Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Bailey family!




Photos by Benfield Photography

Wedding Woes and Wisdom: The Brides Tell All, Kimberly Phillips Cunningham

It's advice time again! This "The Brides Tell All" comes from Mrs. Kimberly Phillips Cunningham, who married her handsome groom, Chase, on August 28th. The wedding ceremony took place at the sweet Chapel on the Creeks in Rogers and the rockin' reception was hosted at the Fayetteville Town Center. This bride loved pink, slate grey, and loads of bling & candle light for her wedding. The guests were treated to a cocktail hour with hand passed hors d'oeuvres, a multi-course seated dinner, and one heck of a party! We created the bride's lounge like setting using custom lighting, an LED dance floor, swanky lounge furniture, and crystal shimmering chandeliers. The U-shaped dinner table allowed all of the guests to be seated at one table with the dance floor as the centerpiece. To see more images (by the fab Benfield Photography team) visit our website and click on the Kimberly and Chase gallery! (Or see them on our Facebook page by clicking here!)

Take it away, Mrs.Cunningham...

From your own experience, what advice would you give other women for their wedding day?
Spend the extra money to have a great planner! Not a single thing went wrong on my wedding day! I'm not sure many brides can say that but I'm grateful because I can. My entire wedding party arrived at the chapel early and Jenessa arrived a few minutes later. She seemed like her morning had gone well and we made conversation as usual, but I had to ask about the reception. She told me that they were so ahead of schedule and that when she left Ki was vacuuming! I asked if all my vendors showed up and she told me everything had been set for a few hours! I was impressed! We were so ahead of schedule I had time to dance in the waiting area to my favorite song and grab lunch all before walking down the aisle!

Looking back, are there any details from your wedding you would have changed or excluded?
Looking back, I probably would not have included response cards in my invitations. I would have just included our wedding website and allowed guests to RSVP there. It would have saved me the additonal costs on my stationery and I ended up having to contact all my guests individually anyway.


In your opinion, what are some good ways to keep costs low when planning a wedding?
The best way to keep down costs it to shop around. I was engaged for two years and I spent most of my days of on the phone with vendors trying to get what I wanted at a price I needed. For the wedding I had and the experience we were able to give our guests, I feel like I had a dream on a bargain!

In what ways did you make your wedding and reception different from all the rest?
I keep my wedding ceremony decorated very simply. I had a few "wow" details such as my aisle runner and monogram intial wreaths, but I wanted my guests to focus on the commitment Chase and I were making to one another. For the reception, we wanted guests have great food and drinks! We made sure all the food tasted great and we had a well stocked bar!

What was your favorite detail about your wedding and reception?
I loved our "send off" from the ceremony. We were showered with pink rose petals and it made incredible photos. It was nice because the petals were soft unlike rice and they were so vibrant against the white of my wedding dress.

What was your favorite experience or memory from your wedding and reception?
My favorite experience was our "first meeting" at the chapel. Chase had been very apprehensive about my wedding dress because he was not involved in the process of choosing it and he had been particpating in every other aspect of the wedding. So I had been a nervous wreck for about the last month...even going as far as going back to the wedding salon and trying on more dresses! So when I walked down the aisle to meet him I was very excited but sooo nervous. When I turned around Chase immediately began to tear up and told me that I was so beautiful and that was exactly what I needed him to say on our wedding day. We talked about our day leading up to the wedding and how excited we were to be getting married after about 7 years. We whispered and cried for what seemed like an hour. It was so special and memorable because it was something shared between just us....even though my aunt begged to let me let her sit on the pew and watch. :)


What is the best way to keep your guests excited and involved at the reception, so they won’t leave early?
Keep things moving along! Just remember if you start to get bored or thinking what's coming next, then your guests have been bored for awhile because it's not their special day. Grab your wedding planner and let her know you're ready for the next event to get things moving or ask your DJ to play a song you know will get everyone on their feet.

What do you suggest as good wedding music? Is it best to use live music or a CD?
I love the idea of live music if you use a band that can vary the style that they play. However, we used a DJ that we have known our entire relationship. He was the DJ at the first party where we had our first dance, and our friends experienced college with him as well. He was a perfect fit for our family and friends!

What is something that stressed you out while planning, and how did you alleviate that stress and what solution did you find for the problem?
I really stressed about my guest count. We had a large venue but we also included a lot of elements like an ice sculpture and lounge furniture. This really limited the number of guests I could invite. Jenessa helped me plan for some additional seating arrangements if we needed it and once the wedding day arrived Ki made sure my guests stuck to their placecards! It worked out great and all the special people in my life were there.

What is something you did not expect about planning a wedding that you experienced?
I did not expect to be so relaxed!!! We were really ahead of schedule all day and it made things so peaceful! It gave me time to enjoy the people I was with and take in every moment. I had such a carefree wedding and that was thanks to my wedding planner, Jenessa! Thank you for everything!

Thank you Kimberly! Don't forget to pick up the January issue of Citiscapes magazine to see more of this fabulous wedding! Be sure to see their full gallery on our website! Click on 'Galleries' then 'Kimberly and Chase' at the top of the page. Thanks, Benfield Photography for the beautiful photos!

And now for some additional vendor love:
Florist (bouquets, monogram letters, petals): Jules Design
Catering and Bar: Catering Unlimited
DJ: DJ Derrick
Lighting, Dance Floor: Event Production Group
Rentals: Festivities, Eventures, Unforgettables
Cake: Shelby Lynn's
Transportation: Pinnacle Limo

Blessed

As my husband, Mark, and I have experienced great loss over the past week, we have also been renewed with a spirit of thanksgiving for many reasons. You see, Mark lost a lifelong friend last week very unexpectedly. Josh Neal was one of the boys that Mark can claim knowing literally from birth, and OH MY the pictures of them growing up are hilarious & awkward, just like any pictures of us experiencing life as adolescents. Josh and Mark's parents have been best friends for quite some time, so even when distance got in between friendships we were always able to know what was going on with each other.

In the midst of this time, the thought of gratitude has been pressed upon our hearts. We are thankful for the opportunity for Mark to have grown up with such a fun friend. We are thankful for the example that Josh's parents have set for us as we raise our little one. We are thankful for the love-filled life that Josh led with his precious wife, Laura, and how we realize that we need to have as much fun as they have had in their marriage.

Above all else, we are grateful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross, and the promise that came along with it. He died so that we might live a life of freedom, filled with grace and mercy no matter how much we screw up or how big our mistakes are. The Lord's grace is abundant. We don't deserve it, but it is. Josh loved the Lord and believed in His promises, and now we are able to have peace in our hearts that Josh is walking side by side with Jesus. Literally, he gets to hang out with Him! How cool is that? If you haven't had the chance to know about what Jesus has to offer with no strings attached I hope that you will contact me so that I can tell you how wonderful it is. All He asks is that you do your best, and when we fall short He is right there to pick us back up.

We are blessed.

Pratt Place Barn Winter Special

The lovely Rachel Kirksey from the Pratt Place Inn and Barn sent several of us in the wedding world a very exciting email that I just had to share with you. They are running a great promotion where their rates during the first months of 2011 are highly discounted! If you are looking for a charming location for your wedding or event, this might just be the perfect fit!

Read on for the details of the Pratt Place Barn Winter Special from Rachel...

We're running a Winter Special on Pratt Place Barn and it's a STEAL! We're booking January, February, and March events for up to HALF OFF the normal rate!!

If you're looking to host an event, have a client who needs a venue, or just know someone who wants to throw a party, send them our way!

Rates for Winter Special *
Monday - Thursday: $900
Friday: $1500
Sunday: $1500

*All rental periods run 8am to 6am the next day. Rates apply to January 1 - March 31, 2011. Saturdays are $3950 (normal rental rate).

If you have questions about this promotion or about Pratt Place Barn please don't hesitate to contact me!
Rachel Kirksey: (w) 479.966.4441 (c) 479.531.0761 or events@prattplaceinn.com

Thanks Rachel!

Wedding Woes and Wisdom: Mother Knows Best

This week's Mother Knows Best comes from the Memphis belle, Denise Rose. She is the mother of the now Chelsea Jewell, who married the handsome Seth on May 29, 2010. Denise was a mom who was very involved in the process for a multitude of reasons. Number One, she was the only one of us on the planning team in the event city! Number Two, smarty-pants Chelsea and Seth were both juggling graduate school at the time. And Number Three, she is a super crafty, super creative mom who had lots of great ideas. Read on to learn more from this Mother of the Bride...

What did you enjoy most about your daughter’s wedding day?

I enjoyed the entire thing! I especially loved seeing how much she was enjoying herself and how all the planning was worth it!

Was there any detail about the wedding and reception that made it unique to your daughter and her personality?

I think the entire wedding had her personality in it. She was very specific on many of the details and we made sure to try to think of everything that would make the day special for them. However, having the reception at a fabulous new building at the Memphis Zoo was really quite appropriate for her personality. When she was a baby and would get really fussy, I would put her in her stroller and head straight to the zoo to walk around. It would always calm her and she loved it there. It was quite special then to have her wedding reception there many years later!

What would have made wedding planning an easier and more enjoyable experience?

It would have been a little easier if she had lived here in the city where she was getting married, but really, with the help of Jenessa and email and the internet, it really wasn’t as bad as I originally thought it would be with her living five hours away during the planning process.

What expense was well worth the cost?

Definitely having Jenessa and her team! I would have never believed it before we did this, but I was truly able to enjoy the entire event and every moment of it without having to worry about things getting done. I have had so many guests comment since the wedding of how smoothly everything went and how relaxed I looked. We also had the best photographer and they also made things very special for the bride and groom’s wedding day and worked very well with Jenessa and her team, so the money spent on that was also worth the cost.

If a mother of the bride is not seeing eye to eye with her daughter when planning a wedding, what advice would you give her?

I think every mother and daughter have their own way of dealing with conflict, so this one is hard to answer. I would just say that trying to let each person explain their point of view on a disagreement calmly is the most important thing. It is sometimes difficult to get your point across on something when emotions are involved, and this is very evident when planning a wedding! I do think keeping a priority list of the things that are MOST important to the bride herself from the beginning helps to keep things on track and helps to avoid some disagreements in the planning process.

How involved were you with the wedding planning? Do you wish you would have been more or less involved?

I did as much as I wanted to do. I tried to help by doing some things that my daughter couldn’t do because she was finishing up her Master’s degree while planning the wedding, but having Jenessa was great because she helped with the timing part of when we needed to do what, and that was something I was a little unsure about. I think I was the right amount of involved for me. I felt like I did something, but also let my daughter do the things she wanted to do too, so it all worked out beautifully!

Thank you, Mrs.Denise! Great advice for all of the mommas out there!

Wedding Woes and Wisdom: The Brides Tell All

This week's bride feature is from the lovely Chelsea Jewell, whose wedding details you have seen on the blog in the past day or so. Chelsea was a wonderful, fun bride to work with. We had three major obstacles that we managed during her engagement. First, this girl does it all. Between grad school, teaching, and planning a wedding we had a tight schedule to work within for planning. Second, while Chelsea and I are located in NWA, the wedding was taking place in Memphis. Can you believe it only took one trip to Memphis for my crew to make this happen? And last, my baby boy was born a short two months just prior to this wedding date. Thankfully, Chelsea and Denise (her fun momma who you will hear from tomorrow) worked with me to be prepared ahead of time for my absence after D was born.

Here is some wonderful advice from this bride of 5 months:

From your own experience, what advice would you give other women for their wedding day?
Enjoy every minute of it!! After all of the planning, work, and stress, your day has finally arrived, and you need to have the time of your life! One of the best decisions we made was to hire a planner (not just any planner, the best!) to carry out our plans for the weekend. We had everything set and ready to go on Thursday so that my entire family was able to relax and enjoy the weekend! I highly recommend having someone help you that weekend (and all the weekends before) so that you don’t have to worry about all of the details falling into place.

Looking back, are there any details from your wedding you would have changed or excluded?
I loved the favors we passed out after our wedding (caramel corn in clear sacks with one of our engagement pictures printed on them), but we had so many left over! I liked them, but I think they were pretty overlooked when our guests were on their way out. I think this is the one thing that might’ve been unnecessary.

In your opinion, what are some good ways to keep costs low when planning a wedding?
I think it is really important to prioritize when selecting everything for your wedding. By determining what is most important to you, you can decide where to focus your money. In the end, you can save money on things that are less important to you.

In what ways did you make your wedding and reception different from all the rest?
In Memphis, there are several great reception venues, but we have been to numerous weddings at all of them. Seth saw online that the Memphis Zoo (a nationally-recognized award-winning zoo) hosted weddings, and he was insistent that we looked into it. I am so glad that we did! Our reception venue was pretty unique, especially for our guests from out-of-town, and I think it made for a gorgeous site and a great party!

What was your favorite detail about your wedding and reception?
I loved, loved, loved the flowers and the candlelight at our ceremony. It was just what I had envisioned! I also loved some of the smaller details that I think were somewhat different… the monogrammed wrap for my bouquet, our silver monogrammed toasting cups, my “Mrs. Jewell” hanger for my wedding dress, and our ring bearer pillow that now lives on our bed at home. I had such a great time selecting even the smallest details for our wedding and reception, and I loved how it all come together wonderfully!

What was your favorite experience or memory from your wedding and reception?
Hmm… so hard to choose a favorite! I loved spending the day with my best friends getting ready with the anticipation of finally marrying my best friend! Putting my dress on and the walk to meet my husband-to-be was such a surreal experience, and I love that I remember every second of it! I didn’t want to be a bride who looks back and says “It was all such a blur,” so I tried to really take in every moment and every detail. I am so glad I did! I also loved our reception because we were able to visit with all of our friends and family, but we also really enjoyed the band and dancing together! It was the perfect combination.

What is the best way to keep your guests excited and involved at the reception, so they won’t leave early?
Make it a party! If you want your guests to be entertained enough to stay, it needs to be fun! We had a great group of people that stayed on the dance floor, enjoying drinks and food, until we left. We wanted our reception to be fun for our guests, so that they didn’t feel obligated to stick around, and I think we achieved that!

What do you suggest as good wedding music? Is it best to use live music or a CD?
Being from Memphis, we have such a great selection of bands that most of the weddings we attend have awesome live music. I’ve been to some great weddings with DJs, but a band can set such a fun vibe that I don’t think you get with a DJ and CDs.

What is something that stressed you out while planning, and how did you alleviate that stress and what solution did you find for the problem?
Oh, I pretty much stressed about everything! ☺ Like I mentioned earlier, I realized pretty quickly that we needed to prioritize what was most important to us. We wanted to host a party that our friends would enjoy and that would be a great way to celebrate our nine years of dating finally resulting in a wonderful marriage. Through endless discussions about what we wanted and what wasn’t as important to us, it became easier and less stressful to make decisions. You have to make a TON of decisions when planning a wedding, and I had a wonderful mom, fiancé, and wedding planner to help me. That is the solution… find good friends to help keep you calm and make decisions!! ☺

What is something you did not expect about planning a wedding that you experienced?
I didn’t expect everything to book so quickly! We started planning almost 15 months out, and because we did, we were able to get everything we wanted. Had we waited about a month or so later, all of our preferences would’ve been booked. I was just very surprised at how far in advance wedding vendors fill up, especially for a summer weekend wedding.

Thank you, Mrs.Jewell! I know that your advice will be super helpful to all of those brides-to-be out there! Tune in tomorrow to hear from this girl's Mother of the Bride! Thanks, Benfield Photography for the pic at the top!

Chelsea Rose and Seth Jewell say I DO in Memphis, Tennessee

It was one of my truest pleasures when this wonderful couple asked me if I would plan a Memphis wedding. I met Chelsea and Seth while I was on staff at the University of Arkansas, and fell in love with their story, their relationship, and the two of them both as individuals and as a couple. I remember the night that I saw Chelsea volunteering at an event just after getting engaged. I was secretly sad that they were getting married in her hometown and that I probably wouldn't be able to help plan the big day.

After a few months (and after tearfully watching their engagement video...maybe more than once), I got a call from the bride-to-be that they wanted to chat about bringing me on board despite the long distance. From there, we hit the ground running. Thanks to the internet, email, wonderful vendors, and a great mom in Memphis we were able to make this day happen.

There were so many fun details of this wedding, but I had to narrow down my favorite moments.
Check out her Mrs.Jewell hanger for her bridal gown!


Moments like this are what make wedding days wonderful! Seth was surrounded by his best friends, and covered in prayer before tying the knot.


Just moments before seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day, I love the focus and anticipation captured here.


And this is why you see each other before! This moment just couldn't happen in a ceremony. Remember that you can react however you would like when you have private time. Tears, jumping & skipping, hugging & kissing...you name it, I've probably seen it! And I love it every time!


How cute! Take a close look at the kiddos in this shot.


The ceremony was designed with the colorful church in mind. Chelsea wanted something simple, but would also make a statement. We chose 3 large arrangements for the altar, surrounded by varying heights of floating candles. The pews were marked with lush nosegays of white flowers, and the doors leading into the sanctuary were adorned with beautiful floral wreaths. The center aisle was also "ribboned off" with a floral garland that was removed for the wedding party processional.




Here are our little lovebirds in the church!


One of my favorite details that Chelsea carried was her monogrammed bouquet wrap with her new married monogram! She will be able to use this in her home for years to come.


The bridesmaids carried neutral white and green bouquets to pop against their royal, floor length dresses.


Here's Ki checking the list twice before sending Chelsea & Seth down the aisle.


A teary eyed bride is about to walk the aisle and marry her childhood sweetheart! This image is a perfect way to show you that even if you see your groom prior to the ceremony, you still have all of the emotion that comes with the big moment!


Adorable flower girls make their way down the aisle...


The ceremony was perfect! It was the best representation of Chelsea and Seth, and I am pretty sure there were no dry eyes!



This super cool getaway car can also be seen in the movie "Walk the Line!"


The reception was held at the newest venue in the Memphis Zoo, the gorgeous Teton Trek!

The Teton Trek was a truly unique venue, perfect for this simple J.Crew-style wedding. Guests were greeted with a geyser shooting high into the sky!


Here is a view of the back of the Teton Trek, taken from above the waterfall!


And here is the backdrop of the Teton Trek at night. During the day, this is where the bears play, and the gorgeous waterfall runs throughout the evening.


Here are some of our centerpieces, all made up of white and green flowers, surrounded by candlelight. Chelsea chose a beautiful twisted taffeta in a a royal shade of blue for her linens, so these neutral yet vibrant flowers popped right off of the tabletops.



We had guest tables lining the zoo path in the back of the venue, all decorated with the bright white centerpieces.


The bride's cake was simple and stunning, sitting in front of a gorgeous backdrop. The Teton Trek's fireplace mantel went from floor to ceiling (I would guess 40-50 feet). We designed the floral and candlelight accents just for a photo like this. The fireplace was 2-sided, so since we had a cool evening we had it running for the guests sitting on the back patio.


And this incredible groom's cake showed off one of his true passions, fishing!


We had a custom GOBO for the dance floor, which was designed by Amy Nelson Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper. Guests had been introduced to this logo in the couple's invitation suite. You can see it here!


Chelsea carried her Chi Omega hankie with her as she said "I Do."


Which later led to the Chi Omega circle of beautiful ladies singing to the beautiful bride!


And here is one of my favorite shots ever! Dale and Mere just happened to be behind the newlyweds as they drove back to their wedding night hotel. They snapped this picture from their car. What a perfect ending!


Didn't Dale and Mere from Benfield Photography do a gorgeous job of capturing the day? I am in love with the way they showcased Chelsea & Seth's day. Thanks for sharing the photos!

Check back this week for advice from the bride & mother of the bride! Chelsea and Seth, what a treat to be a part of your wedding day. Thank you for taking the "risk" of hiring us when we had never worked in Memphis before and for trusting that we could get the job done. It was a beautiful day that we will never forget, and will count as one of our favorites for the books!