Dance teacher Bailey Schmidt, 31, right, trains high-schoolers Eliana and Liam for a performance at the school at Bearcats Boogey Dance Studio in Maryville, Mo. Since its founding in 2001, the studio has trained hundreds of dancers in Maryville and swept multiple awards at regional and national dance competitions.

Bailey’s soon-to-be stepdaughter, Emma, 5, looks up at Bailey as she is dropped off at Eugene Field Elementary School. Emma has lived with Bailey since March of this year, and spends half of each week with Bailey and her father, Ron, Bailey’s fiancé.

Bailey works at her desk at Bearcats Boogie Dance Studios, as her students and instructors wait around her for their class to start. A large part of Bailey’s work at the studio as the owner involves deskwork such as registering for upcoming competitions and managing studio schedules. 

Bailey’s mother, Dana, shows her a drawing she made of the wedding setup she imagines at the venue. With the wedding just over two weeks away, the whole family has been running errands and actively planning the logistics of the big day. 

Bailey’s friends and family walk out of The Valley Event Center after a venue walkaround for her wedding, scheduled for Oct. 10, 2026. Her father, Dave, plays with their step-granddaughters. 

Bailey and Ron share a joke as they drive together to a social meeting in Maryville. With their busy work schedules, the couple doesn’t get to spend much time together, so moments like this are cherished by both.

The marriage license and certificate of marriage are prepared for Bailey and Ron to sign at the Nodaway County Recorder of Deeds office in downtown Maryville on Sept. 23, 2026.

Bailey and Ron pose to take a celebratory selfie outside the Nodaway County Recorder of Deeds office in Maryville after signing their marriage license on Sept. 23, 2026. Under Missouri law, the couple has 30 days from issuance to hold their ceremony, after which the signed document must be returned to the Recorder of Deeds within 15 days.