I loved in this wedding. Here are my Top 5 Favorites:

5. Molly's overall look! Her Monique Lhullier gown was a stunner and fit her like a glove! Those green Manolo heels were to die for (as were the bridesmaids'), and her Ken Paves styled hair looked super nice, especially after it was re-styled for the reception. Her Neil Lane jewels were to die for, too! I love how Jason complemented her as soon as she met him at the aisle (grooms take note)!

4. The overall styling of the wedding ceremony was lovely. It appears that the ceremony space was built by the designer in a "blank space." I loved the simple, natural look of the ceremony and how it was updated with the lounge seating for the guests rather than seating them in individual chairs. I was glad to see that they went with this style over the mega-pink bash a la Trista and Ryan from the first Bachelor wedding.

3. Okay, I will admit it. I loved watching the paparazzi getting tackled to the ground, the set-up crew chasing the garden "walls" as they blew away in the rain, and Chris Harrison's umbrella flipping out while the wind blew. I just kept thinking to myself "I am SO glad that's not me!" At the same time, I kept thinking of how much easier things could have gone if they had created a rain plan for their staff. They should have called J.Bailey Occasions!

2. The reception was gorgeous and appropriate. Not too much, not too little. It was a wonderful complement to the wedding ceremony, but amped up for the party! They had GORGEOUS lighting and great linens. The chairs were so-so (yes, I love the right chairs) but they disappeared in the overall look. The tree canopy really transformed the ballroom space into something completely new and unexpected for their guests. We didn't get to see much else of the reception, but what I saw was phenomenal to look at!

1. My favorite moment was probably the first dance. Not only were Jason & Molly serenaded by Gavin Degraw singing a gorgeous song, but they truly seemed like they were only focused on each other. All of the guests, cameras, and distractions disappeared for them. I could have lived without the shots of the other Bachelor stars crying, but it was a really nice moment!

One last thing, in true Bachelor fashion I was expecting something to be "the most dramatic Bachelor wedding EV-UR" but they completely avoided the drama and even using that famous line.

Overall, the wedding was gorgeous and Jason and Molly seemed truly happy even sopping wet. I loved when Molly said "this is SO fun" as they walked out of the ceremony in the middle of the monsoon. {Brides, you should definitely be like Molly and go with the flow if something uncontrollable throws you a loop on your wedding day.} Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. and we wish you a life of love, all beginning on reality TV!

Race for the Cure 2010

Many of you have emailed, called, or inquired about Brides for the Cure 2010. We sure do love the buzz that surrounds this project we love and a cause we feel passionately about! After much thoughtful consideration, we have reluctantly chosen to sit this year out for Brides for the Cure. With a baby due just a couple of weeks before the Race this year, I will be unable to support the other Presenting Sponsors (Sincerely Yours Paper & Benfield Photography). After we all assessed the situation and the projects we are currently tackling (Dale & Mere will be out of the country in the days leading up to the Race and it's Amy's busiest time of year), we decided that it was in the best interest of our potential team members and ourselves to take this year off. {Insert very sad sigh!}

However, we want to HIGHLY encourage you to form your own team or sign up for the Race on your own! Our purpose in Brides for the Cure has always been about supporting the fight against breast cancer, not about wedding prizes and fun t-shirts (although we sure do looooove those too!).

The Race is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2010 at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers, AR. For all of the info you need, please visit the Komen Ozark Race Website. You can register as a team or as an individual online or print out the paper registration.

We hope you will continue to "Promise to Do Your Part" (our team mantra) in 2010 and look for the return of Brides for the Cure in 2011!!!

Fun Friday: My Urban Belly with Benfield Photography

Happy Friday! It's definitely TGIF in the Bailey house today!

About a week or so ago, I got to hit the town with two of my most fun friends who just happen to love to follow me around with a camera. Juuust kidding. What I should say is that I am blessed to have such talented photog friends, Dale and Mere, from Benfield Photography. That's the truth for sure!

Just for fun, here is a picture that we took at the Bridal Expo back in September (I think)...you'll have to look below to see how much I've changed. I was probably around 10 or 12 weeks pregnant at this point. It's a terrible picture of me, but you can see the teeny bump in my belly.

Anyway, we all packed up and headed around town to capture some fun shots of my always growing belly and boy did we have fun doing it. Poor Dale probably didn't realize how much work it is to pull an 8 month preggo girl up off of the ground, and when he had me lean into a chain link fence I was pretty sure it was going to collapse right to the ground. Luckily it didn't and we laughed & laughed a lot through each moment of the shoot.

All of this to say, pregnant moms...you gotta do this! What better way to capture one of the most exciting, challenging times in your life and just to have some fun! And let me say...Meredith is the queen of photoshop and has renewed my confidence as a "she's about to have that baby" looking woman. If you want to see more of my Urban Belly session, head over to Dale's blog today. And then, pick up the phone or email them to set up your session now! Here's a sneak peek I stole from their blog...

Date Night Winner

I am one slow blogger. My days lately have been joyfully filled with preparations for Lucy's March wedding, now just days away, and preparing my nest to welcome Baby Dyer. We are also in full swing working on all of our Spring and summer weddings...if only that Spring weather would arrive, too!

About one month ago, I announced a Date Night Giveaway based on you (the readers) posting fun First Date stories. They were all great! It was too hard for me to pick on my own, so I used a Random Number Generator to pick the winning comment.

And the winner is............Tyler!



Here is her First Date comment:
My first date with Patrick is a little strange. He met me in the Ft. Smith Chili's (we weren't "officially" dating, so this is a long story that I'll tell you at lunch sometime), and I ate like a total fatty in front of him. It was the first time it had ever been just the two of us. He was supposed to just be passing through to head to his parents' house in NLR, but I convinced him to go with me to the skanky Village Pub to watch Sarah Edwards' dad's band play :) When he finally left to go to NLR at like, 1:00am, I knew he was a good one. He went with me to arguably one of the grossest, most smoke-infested joints in Ft. Smith and didn't complain at all. Until the next day when he was exhausted :)

Tyler has won a gift card to my favorite Fayetteville dress-up-with-my-honey, night-on-the-town restaurant, BORDINO'S. I hope you two enjoy a nice evening out on us!

(Tyler, email me your address to jenessa@jbaileyoccasions.com and I will send you your gift.)

Stay tuned to the blog for more fun as we gear up for the Spring!