BAILEY REED & JOHN PHILLIP “JP” BRANDON
October 7, 2023 | Greystone Estate | Rogers | Taylor Renee Photography
Bailey and JP met at Harding University in 2018 through mutual friends and instantly hit it off. By the end of the fall semester, they were smitten to be dating one another. Bailey knew JP was the one a year into their relationship.
“We have always been best friends, enjoying each other's company and partnership,” Bailey said. “It was during times of struggle when I felt so safe and secure trusting him with my worries that really solidified that this was the man I wanted to be with forever.”
On a beach vacation with Bailey’s family in 2022, JP decided to surprise her by popping the question. As a birthday present, he took her shopping for some new clothes and scheduled a beach photo session. As their pictures were being taken, he dropped down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
“I was so elated with our engagement, and then was surprised by my two best friends that JP had gotten to be there,” Bailey said. “It was so special and I cherish our engagement story!”
WEDDING VENDORS WE LOVE
Planning and design
Taylor Hight for Amanda Reed Weddings
Florist
Ollie Marie’s Floral Design
Wedding dress
Tesori
MORE VENDORS
Photographer: Taylor Renee Photography; Ceremony and reception venue: Greystone Estate; Videographer: Be Moved Weddings; Rentals: Host Rentals, Kindred Provisions, Eventures and Eventology; Dance floor: Dancenhance; Lighting: Lightworks Events; Catering: Catering Unlimited; Bartending: Koon’s Saloon; Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe; Entertainment: Brock Entertainment; Photo booth: NWA Photo Booth; HMUA: UrbanBleu Hair Salon
Q & A
Q: What was your favorite moment of the day?
A: “The sweetest thing I witnessed was when I caught JP rehearsing our first dance on the dance floor as the reception space was being set up around him,” Bailey said. “We were in the Grand Room that overlooked the reception space taking photos of my mom putting on my dress before our first look. It was so heartwarming to see how much this day meant to him as well.”
Q: Why did you pick your venue?
A: “...The drive up to the estate is breathtaking, and it felt so personal that everyone could just take a deep breath and enjoy themselves,” Bailey said. “We picked our venue because of the ability to have it from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and it had sleeping arrangements for our entire wedding party! We were able to transition from a lovely rehearsal dinner into a gathering of friends that lasted well past midnight.”
Q: Was there a special detail from your decor that sticks out to you the most?
A: “Our florals were the majority of our decor, and they were so special to us,” Bailey said. “…Our florist, Cynthia, was a gem of a vendor! Her arrangements were delicate, emotional, and breathtaking. I loved how she repurposed as many of our pieces from the ceremony as she could in the reception, but there was one piece that couldn’t be relocated and that was our fountain arrangement.”
Q: What was your most worth-it splurge?
A: “My most worth-it splurge was my photographer, Taylor,” Bailey said. “I’m so thankful we have so much documentation of our wedding day because it truly has been the best day of our lives and we love getting to revisit and relive the day.”
Q: What is your secret to wedding planning success?
A: “Trust the professionals you hired,” Bailey said. “I picked my vendors because I love their work and this is their profession, so I trusted their judgment and opinions. This made the wedding planning process so much less stressful, and the end result blew my expectations out of the water!”
ITALIAN INSPIRATION
“I love Florence and its terracotta roofs, and that color looked stunning on all of the bridesmaids,” Bailey said.
BEST DRESSED
“I knew since I was in high school that I wanted to get my wedding dress from Tesori,” Bailey said. “I loved the experience from start to finish.”
