A Romantic Barn Wedding at Chukkar Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia

Sarah Garrard (24 and a hair stylist) met Michael Banks (26 and a bar tender) at a high school summer bonfire. Despite Michael giving Sarah her first kiss, the pair didn't start officially dating until they reconnected years later at Georgia Southern University. Michael proposed five years later by the river at the Roswell Mill, the same spot where they shared a picnic on their second date. "He started to share his heart with me about our future together and started crying but I was still completely clueless," says Sarah. "It wasn't until he got down on one knee that I realized my life was about to change forever!" Over the next year, the couple worked to plan their rustic fall wedding at Chukkar Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia. A gray, dusty shale, cream and beige color palette set an intimate tone for their laid-back affair while an array of vintage and DIY details warmed the barn reception. "My family and I are really DIY people and we love creating and thrifting," says Sarah. "My sister got married a few years ago and we made a lot of things for her wedding so I already had in my mind how I wanted things to look—plus, I was on a budget too and I had to stick to it!" Inspired by their horse farm and polo field location, the couple went with a rustic, vintage barn theme with stunning seasonal flowers arranged by a mutual friend. "I would see something on Pinterest that I loved but then I'd have to be honest with myself and realize that I can't do everything myself," says Sarah. "Reality doesn't always look like my Pinterest expectations!"