Right before the world went on pause, Alee and Alex married and celebrated in heartfelt, fun, and all-around-awesome fashion at Washington, DC’s Navy Yard. These two have it BAD for one another in the very best way possible. When we asked Alee how she knew Alex was the one, her reply gave us straight-up butterflies: “I’m able to be my goofy, loud, authentic self with him! He also values family just as much as I do.“
In addition to being in love with each other, Alee and Alex are in love with Penny, their adorable pup. Penny was a big part of their day—her sweet face played a starring role in their save-the-dates and invitations, and the three of them walked up the aisle together!
When Alee slipped her hands into Joy’s pockets and took a twirl at Your Dream Bridal, she knew she’d found The Dress (to which she added a big, gorgeous bow!).
Get the scoop on how Alee and Alex met, their wonderfully personal day, and more from Alee whose honeymoon turned into a staycation thanks to Covid-19:
How did you guys meet?
“We met at graduate school at Ball State University (Muncie, IN)—we both were working on our Masters in Sport & Exercise Psychology! I had reached out to Alex a few months before school started to see if he needed a roommate, but he already had an apartment. We were definitely meant to be—we ended up living in the same apartment building, were in the same Graduate Assistantship program, and even stayed in the same hotel the night before move-in!”
wedding dress: customized Joy via Your Dream Bridal | photographer: Apke Photography
How did your sweetie propose?
“I convinced Alex to run the Marine Corps Marathon as a member of my work’s charity team. After 26.2 miles, he dropped down to one knee and popped the question! A few medics came rushing toward him, thinking he had passed out and were relieved to see that he chose to be on the ground (though, he did have some trouble getting back up again).”
How did you choose your gown?
“I tried on a handful of dresses that didn’t feel “right” the week after our engagement. I then went home for Thanksgiving and went to Your Dream Bridal (Sudbury, MA) with my mom. The Joy dress was perfect! I loved that it was a high-low which I hadn’t seen on any other dress—walking around in it was SOO EASY compared to all the other dresses I tried on. I also loved how flattering the silhouette and dupioni were! Plus it had pockets!”
Tell us about your day!
“We decided to get married in an area of DC which means a lot to us—the Navy Yard. The nonprofit for which I work holds a running practice there every Saturday for DC youth and local volunteers, so we’ve spent a lot of my time there.
My godfather/uncle officiated the wedding, and he knows us very well—his service was thoughtful, and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. He incorporated many of the important “P’s” of our life—psychology, parents, Penny, people, and (the infinite nature of) Pi.”
We didn’t really have a theme, but we picked our venue for its modern look—lots of windows, wood, and metal. The flowers brought a big pop of color—the florists are one of my friends, and they did a great job conveying my personality with our floral arrangements!”
What was your first dance song?
“I See the Light” by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi (from Tangled—I may be a little obsessed with Disney!).
One detail you couldn’t live without?
“Our dog Penny was our Maid of Pawnor! She brings us so much joy and made our day even better. Looking through the pictures of her on our wedding day makes us smile so much. She was honestly the star of the show, especially when she walked down the aisle with my sister Abbie.”
Describe your wedding day in 5 words or fewer:
“Good chaos, lots of love.”
What was the funniest moment of your day?
“When Penny (who hadn’t seen Alex all day) ran right past Alex straight to me after our first look!”
What was your something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?
“My something old was my favorite pair of earrings, my something new was my shoes, my something borrowed was my mom’s pearl necklace, and my something blue was our dog Penny (she’s a blue merle).”
Three words that best describe Alex:
“Silly, caring, and loving.”
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
“Our honeymoon was cancelled because of Covid-19, but we were able to spend a week DIY-ing our home!”
wedding dress: customized Joy via Your Dream Bridal | photographer: Apke Photography | hair & makeup: MAB Artistry | floral: Volanni
