Hi there! I'm JoAnna Bayliss, a destination wedding planner currently located in South Texas. I specialize in day-of coordination for weddings around the country.
The BEST thing about my job is that I'm able to give couples the peace of mind that the details are taken care of allowing them to enjoy their celebration to the fullest! Watching a bride's face light up when she enters the reception space for the first time is priceless!!
My passion for weddings started when I was about 8 years old. After watching how blissfully happy the couple was during their first dance, I was sold that creating dream weddings was what I wanted to do for a living.
I'm originally from Sheboygan, WI and married to my high school sweetheart, Brandon! He is my adventure buddy and we absolutely love to travel, go wine tasting, rock climbing, and explore what our 50 great states have to offer. Together we've moved cross country from Wisconsin to Indiana, to Washington DC, and now to South Texas. Each state holds a special place in my heart and it makes me so happy to visit friends and family when I plan weddings in those states!
Whether you are looking for day-of wedding coordination, planning assistance, or help assembling a dream vendor team, I'm here to help make your dream wedding come true!
There are an unlimited amount of ways to design a wedding! That can be overwhelming! Once you have booked your reception venue, here are 4 easy tips on how to start designing your wedding reception. Think of it in terms of:
-Linens
-Chairs & Chair Covers
-Centerpieces
-Lighting
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Laguna Beach, CA to coordinate an intimate, beautiful wedding for Caroline & Marco. I want to share all of the behind the scenes action and show you why their wedding was so special.
Today is all about beauty! I chatted with beauty expert Kate Hodges from Kate Erin Beauty Styles, LLC to get the answers to all of your wedding hair & makeup questions. I think we came up with some pretty helpful tips for all of you brides-to-be! Here is everything you should know when scheduling your hair & makeup for your wedding day...
Wedding expenses add up fast! Here are a few unexpected wedding expenses some of my brides came across and I wanted to give you a heads up in advance so you can prepare and budget for the unexpected.
Enjoy these speaker-friendly ceremony reading printouts! Each has large fonts and speaking pauses incorporated into the format to make it as easy on the ceremony reader as possible. They are PDF versions and are iPad and printer friendly. Free Downloads...
I truly believe God puts people in our lives for specific reasons, and I'm so lucky that he put Iliasis in mine :) As I described in some of my recent blog posts, Iliasis, from Iliasis Muniz Photography, was one of the first people who reached out to me after my husband and I made the big move to South Texas. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was to connect with a fellow young entrepreneur in our new home of South Padre! After our initial brunch together we started collaborating on a beautiful beach photo shoot.
You guys... this is probably one of the cutest shoots I've been apart of! Get ready for a bright, Valentine's Day inspired engagement shoot at the convention center on South Padre Island.
Have you ever met someone very briefly and in seemingly inconsequential circumstances who ended up REALLY making a big positive impact in your life?! That is exactly what happened to me when I met Maribel.
It is my pleasure to introduce Maribel Kalata. Maribel is a DC/VA florist and owner of EightTreeStreet... oh and I should probably mention that she is literally my favorite human in the world! Let me tell you how we met! ...
Welcome to the second installation of my "Inspired by YOU" blog series! It is my pleasure to introduce to you one of my Butler University, Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sisters, Tara Rochford!
Tara is extremely talented in many facets of life. She is an incredible singer/performer, she was a fitness instructor abroad a cruise line, and she started an awesome blog named Treble in the Kitchen! Ever since the year she graduated college, she blogs almost every single day, which is inspiring in and of itself...
Welcome to the very first installment of my "Inspired by YOU" blog series! When I came up with the idea for this series, I immediately thought of one person to feature in the first edition. Hopefully, she will help kick off your 2015 with an extra dose of inspiration. Meet Leigh McMannus! She is a burst of sunshine who has a heart as big as the world. She is going places my friends.... g-o-i-n-g places. (You can say that I introduced her to you first.) She is a bride to be too! :)
I had the chance to meet with Serena from Love by Serena Photography to ask for her advice on what couples need to look for when searching for the right photographer. In the video, she touches on the importance of meeting with a few prospective photographers first. I completely agree with her! Each photographer has a different personality, style, and approach to their weddings. It is important that you feel comfortable with the person(s) shooting your wedding.
Hey all!
I realized that I haven't written a single blog post since April! Well I have a TON to tell you. DC to South Padre Island huh?! I wonder how many people actually make that move in their lifetime! Let me tell you how it all started...
I am SUPER excited to unveil my wedding mini-video series with ClickSpark! Why did I decide to start a mini-video series? Through my chosen profession, I have the privilege of working with highly talented vendors & artists in the wedding industry. They hold a wealth of knowledge in their areas of expertise and I wanted to showcase them in a creative way where brides all over the nation could get some real authentic advice...
On Thursday April 10th, I had the opportunity to partner with Master Florist Karen Tran to produce a #RoyalDC Cocktail Hour. Our goal was to create an event fit for a queen, and we did just that! I am going to dedicate a full blog post in the near future highlighting all the ins and out, but I was just too excited and had to post something right away. The slow motion photo booth was the life of the party!
I had the chance to attend my gorgeous DC friend's bridal shower and boy was it a perfect day! It started off with a morning of pampering at Dry Bar- Georgetown to get beautiful big curls. Then Lauren, her mother-in-law and I drove out to Pennsylvania to her bridesmaid's house for the shower. All of her bridesmaids did a fantastic job with the decorations, food and games. The theme was "Sweet Love" and the house was adorned with soft pink decorations.
This past Saturday, one of my industry friends at Local Color Flowers invited me to The Mix Event. This chic bridal exposé was held at the American Visionary Museum in Baltimore, MD. I can sincerely say that this was the BEST bridal show I have ever attended (and trust me, I've been to a lot). The Mix Event was geared towards the modern bride who is interested in a more laid back planning environment where she can see, taste, and experience a variety of the services local vendors have to offer. With hardwood floors, exposed brick, fun lighting, and swanky couch seating, this was much more than a bridal show... it was a party!
Spring, is it really you?! After all of this cold and dreary weather, I think it is time to sprinkle the blog with a bit of color.
One color combo that you can never go wrong with is navy & pink. If you are feeling adventurous, add a pop of yellow and walah! You now have yourself a modern romanic place setting. When you are thinking of wedding colors, think beyond the traditional two color palette...
Last night, the gracious hosts at the St. Regis Hotel invited me to their Winter Lodge reception preview. They welcomed local wedding industry members and business professionals to come experience their Winter Lodge tent and hors d'oeuvres for 2014 holiday parties and winter receptions.
Dear 2014,
Although 2013 was a fantastic year, I'm excited you are here and am embracing you with open arms! You are full of sparkling opportunities and I can't wait to take advantage of what you have to offer. The calendar is filled with many brides-to-be and I want to meet as many as possible. I want to hear their love stories, share in their wedding memories, and I want to create flawless wedding experiences.
On January 26th, 2014 I attended my first bridal expo as a vendor! As some of you know, my husband and I plan on moving back to the Midwest this spring/summer. We couldn't be more excited! In preparation for our big move, I needed to introduce my business to the Indianapolis bridal market. I figured that the best way to meet local brides would be at a bridal expo.
Congratulations on your engagement! Your fiancé did good with the ring, now it is finally your turn to plan the wedding of your dreams. But where to start?! There are a lot of details that goes into planning a wedding and you might feel overwhelmed to start. Don't worry, I have 3 easy tips for you to start the planning process.
We have all been to bridal showers or engagement parties where we face the question, "What should I get them?" You want to give something meaningful, economically efficient, unique, etc. It's a tough task, and it often leads to the dreaded gift card. However, I have a remedy for your problem. Here comes Etsy to the rescue! I have come across 5 really unique gifts that all brides would LOVE to have.
It's official! The 2014 Pantone color of the year is Radiant Orchid! To celebrate the new color of the year, I have the perfect post to share about creating a beautiful ceremony with a variety of beautiful lavender hues.
Is anyone anxious to hear about Day 2 of Karen Tran's Master Floral Class in San Diego? Great! Because I know that I am very excited to re-live it...
The lights are twinkling, pies baking, and holiday jingles playing... it is time to start making your own holiday cards! I wanted to create a font guide especially for you to enjoy this holiday season. Kind blessings to you all. Ho-ho-ho!
Steel yourselves for a little bit of a departure from the norm here, friends! My husband surprisingly volunteered to write his very own guest blog post on his idea of the best wedding playlist. For our own wedding, my hubby and I divied up the wedding tasks and I left all DJ matters up to him. He passed his test with flying colors!
This past September, I had the unique privilege of attending one of Karen Tran's Master Floral classes. Karen Tran is one of the the wedding industry's premiere floral designers. In fact, she won the 2013 Wedding Innovator of the Year, and (get this...) now has her own double tulip line in Holland named after her (production starts in February 2014)! Karen is an industry leader and her breathtaking weddings designs leave everyone's jaws on the floor.
Attention brides!!!! There is a new trend that has hit a wedding reception near you... the slow motion photo booth! Omg I'm obsessed... let the video speak for itself! ENJOY!
Cypress Grove Estate House- Step back in time to with old southern charm to this gorgeous lake front estate house. True to it's name, gorgeous cypress trees, with Spanish moss dangling in the wind, line the driveway leading up to the front. Perfect. for. bridal. portraits. Seriously dreamy.