1. Real Weddings

An Autumn Barn Wedding at BoBrook Farms in Roland, Arkansas

Jogee Lenarduzzi (30 and an adjudicator) and Joey Detchemendy (29 and an auditor) had an autumn-themed wedding at BoBrook Farms in Roland, Arkansas. A

Jogee Lenarduzzi (30 and an adjudicator) and Joey Detchemendy (29 and an auditor) had an autumn-themed wedding at BoBrook Farms in Roland, Arkansas. After a casual outdoor ceremony—complete with heartfelt handwritten vows—in front of an arbor built with cedar from Jogee’s family’s farm, guests moved to the 6,000-square-foot barn for the party. Before the reception, Joey and Jogee enjoyed a meal away from the crowd. “It gave us a second to sit together and be excited that we were finally married,” she says. “It also gave us a chance to eat, which many of my friends told me did not happen on their own wedding day.” The priority for the reception, other than making sure the space could accommodate their 175 guests, was good food and fun. The couple served a hot, delicious meal of stuffed chicken, beef brisket, green bean casserole, twice-baked potato casserole and salads—“nothing fancy but so tasty and filling,” Jogee says. There was also plenty of beer and wine and a good DJ spinning a mix of music to inspire “our wild bunch of friends to dance, dance, dance,” she says. The guest book was filled with Polaroid photos rather than signatures or sentiments (with extra film, so friends and family could bring photos home), and the dance floor was packed all night, with shuttle buses returning guests back to their hotel. A memorable sparkler exit at the end of the night capped the festivities. “Seeing our favorite people in one place, dancing and enjoying themselves, was the best gift,” Jogee says. “The whole night was fun, fun, fun.” —Chrissy Sorenson

“I knew I wanted flower crowns for all my bridesmaids and myself,” Jogee says. “The crowns brightened the dark green dresses and gave us a less formal, more natural look and a bit of the boho vibe that I wanted.”
The color scheme was orange, maroon, red and gold in honor of the autumn season, offset by the deep blue and rich green of the wedding party.
Jogee selected the rich, green color of the bridesmaid dresses but she was open to different—she wanted her bridesmaids to wear what they felt comfortable in.
Since they were hosting a fall wedding in Arkansas, Jogee and Joey knew it would be chilly. So they rented propane heaters and borrowed yoga blankets from a friend to wrap up and stay warm. A sign said, “There’s a chill in the air. Grab a blanket and share!”
Jogee and Joey couldn’t imagine getting married without their “best furry friend,” Chewbacca, at the celebration. They bought him cuff links and a bow tie and had him walk down the aisle too.
The couple got married at BoBrook Farms in Roland, Arkansas, in the fall because it’s “simple and beautiful, rustic but not too country.” With a private country setting filled with 100-year-old pecan trees, a pumpkin patch and 10 acres of fields, “it’s so pretty out there,” Jogee says.
The ceremony arch was built with cedar from Jogee's family’s farm in Mississippi. Jogee's father and the groomsmen assembled the arch, and the florist hung the curtains and placed the flowers. The green trimmings on the arch and tables were also collected from the family farm. “I will never smell a cedar tree again and not think of my wedding day, my wonderful husband and my family,” Jogee says.
The bridesmaids wore dark green dresses, the groomsmen wore custom blue suits, and the house party (a Southern tradition) wore cream or white. “I wanted the house party to stand out, so I asked them to wear cream, because I knew that other people probably wouldn’t be wearing cream or white to a wedding.” The house party is just as much a part of the wedding as the bridesmaids, only they don't stand up for the couple during the ceremony. (They typically sit in the front with the couple's family.)
Jogee and Joey celebrated with a kiss and cute “bride” and “groom” can koozies.
Burlap runners down large wooden picnic tables were decorated with candles and farm boxes of flowers. The couple didn’t have assigned seating “because we wanted people to mingle and interact,” Jogee says.
The multitier naked cake was a gift from a friend, whose mom made it. “She’s so incredibly talented,” Jogee says.
Red velvet cupcakes—Joe's favorite—featured golden dinosaur cake toppers the couple had discovered on Etsy.
Joey and Jogee’s first dance was the acoustic version of “Fire and the Flood” by Vance Joy.