A Vintage Outdoor Wedding in North Carolina

Jeni, who works in children's ministry, met Justin, an accountant, in 2006, months after becoming a widow. They took their time getting to know each other and eventually their friendship became much more. On a trip to a private North Carolina estate two hours north of their home near Atlanta he asked Jeni to marry him. Then, with close friends and family on hand, he popped the question to Emma, Jeni's daughter, too. In the late afternoon on September 10, 2011, the pair wed in a heartfelt ceremony on those very same grounds.

The couple rented Hawkesdene House for the wedding weekend. Its rustic location in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains provided the perfect setting for guests and family members to hike, play horseshoes, watch football, and dine alfresco in the days leading up to the nuptials.

The pair printed their favorite Bible passage, "Love never fails," onto the response cards --and even used the phrase as the color key, for their paint-by-numbers keepsake that guests colored in later at the reception.

Jeni chose a Legends by Romona Keveza gown from Bridals by Lori and accessorized it with Kate Spade pumps and a custom Elva Fields necklace of aurora borealis rhinestones and beads.

Justin and Emma were J.Crew chic: He in a classic suit with a pin-dot tie and Jack Purcell sneakers; she in a sparkling sequined dress maid for twirling.

The bride's feather-and-rhinestone hairpiece was made with love, by a close friend.

Jeni's six bridesmaids wore various gray dresses of their choosing and carried small bouquets of pastel blooms.

The couple's pug, aptly named Handsome, sported a navy bow tie. He escorted Emma down the aisle, then spent the rest of ceremony lying on the bride's train.

"For sentimental and practical reasons, I wanted to incorporate family pieces into the decor," Jeni says. Here, a vintage dressing table serves as a directional sign and holds fans for guests to use during the ceremony.

The bride's father escorted her down the aisle while 100 guests watched on from fruitwood chairs set up on the lawn.

The couple stood in front of an altar made from a vintage dresser belonging to Jeni's late husband. It was topped with a cross of reclaimed barn wood and a floral arrangement in a pewter vase.

Family members and friends read passages from the Bible -- including 1 Corinthians 13, which cites "love never fails." The phrase holds special meaning for Jeni, who says she feels incredibly lucky to have found lasting love a second time.

After exchanging their self-penned vows, the duo turned to Emma who surprised them with vows of her own. Then, each one of them sprinkled soil and water over a potted rose tree. It symbolized their unity as a family, and it's now planted in their backyard.

At the end of the service, Justin and Jeni gave Emma a necklace and a heart-shaped pendant etched with their fingerprints.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds took portraits around the grounds of Hawkesdene House with photographer Alan Friedman.

Vintage mirrors doubled as seating charts for the adults; Emma's dressing table directed the young guests to the kids' table.

After cocktail hour, guests sat down for dinner at long tables covered with flaxen runners, floral arrangements in milk-glass vessels, and napkins garnished with aromatic rosemary sprigs.

Guests dined on strawberry-goat-cheese salad with poppy-seed dressing, new potatoes with garlic herb butter, roasted trout, roast beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce, and sautéed green beans.

Continuing in the same vein as the invitation suite, a paint-by-numbers poster was set out for guests to embellish. It now hangs in the stairwell of the couple's home.

The newlyweds took to the floor to Ingrid Michaelson's "The Way I Am" as performed by the band Paris Luna.

Guests were offered a variety of desserts from Gabriel's (a bakery near the couple's hometown in Georgia): brownies; fruit tartlets, mini cupcakes, including lemon and fudge-and-peanut-butter; and chocolate truffles. A trio of cakes -- fudge with vanilla buttercream, carrot with cream cheese frosting, and white cake with strawberry filling and buttercream icing -- decorated with fresh flowers were also served. One confection even boasted an antique topper first used at the bride's great-grandmother's wedding in 1915.

Photography: Alan Friedman Photo

Location and Catering: Hawkesdene House

Wedding Coordination: Jeannine Kennedy of Honeysuckle Wedding Company

Flowers: Amy Osaba Event.Floral.Design

Stationery: Soft Grey Paper

Cake and desserts: Gabriel's

Music: Paris Luna

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Linens: La Tavola; Party Tables

Hair and makeup: Atlanta West Hair Company

Engagement ring: Solomon Brothers

Groom's wedding band: Fabuluster