Country star Sara Evans married former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker Saturday evening in an outdoor ceremony at a Franklin, Tenn., farm near Evans's home, PEOPLE reports exclusively.

Evans's son Avery, 8, walked his mother down the aisle, preceded by her two daughters, Olivia, 5, and Audrey, 3. The couple's seven children (Barker has four from his previous marriage) sat on quilts during the ceremony and were the only attendants. They collectively gave their parents away.

The short ceremony featured Nashville songwriter Marcus Hummon, a close friend of Evans's, singing "God Bless the Broken Road," the Rascal Flatts hit he cowrote – a song that the couple says has deep meaning for their relationship. Christian minister Joe Beam, who was responsible for introducing the couple last fall, performed the ceremony.

Evans met Barker, the host of a morning sports radio show in Birmingham, Ala., through minister Joe Beam when each had turned to him for support after their respective divorces last year.

"He was our own personal matchmaker," laughs Evans, who says that Beam made both of them promise – before they even met one another – that they would let him officiate at their wedding. "I think God told Joe to get us together." They were engaged in March. "It was hard for me to believe he was real and that he loves me the way he loves me," Evans tells PEOPLE. "I thank God many times a day for bringing me Jay."

PEOPLE magazine will have pictures from the ceremony in next week's issue.

Labels: Sara Evans