MAFS bride Alissa Fay shares the REAL reason she forced husband David Momoh to propose at the altar as she reveals what you DIDN'T see

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Married At First Sight bride Alissa Fay has defended the jaw-dropping altar moment that left viewers divided.

Speaking to Daily Mail on Tuesday, Alissa, 33, insisted she wasn't trying to embarrass David Momoh and only needed one thing from him before she would say 'I do'.

Monday night's episode saw Alissa, a high-energy nurse and social media manager who proudly calls herself a 'slay queen', instantly steal the spotlight at her wedding when she stopped the ceremony in its tracks and demanded David drop to one knee and propose to her properly.

The Adelaide-based influencer said rewatching the wedding was 'surreal' and triggered a wave of emotion.

'It was such a surreal moment last night, rewatching it… obviously, seeing David for the first time, and when I saw my dad and the waterworks started, it was just all the emotions,' she said.

But it was the controversial proposal standoff that had Australia talking, and Alissa was keen to set the record straight about why she did it.

Married At First Sight bride Alissa Fay has defended the jaw-dropping altar moment that left viewers divided. Pictured with husband David Momoh

According to Alissa, the idea wasn't planted by producers or discussed with anyone beforehand.

'I didn't tell anyone,' she said.

'I was in the limo on the way in and I started to freak out. I was thinking, "What am I doing? Is this actually happening?"'

In that anxious moment, Alissa said she realised she needed proof her new husband would fully commit to the experiment and to her, right from day one.

'I do want commitment. I wanted to give this experiment my all,' she said.

'I need something from my husband. If this guy isn't going to get on his knee and commit to giving this thing a real crack with me, then I don't want to waste any more time.'

Alissa said past heartbreak shaped her resolve, and she refused to 'marry someone who's going to be here just to waste my time'.

'We've all been hurt and we've had our hearts broken in the past,' she said.

Speaking to Daily Mail on Tuesday, Alissa, 33, insisted she wasn't trying to embarrass new husband David and only needed one thing from him before she would say 'I do'

While the experts paired Alissa's fire with David's calm, their first meeting almost ended in disaster when David hesitated, leaving guests squirming in their seats.

Alissa admitted she didn't expect what unfolded next to go on as long as it did.

'I didn't expect us to have a 15-minute standoff. It was very awkward,' she said.

'I swear we were standing at the altar having a standoff for forever. Until Christmas.'

As David delayed, Alissa said her mind immediately spiralled into panic.

'I just couldn't believe it, because I was thinking, "He's not going to get down on his knee. He doesn't want to commit to this",' she said.

Alissa said that what fans didn't see was her indecision and the possibility that she was ready to become the ultimate runaway bride.

'I might as well just bend over, tie up my shoelaces, and be the runaway bride,' she laughed.

Alissa said that what fans didn't see was her indecision and the possibility that she was ready to become the ultimate runaway bride 

The moment sparked a fierce reaction online, with some viewers branding Alissa demanding and 'too much', while others applauded her for knowing her worth.

But Alissa insists she has avoided reading comments.

'I'm not looking at the comments or anything,' she said.

'I'm kind of just riding this journey, remembering those special moments. People are always going to have their opinions.'

She admitted she knew before signing up she would polarise the audience.

'I'm not going to be everybody's cup of tea,' she said.

'I am a big personality. I am a direct sort of girl. I don't mean bad, but I can come off a little bit abrasive at times.'

Alissa said her blunt approach likely took David by surprise, but she defended it as her being 'authentically me' and communicating her needs early.

After the ceremony, however, she did reflect and worried she may have pushed him too hard.

'I will apologise when I think maybe I did push it too far, and I will always take accountability,' she said.

She said the apology was about making sure David knew she never wanted to belittle him.

'I didn't want to belittle you or anything at the aisle,' she said she told him.

'I just really needed that from you, and I thank you for getting down on your knee.'

Alissa conceded the moment may have bruised David's ego.

'I feel like it did bruise his ego a little bit. I won't lie,' she said.

'Maybe it was just because of my abrasiveness. Maybe I was a little bit too harsh.'

After the ceremony, however, she did reflect and worried she may have pushed him too hard

'I just really needed that from you, and I thank you for getting down on your knee.'

But she said she needed clarity on one very specific point.

'I needed to know that this guy's not a f**kboy,' she said.

'I'm over the f boys. I need someone that's gonna be all in.'

Despite the rocky start, Alissa said there was instant chemistry with David from the moment they met at the altar.

'I definitely like tall, dark and handsome. The big biceps… a beautiful smile and kind, gentle eyes,' she said.

'There was definitely chemistry.'

She added that while she had never dated an African man before, she found David immediately attractive.

'I've never had an African partner, so it was something new to me,' she said.

'But obviously, so, so beautiful. Like, so attracted to him.'

The bride also revealed she has spent most of her adult life in long-term relationships and went on the show because she feels time is ticking to start a family.

'I'm 33. I want to settle down. I want to have a family,' she said.

'I've been out of a relationship for seven months, and I'm at that age where I want to start thinking about children next year or two.'

Even though Alissa is already established as an influencer and businesswoman in Adelaide, she insisted she wasn't concerned about risking her brand on MAFS.

'I'm confident in myself,' she said.

'People will always have their opinion about you, but I'm very true to myself, and I'm not scared at all.'

Alissa said she took the same approach with the show that she has taken throughout her life.

'The biggest things in life that you will get is from taking big risks,' she said.

'The dating pool's dry, so I'm just going to risk it all and throw myself in and give it my best crack.'

She also praised the matchmaking process, insisting the extensive questionnaires helped her understand what she truly wants in a partner.

She said the apology was about making sure David knew she never wanted to belittle him. 'I didn't want to belittle you or anything at the aisle,' she said she told him. 'I just really needed that from you, and I thank you for getting down on your knee'

'The process they made you go through with all the questions… it made me understand what I want in a man and in a relationship,' she said.

'I learned so much about myself, and I really did trust in the process.'

When she got the call saying she'd been matched, Alissa said she couldn't believe how quickly her life changed.

'I've got three weeks to pack up my life and move to Sydney. It was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life,' she said.

But she insisted she was ready to go 'all in'.

'My heart is ready. I'm ready to give it my all… let's just go. All in,' she said.

Alissa also hinted that while her first episode focused heavily on her altar moment, viewers will soon see her form strong friendships with other brides and face 'interesting behaviour' behind the scenes.

'I actually copped a lot of interesting behaviour towards me from other members in the group,' she said.

'I copped probably a bit too much bullshit this season… but I can't give away too much.'

And when asked what viewers can expect from her relationship with David, Alissa made a bold claim that is sure to raise eyebrows as the season continues

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And when asked what viewers can expect from her relationship with David, Alissa made a bold claim that is sure to raise eyebrows as the season continues.

'We are a united couple,' she said.

'We show up together. We're strong. We don't tolerate that behaviour. We have each other's back.'

Then she delivered the biggest tease of all.

'I will say, we are one of the strongest couples, for sure,' she said.

As for what she wants Australia to know about her beyond the headlines, Alissa insisted viewers should reserve judgement until they see more.

'I'm very open, honest, very direct,' she said.

'All the things people might have an idea about me… you just wait until you get to know me this season.'

Then she summed herself up in one final line.

'She's got a loud personality, but she's bright, and she just loves people with her whole heart,' she said. 

'She's just a hype gal.'