Wedding: Hotel Playa Hermosa Bosque del Mar
I have to start off this post by saying that the bride, Tanya, is also from the great state of Wisconsin (like yours truly!) So we clicked from the get-go and had a blast planning her wedding. She, like me, is very organized and detail-oriented!
It didn’t take long for this group to settle into the Costa Rican lifestyle of catamaran and snorkeling expeditions, ziplining, soaking in volcanic mud and horseback riding by the waterfalls. The wedding day was clear and warm as the couple said ‘I do’ on the beach at Playa Hermosa. The reception had a tropical rustic feel with the colors being blue and white with a splash of coral. Photos courtesy of Ale Sura Photo.
Wedding: Private villa, Playa Potrero
The bride is so artistic and creative so I knew from the get-go this wedding was going to be gorgeous. She had a wonderful sense of style and it was fun to co-design her wedding. Her color palette was yellow, grey and a splash of pink. Charlie is from Puerto Rico and Michelle is from Singapore, bringing culture and traditions as well! Photos provided by Comfort Studio.
Rehearsal dinner: La Finisterra
Wedding: Pacifico Beach Club
What a stylish wedding and couple! The bride, Kiley, is a fashion stylist so you can bet that her wedding dress and overall wedding were very a la mode! She wore a J Crew dress and a shrug from Foley and Corinna. The wedding took place at the Pacifico Beach Club which is both beachy and modern at the same time. The bride wanted to bring a little bit of the jungle to this beach setting, so the room was decorated with foliage and plants to create this look. Photos from the talented Julie of Comfort Studio.
I love everything about this…the mason jars, the place cards, the wooden box filled with sand, and the simplicity of the flowers…
Rehearsal dinner: Bahia del Sol
Wedding: Private house, Playa Potrero
When Beth and Matt contacted me several months ago to help plan and design their wedding, they told me that they wanted a low-key and laid-back beach town for their wedding weekend. Playa Potrero was perfect for them as it has that relaxed, pura vida kind of vibe. Friday night was the rehearsal dinner at the beautiful Bahia del Sol. A pig roast, coco loco drinks for the guests, a cigar roller, white lanterns overhead and purple orchids decorating the tables. The reception had a ‘romantic beach’ theme with tiki torches, candles galore, silver linens and chairs, and the perfect pop of color with purple hydrangeas. To top things off, a fireworks show and a delicious dessert bar with bride and groom cookies, red velvet cake and a tropical fruit salad. Photos provided by Fino Photography!
The Rehearsal dinner: Coco loco drinks, Costa Rican cigars and an unbelievable sunset
The Wedding ceremony:
Romantic beached themed reception:
More of my faves…
Rehearsal dinner: Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort
Wedding: Arenal Lodge
Definitely one of the best rehearsal dinners ever: treating your guests to a night at the hot springs at Arenal Volcano. After a weekend full of volcano-related activities, April and Jack tied the night up in the mountains at the Arenal Lodge. The decor was perfect for the rustic lodge: stones, floating candles and floating orchids. The dessert was also a good fit for the volcano setting: lava cake! Photos below from the fabulous Richard May.
Rehearsal dinner: Avellanas Beach Club, Hacienda Pinilla
Wedding: Las Palapas
Guests came all of the way from Idaho to celebrate with Tia and Jonathan. The rehearsal dinner was held at the beautiful, brand new beach club in Playa Avellanas. We were fortunate enough to be the very first rehearsal dinner to be held at the beach club! Not only is the beach club gorgeous but the entire property of Hacienda Pinilla is so picturesque. Las Palapas is the ideal wedding venue, smack dab on the beach! Tia’s dress was stunning – part of the Maggie Sottero Destinations Collection. Colors: green, white and a pop of yellow; Details: bamboo chairs, candles, and lanterns all combined to create a rustic beach feel. Once again, all of the photos were so stunning that I must share many…Courtesy of El Velo Photography.
Playa Avellanas Beach Club:
Details, details…
Zephyr Palace
What a beautiful wedding rich with traditions! Kay, whose family is from Taiwan, brought lanterns for each and every guest, so the guests could engage in a Chinese lantern ceremony. While the guests wrote their wishes on the paper lanterns and watched them fly away into the Costa Rican jungle, they all toasted to a traditional Norwegian drink, Akevitt, in honor of Thomas’ heritage. The photos will tell the whole story. What an honor to be able to work with Ben Chrisman Photography, recently voted the top wedding photographer in the world!!
Pacifico Beach Club, Playas del Coco
Dawsha and Sandy, both from Canada, were so thrilled to be in the warm tropics. They have spent time in Costa Rica before and love exploring the country. Their guests have been enjoying Papagayo and set sail on a fishing expedition, where they were able to catch some impressive fish! Married at sunset in Playas del Coco, the aisle was lined with big shells and beautiful flowers. They were also big fans of orchids so the reception decor included purple orchids for a simple yet elegant decor.
Ceremony: Los Suenos Beach Club
Reception: Marriott Los Suenos, Playa Herradura
Orchids, orchids and more orchids. Green, white and a splash of purple. The ceremony decor was my absolute favorite: bamboo poles with sheer fabric blowing in the wind and dangling orchids on the beautiful white sand beach. The reception decor followed the same theme of bamboo and lots of orchids with a touch of elegance for the ballroom setting. The bride carried a bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchid stems, inspired by the wedding bouquet of Eva Longoria. There were so many fabulous pictures (Courtesy of Ronald Roman), that I couldn’t resist. I had to share them all!
The stunning ceremony decor:
The bouquets and other floral arrangements:
Playa Esterillos Este
Our 2010 wedding season kicked off with the January 1st wedding of Amanda and Greg, who work for the US Peace Corps. They have lived and traveled all over the world from exotic places like the Kingdom of Tonga to Panama and Costa Rica and chose Esterillos Este as the site for their wedding celebration. Their international crowd enjoyed New Year’s Eve fireworks, bonfire on the beach, s’mores and fun times in the tropics.
