A Colorful, DIY Wedding at the Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Sophia Noor (26 and a graduate student) and Jake Kiser (30 and a global education director) always loved muted rose and gold affairs and crazy, colorful soirees that looked more like a county fair. For their wedding they combined the two styles and had the best of both worlds. When Sophia and Jake got engaged, Sophia was starting a master's program and had just moved to a new state. Needless to say, a wedding planner was at the top of her list. "At first we didn’t know if we could afford a planner, but it turned out to be the best decision," Sophia says. "We had Gina from A Southern Soiree, and she was simply amazing. She took care of all the details and organization, which left me to do the fun stuff like DIY projects with my mom and choosing all the fun extras. We started planning pretty much right away. The best thing was that Gina kept us on a schedule—she didn’t let me stress about anything." Gina helped Sophia and Jake combine all the details for a cohesive look that was consisted of the things they love (bunting, hot air balloons, ombre invitations, vintage books). Wanting a space that could easily take on their whimsical theme, Sophia and Jake found the Barn at Valhalla in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Although they had to get married inside because of the weather, everything turned out beautifully and the venue was super-accommodating. There is so much to love about Sophia and Jake's bold wedding. See all our favorites, captured by the talented Robyn Van Dyke Photography, below.