As the wedding was May 1, we tented the Zephyr Palace terrace, since the weather around Jaco area can be unpredictable at the beginning of Rainy Season.

Our color palette was eggplant, white, back and silver to create an elegant, classic look. Photos of Kassandra and Vitor’s engagement session in New Orleans were featured on the seating card table along with white  rose ‘topiaries’.

The ballroom at Zephyr Palace was transformed with silver Chiaveri chairs, eggplant ‘stardust’ overlays and chains of crystals and rose petals suspended from the ceiling.

Denedrobium and phaleonopsis orchids decorated the bride and grooms’ chairs with a touch of black ribboning.

Tall silver candleabres and silver cups alternated from table to table, creating visual interest for the room. Flowers used included green hydrangeas, agapantis, dendrobium and phaleonopsis orchids and Casa Blanca lillies.

Kassandra and Vitor had their invitation recreated on a ceramic piece of art to later showcase in their home. Great idea!

Beautiful location for a beautiful couple!

mmmm – cake! Kassandra surprised Vitor with a groom’s cake that looked like the flag of Brazil. The wedding cake featured ‘lacework’ out of icing – gorgeous!

Professional lighting designers brought another element of decor to the room, adding the cherry on top of this delicious confection of a wedding celebration! Parabens meu amigos! Deepest thanks for allowing Weddings Costa Rica to be a part of your magical day!

Thanks to Eduardo Lopez for the wonderful photos!

Arenal Nayara is such an amazing hotel! Incredible views and first class accommodations.

Nayara’s gardens offer an intimate location with a jaw-dropping view of the volcano. Bright flowers really pop against all the greenery.

Purple phaeleonopsis orchids are so elegant in Erin’s hair!

Awesome shoe and ring shot!!

Even the volcano came out to celebrate! It was clear viewing all day – what a wedding gift from Mother Nature!

Totally coveting Erin’s fuchsia shoes!

Everything is totally ‘pura vida’ for these two lovebirds.

Ginger, vanda orchids and dendrobium orchids create a riot of color in Erin’s bouquet.

More orchids to create a colorful table setting.

Why yes, that IS a parrot on the bride’s arm! Nayara has two talkative macaws that roam the property and love to be the center of attention.

The reception was held on the deck at Nayara’s wine bar. Mahogany chairs and chargers add depth and ground the colorful linens and flowers.

How cool a cake was this? Erin found an artist on Etsy to recreate the two of them as South Park characters. Check out the beer in Matt’s hand – the detailing is  awesome!!!!!!! And the volcano behind the cake? Priceless.

Candles make everything look so romantic.

Congratulations again to Erin and Matt. It was F.U.N.!!! Fantastic setting for a fantastic couple and we are so thrilled to have been a part of it all. Huge ‘gracias’ to El Velo for the great photos.

Proud Parents:  Stephen and Ashley Shafii Grover

Loved the handtied bouquet with white cala lillies, orange roses, green hydrangeas, orange cockscomb and dendrobium green orchids!

Dan’s khaki suit had a pop of color from his boutonniere, featuring dendrobium orchids and thin bamboo.

Who’s that girl officiating? None other than your’s truly! When the lawyer was caught in traffic due to an accident, I stepped in to keep the day running on schedule. Being ordained is part of my emergency kit, though I’ve never actually had to use it.

Love, sweet love!

These bridesmaids know how to keep their cool.

Each table featured a slightly different floral arrangement, using tulips, hydrangeas, roses, dendrobium orchids and some other exotics that I’d never seen before (our florist is amazing and her family owns a number of flower farms with unique species).

Dan owns a fresh seafood distribution company so we went with a decidedly ‘fishy’ theme. Each table was named after a different fish and the seating cards were the shape of each table’s fish, hung on a real fishing hook.

Tables were clad in sheer aqua overlays, which shimmered in the candlelight. Antique gold chargers and frames gave a rich tone. Each napkin featured a real fishing lure, another nod to Dan’s passion for the ocean and the couple’s playfulness. And did we mention the Siamese Fighting Fish that were in the vases? Another ‘cool’ element!

And no wedding is complete without a couple of friends dressed like Dumb & Dumber…

Wedding tip = place your bouquets in vases to dress up a table at the ceremony!

We strung rows of Christmas lights throughout the ceiling and had professional lighting to change the mood of the room. Gorgeous!!!

Congratulations to Christie and Dan once more! It was one of the funnest weddings EVER!!!!

Huge thanks to Dan Power for his wonderful photography.

Guests were encouraged to whet their whistles pre-ceremony with basil strawberry lemonade and water infused with fresh lime.

The day was perfection, in every way. Can you imagine a more beautiful backdrop than sun, sand and surf?

One inviting table, decked in white and shades of pink, hosted family members from the USA and Germany.
We wanted a Bohemian feel to the entire wedding, since Ken is a musician and surfer. Working with shades of pink, we had runners made out of a paisley material with varying shades of pink to add depth and visual interest to the table.Vases of various shapes and sizes featured submerged dendrobium orchids, gladiolas and antherriums. Light pink ribbons added a decorative touch to the vases.

The paisley design was featured on the menu, keeping the design as a thruline. I love the whimsical font used on the menus.

White paper lanterns added an inviting glow to this feast under the stars. And what a feast! The amazing chef at Milarepa outdid himself on this meal!

The cake table was draped in a lovely pink taffeta pintuck overlay, keeping the mixy/matchy Boho feel of the wedding. After the cake was taken away for cutting, we displayed Melina’s beautiful bouquet of roses, orchids and Stargazer lillies (it smelled as delicious as it looked!).

Hollow candles lining the pool cast a warm glow as dusk settled in.

Simple yet elegant cake. All the cake’s flowers were made by hand.

More views of the reception table.

The paisley paper from the menu was used in the truffle boxes, which held scrumptious truffles from Sibu. Small cans of mints were favours given by Melina to all her guests.

Huge congratulations again to Melina and Ken! What a fantastic wedding! Big props to the talented Dan Power for his fabulous photos.

We can work with you to create a custom photobooth background that goes with your event decor, and both Joe and Weddings Costa Rica has photobooth props, or you could bring your own as well!

Please visit http://www.joecomfortphotography.com for more information/photos and be sure to ask us about this service!

Wedding Date: October 7, 2011

Wedding Location: Shawandha Lodge, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

What do you do?

I am a Deputy Legislative Counsel in the Office of Legislative Counsel for the Georgia General Assembly.  Essentially, I draft bills, conduct research, attend meetings, and handle litigation on behalf of the state representatives and senators for the State of Georgia.

Why did you choose Costa Rica?

It is a beautiful, friendly country with so many activities to do and things to see for guests of any age.  We could get legally married there on a sunny, warm beach in October in a rainforest setting.

My favorite clothing item is…

I love my wedding dress (selected at the first store I looked – off the rack and on sale just a little over two months before wedding) even though I did go into the ocean in it afterwards.  I think it held up pretty well.  My favorite everyday item of clothing is a gray t-shirt by Frenchi I bought at Nordstrom’s.  It is super comfy yet with a sexy flair.

My perfect day is…

One spent with Thomas.  We always have fun together whether it is watching a sunrise or sunset, snuggling with our cat Mookie, walking to the grocery store or the Botanical Gardens, attending a baseball game, taking in an art show, etc.

Favorite element in the wedding…

The creativity.  My finance and I designed all of the elements in our wedding together with the help of Larissa of Weddings Costa Rica and then she and her team made these creative designs a reality.

My advice to other destination brides…

Hire a wedding planner who welcomes a challenge and who thinks outside the box. Select someone who is willing to take an idea and help you make it your own. Personalize the occasion by adding your own style and your individuality to your wedding day.  Also, if you are inviting a group to accompany you to the destination, think of having not just a destination wedding but instead planning a “Vacation Wedding Adventure,” where the guests explore as a group with you all of the sites and activities the location has to offer before the wedding, making the occasion a trip of a lifetime for friends and family alike.  We did this with the help of Latitudes-The Adventure Co. and Terraventuras.

My 3 favorite wedding blogs are:

Etsy.com (Okay, I know it is not a blog although they do have one, but you can find inspiration there for just about any idea you might have.)

Weddings Costa Rica (Larissa and her team have done some amazing destination weddings)

Pinterest (Again, not a blog but but has all of the best from every blog and website. Larissa turned me onto this site.)

Lindsay & Chino highlights from jonathan yonkers on Vimeo.

The American bride and Tico groom married in a ceremony surrounded by their friends and family from the U.S. and Costa Rica at Hotel Sugar Beach, a gorgeous spot on a secluded beach just outside of Playa Flamingo.

We received the following letter from Lindsay’s mom, Karen, and boy, it brought a tear to our eyes! Knowing you’ve had a positive impact on a momentous moment of a family’s life – well, it doesn’t get any better than that…

August 25, 2011

Dear Larissa:

Words cannot express how much we appreciate all you and your staff did to make Lindsay and Chino’s wedding the most memorable event of a lifetime.  From the very beginning to the very end, you created exactly what we imagined.  To say we are thrilled is an understatement.

In the beginning I was reluctant to hire a wedding planner, but I had no idea how much work was involved and how difficult it would be from the United States to Costa Rica to get details taken care of.   We are so glad we decided to employ the services of Weddings Costa Rica.

From our initial meeting with you, your attention to detail and your ability to envision what Lindsay and Chino wanted was exquisite.  You were able to draw out ideas from Lindsay and I by your suggestions, which helped us both get a visual of what you were envisioning for the wedding.  You stayed within our initial budget, but gave suggestions of little things which would enhance the overall look for minimal cost to us.  Your suggestions proved to be some of the most beautiful effects.

As we watched you turn Hotel Sugar Beach into a wedding wonderland, it was such a blessing to have that peace of mind and the confidence that you had everything under control.  For a Mom, this was huge.  And Lindsay’s Dad can’t stop saying it was perfect, that you handled the wedding as an experienced professional.

Your promptness in answering my almost daily emails from the States with all my many, many questions, I can’t thank you enough.  You calmed my fears and gave me the ability to enjoy the wedding and sit back to enjoy our daughter’s wedding day.

Our guests are still talking about how beautiful everything was and how much they enjoyed the wedding.  Everyone was impressed with your creativity and how every detail from the largest to the tiny things were all tied together.  Everything came together quickly and organized as the day progressed.  The vendors arrived early in the morning and with precision began their work.  I really cannot think of anything we were disappointed with.

I would recommend Weddings Costa Rica to anyone who wants peace of mind and stress-free wedding planning.  I couldn’t have done it without you.

Thanks again,

Karen and Dale Wise

Stay tuned for photos from this beautiful wedding. From all of us here at Weddings Costa Rica, congratulations to Lindsay and Chino – it was a true honor working with you all!

Shoe shot!

Love the royal blue colour scheme. The sandlewood fans were a welcome addition, keeping guests cool through the tropical heat.

Matt and Kirsten share a fun moment at the beginning of the ceremony. Now that, folks, is the look of pure joy.

Driftwood poles festooned with ribbons and flowers – simple yet elegant.

Sealed with a kiss!

Dragonfly Bar and Grill in nearby Playa Tamarindo hosted the reception. We created long tables sporting vases of various shapes and sizes filled with flowers in white, yellow and a touch of green, like cala lillies, fuji mums, hydrangeas, dendrobium orchids and lluvia d’oro orchids. This photo has become one of our signature shots – gorgeous!

Kirsten and Matt surprised their guests with a performance by fire jugglers. Don’t try this at home, folks!!

A huge congratulations again to Kirsten and Matt!! It was a ton of fun working with you on your wedding!

Giant ‘gracias’ to Dan Power Photography for capturing all the festivities!

Boutonniere tip – if you’re having a delicate flower that doesn’t stand up to heat/lack of water well (like hydrangeas) in the boutonniere, have the florist make an extra so you don’t have a droopy flower for the post ceremony photos.

Parasols not only add a jolt of color to your ceremony but they’ll help keep your guests comfortable from the tropical sun. Weddings Costa Rica has them available for rent, making them an affordable  decor addition.

The bright fuchsia stands out against the celestial blue of the bridesmaid’s dress – love!!

The terrace at Zephyr Palace is long but narrow so we often try to minimize the size of aisle markers to not take up space. Having flowers on the chairs is a great solution to dress up your aisle style.

Post-ceremony cocktail hour has a distinctly tropical vibe!

Celestial blue overlays pair beautifully with silver chairs. We alternated tall centerpieces with low to try to minimize the height of the room’s ceilings (it’s a very big space) whilst adding visual interest. Decor tip – not only does alternating the florals make the decor look more exciting but it helps with the bottom-line as low centerpieces are usually less expensive than their tall counterparts.

The darker royal blue of the ribbons and flowers is perfect against the lighter blue of the overlays.

Blue hydrangeas and white dendrobium orchids combine for an elegant, light look.

Love this shot with the sun shining down on the newlyweds!

For the seating card table, we featured small bouquets of blue hydrangeas in silver julep cups for an elegant look. Guests wrote their wishes for the couple on Costa Rica postcards which were later mailed to Aimee and Eric’s home, filling their mailbox with happy memories after they arrived home.

Professional lighting adds so much to any wedding – what a great shot!

Aimee and Eric, thank you so much again for allowing Weddings Costa Rica the honour of working with you on your wedding celebrations. Many years of happiness to you both!

And a huge thanks to El Velo Photography for capturing the day!