If you’re planning a wedding in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica in December through to early March, be aware that the Papagayo Winds blow in during that time. So it’s windy…REALLY windy! Things like candles don’t want to stay lit (tip* purchase the battery operated votive candles instead) and decor will blow away (tip* anchor things down, especially tablecloths). Have long hair? Consider putting it up so it’s not blowing into your face the entire time. Your veil will also be taking on a life of its own in the wind so keep that in mind when you go shopping. Take a look at every aspect of your wedding to make sure everything from decor to details are ‘wind proofed’.

Photo by Dan Power Photography

If you haven’t heard the news, Hotel Cala Luna in Playa Langosta has closed its doors as of Saturday, September 5 indefinitely. Why? It’s a long story but in a nutshell, a bank purchased the hotel from the originally owners and had a management company running the hotel (since banks know lots about money but little about hotelery). It looked like things were going well – the hotel had made a number of upgrades to the property, had built a beautiful new spa and were offering some awesome incentives for weddings. For whatever reason, the bank wasn’t happy with the management so they informed them on Friday night that they were firing everyone and closing the hotel the next day.

They have refunded all the reservations thus far and my understanding is that they are looking for a new management company. Given that the bank needs to have the hotel up and running in order to make their investment profitable, my guess is that they’ll try to re-open as soon as possible. And, when you consider that the entire town of Tamarindo and Playa Langosta has a building moratorium right now (no construction within 500 metres of the hightide mark), this almost-beachfront hotel is prime real estate.

If you have planned your wedding at Cala Luna, my advice is to speak with your wedding coordinator. If it’s in the next two months or so, you will likely need to move locations. Otherwise, I’d bet a box of donuts that the doors will be open in time for the beginning of High Season (Christmas and onward) and you likely will have nothing to worry about.

I stumbled upon a frantic bride’s question on a forum the other day  - her wedding ceremony at the Paradisus Playa Conchal had been moved to nearby Playa Flamingo and then, back to the hotel property but in a gazebo. The reason? “A new law in which no weddings are allowed on any beaches in Costa Rica.”

Now, dear bride (and groom), the old saying that don’t believe everything you read or hear is true. To set the record straight:

All beaches in Costa Rica are public, by law. There are no permits or restrictions to use of the beach (and yes, that means having alcohol on the beach is fine). Which means beach weddings are perfectly legal.

The backstory of this is that the Paradisus is having some issues with the mini-city of vendors that have set up on the beach, in-front of the hotel. Now, it is illegal to have a permanent structure within 50 metres of the high-tide mark and these vendors have basically set up shop and grown roots, yet somehow they seem to have the municipality of Santa Cruz on their side (hmm, wasn’t the last mayor forced to step down due to charges of influence-peddling?). Anyways, while this ‘issue’ between the hotel and the vendors is being discussed, the hotel is not allowed to have events on the beach at Playa Conchal (yes, it’s legally a free and open beach so go figure!). They have been holding ceremonies over at the next beach, the very picturesque Playa Flamingo, which has a killer sunset (Conchal, due to the hills, does not).

So, there you have it. Beach weddings are definitely a go here in the land of Pura Vida!

On January 8, 2009, the area around La Paz Waterfall was the epicentre of a massive earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. The mountainous area suffered mudslides, landslides and entire villages were buried under rock and rubble. Although the Waterfall Gardens sustained little structural damage, the only road in/out was buried. Trail leading to the waterfalls had been destroyed and much of the landscape drastically altered by the quake. After five months of rebuilding, La Paz is open and operating once more. It is a truly beautiful part of Costa Rica and if you have the opportunity to visit, do so (super romantic for a honeymoon).

Good luck on the reopening and congratulations!

I’m a little late on this one but a big thanks to Ultimate Destination Weddings for  featuring me as a Costa Rica wedding planning expert the other month. It’s a great blog with lots of wonderful information for anyone thinking of having their wedding abroad. Enjoy!

Pretty thrilled to be inlcuded in Sean Low’s blog today. Sean is the president of Preston Bailey, the amazing wedding designer to the stars and one of the most savvy, smart people about business I’ve ever met. Sitting down with Sean over coffee when I was in New York recently was like an epiphany, as he showed me knew ways of looking at my business and the market. Amazing insight. So I’m really honoured to be considered as an example of a ‘global rock star’ by him. Thanks for the shout out, Sean and looking forward to collaborating in the future. Stay tuned, folks, for exciting new developments at Weddings Costa Rica!

All this talk about Villa Caletas as a wedding venue and poof! One of our favourite weddings held there is featured in a brand new magazine! We’re thrilled that Lindsay and AJ’s gorgeous event was chosen for the premiere edition of Wedding Event Style, a fantabulous new wedding mag aimed at the discerning bride in Atlanta and Florida. Look for it at Barnes & Noble.

This wedding was in July and the rain stayed away until the end of cocktail hour, sprinkling just enough to give a dream-like sheen to the terrace. The amazing team of Marc and Joi from Pennington Photographycaught stunning images from this blowout event. Lindsay was a dream to work with – she had amazing design ideas and was very detailed yet she allowed me a lot of creative freedom. The result – well, take a look.

Moving onto the ampitheatre, this is the showstopper at Villa Caletas. Built into the side of the mountain, it’s a touch of Greece in the midst of the rainforest. There is a lounge/bar at the top  along with a long, covered terrace, perfect for ceremony rain back up or dancing at the reception. An air-conditioned restaurant, with floor to ceiling windows, opens off of the terrace. It’s perfect for groups up to 60 people.

But the ampitheatre itself draws thousands of visitors every year as there is really not a better spot to watch the sun set while sipping a cool libation.

Pros – gorgeous spot, incredible view, one of the few air-conditioned reception locations in Costa Rica, site fees are reasonable ($150 up to 39 people, $300 for 40 people and up which gives total privacy for the event)

Cons – very steep stairs so not recommended for those suffering vertigo (no one has tumbled, knock on wood), needs a lot of flowers to give colour pop for photos (it’s a concrete bowl, afterall), ceremony space is private only for groups of 40 people or more (smaller groups have to deal with lookey-loos there for the sunset)

Photos by Lifetime Digital

Continuing in our ‘Location’ series where we look at different wedding venues around the country, we turn our attention to the gorgeous Villa Caletas. Located on a mountain overlooking the rainforest and ocean, it’s a stunning hotel that is one of the most unique places in the world (I think). It’s on the closest beach to the capital of San Jose, Playa Herradura, which is just a few minutes down the road from the beach town of Jaco. Clocking in at just under a two-hour drive from the capital, the new highway being built (which we hope will be finished in the next two years) will bring the drive time down to about an hour. Sweet!

A boutique hotel in every sense of the word, the 45 rooms are each different than the next. One of the most romantic suites anywhere is the Master Suite at Room #20, complete with a hidden garden, pond, jacuzzi and a drop-dead gorgeous view of the ocean.

There are a few areas for weddings and ceremonies at the hotel and today, we’ll look at the beach.

It’s a 10-minute ride down a steep hill in a 4 x 4 but worth it as you have the beach to yourself. It’s in a cove and has a little beach club, with a covered terrace area. It’s pebbly, though, not sandy and for some folks, this is a drawback. Super private and a great spot for a ceremony or a beachfront rehearsal dinner.

Pros – very private, flat, above the high-tide mark, surrounded by lush jungle, bathrooms, bar, covered area, can have a bonfire (included in $300 site fee)

Cons – road needs a 4 x 4 and is very difficult during Rainy Season (not great for large groups), would need a tent as back up for rainy season, not a sandy beach

photos by Lifetime Digital (all) and Brett Buchanan (last photo, bottom right corner)

So I’ve moved blogs and I hope you all enjoy the new look of Weddings Costa Rica Blog. The old blog is still around at weddingscostarica.blogspot.com so be sure to check out our old blog for great info.

Well, looks like the rainy season (or Green Season as they like to call it) has started in the Central Valley so that means we’ll be seeing showers on the Pacific Coast shortly so  you’ll need a rain plan if your wedding is happening anytime between now and November. My recommendation is to have an open-sided tent for a beach ceremony Plan B or have a covered location at the hotel or restaurant, etc. where you can move if the weather turns for the worse. If you don’t have a planner, nominate someone in your crew to be the weather person and settle on a time to make the ‘call’ on where you’re going to set up. Remember that chairs and decorations take time to move and set up so speak with those folks ahead of time to see how much time they’ll need for set up. Typically, the early part of the day is sunny with clouds moving in during the afternoon and a short shower hitting in the later afternoon/early evening – yes, right around sunset when we usually want to do the ceremony

Keep in mind that the weather here in Costa Rica can change on a dime so don’t be lulled into a false sense of security if you wake up and see sunny skies. As the old saying goes here, ‘manana oscuro, tarde seguro’ which means ‘if the morning is cloudy, the afternoon should be rain free’. 

Here’s hoping your wedding skies are sunny and blue!