A Dress Made to Match a Milestone

MOB: Janice Bailey-Walker
Mother of: Kennedi Walker-Johnson
Venue: Higgins Hotel in New Orleans
Vibe: Their own Mardi Gras Ball
Dress: Terani Couture from Terry Costa

Kennedi Walker-Johnson traces her love of fashion to a childhood spent watching her mom, Janice Bailey-Walker, get ready for work as a school principal. “She always looked polished, stylish and confident,” says Kennedi, now an anchor at News 12 New York. 

Fashion played a big part in Kennedi and JB’s  wedding day. The bride changed three times throughout the celebration—a classic ceremony gown, a reception gown, and then a fun party dress for the second line. “Each look matched a different part of the evening and made the day feel even more memorable,” Kennedi says.

Kennedi describes the wedding as their own private Mardi Gras ball (and credits Bejide Legania of PBG Event Design, and coordinator Dr. Ebony Turner for the heavy lifting). The ceremony featured a white floral arch, lush florals lining the aisle, and a dramatic draped entrance. During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres, champagne, and live saxophone music while they mingled. The reception featured white florals, custom backdrops, and a personalized dance floor emblazoned with the bride and groom's names. The menu was authentically New Orleans, featuring gumbo, shrimp and grits, crab beignets, and lamb chops. Dessert was a traditional wedding cake and a groom’s cake that was a replica of Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium—JB and Kennedi met at LSU as undergrads. 

As for mother of the bride Janice, “I always knew I wanted a dress that created a moment. I wanted elegance, sophistication, and that unforgettable ‘wow factor.’” That was Kennedi’s vision for her mom, too. “In her words,” says Janice, “she wanted her mother to look like a goddess.”

This mother and daughter went dress shopping together, at Terry Costa in Dallas. The moment Janice tried on a shimmering silver and gold beaded gown with delicate white floral details, “We knew it was the one,” Kennedi says. To elevate the drama, they worked with New Orleans seamstress, House of Peanae, to create a custom cape that she wore down the aisle before removing it for the reception. “It gave her two completely different looks, and she looked stunning.”

“It was glamorous, elegant, and made a statement,” Kennedi added. “The custom cape elevated the entire look, and when she walked down the aisle, she looked incredible.”

That cape was key: “It elevated everything,” Janice says, “and gave it the dramatic, regal feeling we imagined. It reflected the importance of the day and the honor I felt standing beside my daughter during one of the biggest moments of her life.”

And that gets to the heart of what Janice loved most about her mother of the bride look: the story it told.  

“It represented my personality: elegant, confident, graceful, and bold. As the mother of the bride, you are celebrating your child, but you are also experiencing a milestone of your own. This was the little girl I raised stepping into a new chapter, and I wanted my look to reflect the joy, pride, and love I felt that day. It was truly my one-of-a-kind moment.”

Janice’s advice to other moms: “Embrace the journey. Don’t rush through the planning trying to get to the wedding day — enjoy every conversation, every appointment, every laugh, and even the little challenges. Those moments become part of the story. There is truly nothing like experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime season with your daughter, especially when she is your only daughter.”

Kennedi and JB wanted everyone in their wedding part to have a moment in the spotlight as they entered the ballroom reception. Her parents made the most of their entrance, dancing the whole way in. 

“Yes, it was JB’s and my wedding, but it was also a celebration of the people who helped get us there,” Kennedi says. “Both of our parents played such an important role throughout the planning process, so it felt right to recognize them during the reception. I knew they’d have fun with their entrance, but I didn’t know exactly what they were going to do.”

Janice says she and Kennedi's father didn’t plan their entrance dance. “It was completely spontaneous and came from pure joy,” Janice says. “The excitement in the room, the energy from our guests, and the overwhelming love everyone showed created a moment I couldn’t hold back. I was simply a proud mother celebrating my daughter, our family, and all the happiness surrounding us. Sometimes the best moments are the ones you never plan, they just happen from the heart.”

| Photographer Corey Kennedy