A Yellow and Gray DIY Wedding at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu, California
James Long, 26, a civil engineer, married Caitlin Long, 26, a management consultant, in a travel-themed wedding in Malibu, California. The couple first met during their sophomore year of college and immediately developed a crush on one another. After revealing their feelings a year later, they immediately began dating. Caitlin eventually moved to Los Angeles to be with James, who proposed during a private dinner on the beach when the couple was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta. The bride and groom chose Saddlerock Ranch as the location for their big day because it offered a beautiful outdoor vineyard setting. "Amazing Malibu hills views, wine and zebras...what more could you want?" asks the bride. A color palette of gray and yellow was incorporated into much of the decor and an airplane/travel theme was chosen to represent the couple's love of flying. "We also wanted to make sure our wedding was personalized so everywhere guests looked they saw an element of our life/love and how they fit into it, so I knew I wanted to do as many of the touches and decorations ourselves," Caitlin says. The reception featured many DIY elements such as a wax paper chandelier and wine bottle hurricane candles. A solo guitarist played throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour, which the couple says was perfect for the setting and atmosphere. A buffet dinner followed at the reception with beer that was brewed by the best man. "We tried really hard to personalize everything by making it ourselves and making it true to us," Caitlin says. "We didn't want it to just be another great party, but to infuse every moment with us, our friends and family."