Destination Wedding in Costa Rica
This week I’ve got a Travel Tuesday and a wedding post in one! This past May I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, a country that’s long been on my wish list for the amazing destination wedding of Amanda and Andrew. It was a dream come true. Not only are Amanda and Andrew amazing people (seriously amazing as in social justice minded, incredibly kind, awesome people) but they invited me along for a weekend at a dream location.
Amanda and Andrew hail from Chicago, and brought with them family and friends from around the country. Everyone stayed at the gorgeous Hotel Punta Islita. This hotel was so unique. I’m the first to say that I’m not normally a resort person, however this place was different then anywhere else I’ve seen. They are super involved with the local community, foster all kinds of sustainability initiatives and are environmentally friendly. We also got to take part in all kinds of cool adventures from zip lining to horseback riding! How cool is that? I also have to give a huge shout out of thanks to the staff here. In all my years of wedding photography I have never had an event staff be so on top of everything and felt so well taken care of. These guys truly went above and beyond and their service was second to none.
Back to the wedding! Amanda and Andrew were married just before sunset on the beach at Punta Islita. The days previous had been rainy, so we were worried about the weather, but everything worked out perfectly! They involved everyone in the ceremony. One of their good friends acted as an officiant and then each guest was given a card to read with something to share about the couples story. After the ceremony, we took some portraits on the beach capturing that sunset light. We also went around the resort and even drove a golf cart into town for some photos at a local mosaic. While taking photos, we noticed there was even an art piece made from two A’s! What are the odds? At the end of the photo session, we looked up to see two macaws flying overhead. The theme of the weekend had been Love Birds in CR, it was fate.
Congratulations to Amanda and Andrew! I wish you all the best and a lifetime of adventures together!!
This photo of Amanda’s grandparents dancing makes my heart happy.
Wedding Day Vendors:
Ceremony, Reception, and Catering: Hotel Punta Islita || Band: Cardamomo Band || Gown: Anna Campbell || Suit: Bar III || Officiant : Samir Hanna (Friend of the Couple) || Photographer: De Nueva Photography