A Country Chic Wedding at Bessie's Barn in Centerville, Iowa

After meeting at Northwest Missouri State University in 2007, it took two years of convincing for Sarah (25 and a nanny) to agree to a first date with  Tanner (25 and a financial advisor). Fast forward seven years and the couple finally said "I do" in a rustic barn ceremony in Centerville's Bessie's Barn. "Since we were getting married in the fall, we needed a venue that could serve as the ceremony location, cocktail hour space and reception for over 300 guests," Sarah explains. After stumbling upon the venue online, the couple booked the barn and immediately decided on a country chic theme to highlight the unique space. "We used a lot of monochromatic whites and ivories with a splash of gold and pink to keep the focus on the barn," Sarah says. Rustic touches like burlap-wrapped centerpieces and a wood-themed invitation suite only added to the overall country feel of the day. For dinner, guests were treated to indulgent comfort foods -- like homemade pecan and apple pies baked by the groom's grandmother. (A 55-year-old cake topper that belonged to the bride's grandparents even made a guest appearance on the two-tier cake!) "The whole day was such a reflection of us," says Sarah. "Our day was truly out of a fairy tale and we couldn't have imagined it any other way."