1. Real Weddings

A Country Wedding at the Melwood Recreation Center in Nanjemoy, Maryland

Alexis Cowger was introduced to Joel Leaf at her birthday party one year. Alexis played hard to get most of the day while Joel worked to get her atten

Alexis Cowger was introduced to Joel Leaf at her birthday party one year. Alexis played hard to get most of the day while Joel worked to get her attention, and at the same time challenged her stubborn attitude that sparked Alexis's interest. They decided to go snakehead fishing at the end of the night, and although they didn't catch anything, Alexis and Joel were both hooked. Alexis and Joel eventually moved in together, and one night Alexis came home to leaves scattered all over the floors and down the hall. Alexis followed the trail into their bedroom, where Joel stood smiling ear to ear and, as he got down on one knee, said: "Will you be my Mrs. Leaf ? Get it? All the leaves..." Alexis cried yes, and their one-year engagement of planning their fairy tale wedding began. The couple chose to have their wedding ceremony at the pavilion on Friendship Landing Farm in Nanjemoy, Maryland. Alexis's family had a 1972 orange and white Chevy Cheyenne Truck they called "the pumpkin" which was going to bring Alexis and her father to the ceremony. Alexis got in the truck, dressed in a Cinderella wedding dress designed by Alfred Angelo, but started to freak out when her father drove right by the ceremony. Moments later, Alexis's dad surprised her as they drove up to a white and gold horse-drawn carriage. "It was a magical start to our perfect day," says Alexis.

The bride wore a Cinderella-inspired wedding dress with a beaded belt designed by Alfred Angelo.
An assortment of white and teal artificial flowers was arranged with gems and beads and laced together with a white ribbon for the bouquet. Teal Vans sneakers with white laces are placed next to the bouquet.
The bride wore silver studs with blue stones shaped like starfish.
Alexis smiled with her bouquet of blue and white artificial flowers in her Cinderella-inspired wedding dress designed by Alfred Angelo. She wore a small tiara and a simple veil to complete her outfit.
At the ceremony pavilion, blue mason jars were filled with cattails handpicked by Alexis and her mother, accented with hay and straw on top of a fishnet.
Alexis and her father were brought to the ceremony in a white and gold wedding carried pulled by two white horses.
The ceremony aisle at the pavilion on Friendship Landing Farm was lined with tree slices next to the rows of chairs occupied by guests. The bride and the groom stood at the front of the altar and joined their hands in matrimony.
Alexis and Joel shared their first kiss as a married couple during their ceremony at the pavilion.
The married couple stood with the groomsmen, bridesmaids and flower girl in the wedding. The bridesmaids were dressed in lace navy dresses and teal shoes, and the maid of honor wore the opposite color combination. The groomsmen wore navy vests and matching pants with various shades of teal striped ties.
Alexis looked up at the smiling groom, who wore a grey vest and white shirt with a teal striped tie.
A single white rose in a mason jar accented with baby's breath served as table centerpieces at the reception. Candles lit in mason jars surrounded the centerpiece, all on top of a tree slice.
Guests wrote messages to Alexis and Joel and put them in one of five bottles that displayed the number of years the couple would wait to read the letter.
The cake topper, made by Alexis and inspired after the couple, depicted the groom figurine fishing and the bride figurine trying to pull him away. The wedding cake was designed to look like ripples in the water, and was made by Joel's mother.
The happy couple were seated at their teal sweetheart table, decorated with mason jars filled with white roses and candles on top of a tree slice.
Alexis and Joel looked at each other while they danced to their first song as a married couple.