A Rustic Outdoor Wedding at Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh, North Carolina

A mututal friend of both Samantha Groeschen, 25, a Registered Nurse, and Gibson Pyper, 25, a full-time student, just had a feeling that the two would be perfect for each other and spent an entire summer trying to set them up, despite their opposition. The two became fast friends, bonding over football, which eventually lead to more. Gibson proposed on a relaxing Saturday afternoon while walking their two dogs, Brandi and Buckeye, through Umstead Park, getting his brothers and Samantha's sister in on the plan to capture the moment on film and video. When they reached a path overlooking the lake, Gibson got down on one knee and after a sappy, romantic speech asked Samantha to be his wife. She responded with an emphatic "YES!!" "We admitted we liked each other on Halloween, became boyfriend and girlfriend on Christmas, said 'I love you' on Valentine's day and realized we wanted to marry each other on Memorial day, so we decided to continue the holiday trend and chose July 4, 2014 as our wedding day," says Samantha. The couple played off the traditional Independence day colors of red, white and blue, choosing a more muted palette of blush, navy and white for a more sophisticated, romantic look. Burlap and lace accents, along with a few vintage props, like the ceremony's repurposed door backdrop, gave the day a rustic vibe. Arrangements of ivory and pale pink rose and baby's breath centerpieces and lots of warm candlelight added an intimate, romantic note to the décor.