Central America Weddings

I’m having a moment. Rarely am I rendered speechless but this wedding has done the trick! We simply must give a big round of applause to Comfort Studio who has captured the picturesque setting of this wedding to a “T.”  I adore how the couple used lace to dress their reception tables and opted for simple touches of rose petals in the sand for the ceremony. Looking at this destination not only make me want to visit Costa Rica stat, but I want this couple to take me there.  Let the waves take you over to the gallery for more along with the film of the day by Jonathan Yonkers below. Enjoy!

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Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Aimee Monihan of Tropical Occasions… Katie, a dermatologist, and Will, a professional poker player and wrestling coach, met at university and had an instant connection. Since they were both athletes and very committed to their sports (she a swimmer and he a wrestler) they instantly had their athleticism in common. As their friendship blossomed into a romance, they began to share the passion of surfing. They soon had a yearly surfing trip they took together to Tamarindo, Costa Rica, where they could both unwind from their busy lifestyles and just be with one another in a place they both loved, doing a sport that had brought them closer together. When Will made matters official and asked Katie for her hand in marriage, it was a very easy conversation about where to host the wedding. They decided on Costa Rica, the place where they celebrated their relationship and where they always felt the most relaxed and happy.

When Katie set out to find professional help, she decided on Tropical Occasions. One phone call with owner Aimee Monihan affirmed she would be able to create the perfect wedding experience for her and Will while incorporating their love of surfing and Costa Rica. Katie chose the beautiful venue of Reserva Conchal and their private beach club to host the big day. She loved that the fun and hip town of Tamarindo was close by, so she and Will could share with all their friends the things they loved to do while visiting their each year. The design and plans developed with a crisp palette of white and navy blue with accents of pale pink and yellow. The ceremony took place on the beach with the beautiful waves crashing behind the altar. After the ceremony, tropical cocktails were served as guests watched the sun set into the Pacific and the surfers in the group admired the nice long left in front of them. The reception was a mix of country club chic with an elegant table dressed in lace overlays and romantic flowers with whimsical touches. The reception included sunglasses for all guests, as well as a cigar bar, and the night ended with an amazing fireworks show.

Wedding Photography: Katherine Stinnett of Comfort Studio / Wedding Venue: Reserva Conchal in Guanacaste, Costa Rica / Event Design + Planning: Tropical Occasions / Floral Design: Stylos & Flores / Wedding Cinematography: Jonathan Yonkers / Wedding Cake: Victoria Zoch / Lighting: Calidad a Tiempo / Furniture Rentals: Costa Mesa / DJ: Costa Rica Wedding DJ / Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Hair + Makeup: Diego Alfarro / Rehearsal Dinner Location: Mar y Sol Restaurante

I’m totally convinced that Costa Rica is one of the coolest destinations for a super fun, super relaxed wedding like this one by Ale Sura Photo. And this outdoor loving couple is convinced too. They chose this gorgeous beach location because of its lack of big, high rise hotels and, of course, the amazing surf. Their guests enjoyed a totally relaxed, totally eco-friendly, totally gorgeous day and I promise I’m only a tad bit jealous. Click here to see even more!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Ale of Ale Sura Photo… Even with their super-busy schedules, this couple of doctors are traveling fans. From the coolest weather to the Caribbean they just love having adventures, practice surfing, snowboarding, horseback rides, river kayaking and anything else you can think of. It was more than appropriate for them to find a little hidden paradise like Nosara to tie the knot. If I had to think on a phrase that describes their style and theme I would have to say “The good life.” Every single detail in this wedding evoked this feeling — I mean, what else comes to mind when you see a sunset in Costa Rica, beer holders, a yummy pig roast, surfboards and cigars?

From the bride and groom… Nosara is a small jewel we’ve found located on the Nicoya Peninsula in Northwest Costa Rica. The actual town of Nosara (where the locals live) is set back from the beach, but the “gringo” center is around Playa Guiones. Nosara is touted as “eco-friendly” with a 300 foot perimeter of protected jungle along the edge of the beach. We love Nosara because it lacks the big hotels and high-rises of explosive, unplanned development that has plagued other Costa Rican towns. Also, the waves here can get very large but are also very gentle and rolling … a great place for beginners to learn to surf (basically, I, as a beginner, can catch waves here, and Mike, an expert, can have lots of fun too)!

Wedding Photography: Ale Sura Photo / Wedding Venue: Tierra Magnifica in Nosara, Costa Rica / Flowers + Wedding Coordination: Nina Arias of Nosara Weddings & Events / Wedding Cake: Creative Cakes by Jessica

Well, we’ve lived through the first week of 2012, and if the gorgeous affairs we’ve been spending the week with are any hint of what’s to come (they are) this is going to be one fantastic year. Filled with love, laughter, happiness, and of course, beautiful weddings. So before we send you out into your weekend, we’ve got a fresh, light, and oh-so-beautiful engagement sesh straight from Costa Rica, courtesy of Ale Sura Photography to get you excited for the year. See you Monday morning LBBers! xoxo

Photography by Ale Sura Photography, click here for more!

The wedded week at a pretty little glance:

a beautifully bright New Jersey beach wedding
a California rehearsal dinner with a Shakespeare in Love touch
a romantic, pretty, chic, and perfect Tennessee soiree
a moody and quirky St. Louis affair that is so beautiful
a Colorado fête with the perfect amount of romance
a Pennsylvania wedding filled with so much beautiful emotion
a wedding so beautiful, it’s almost hard to believe in California
a double feature in Portland – stunning Western & Cambodian weddings
a fabulous contemporary soiree in Washington

Some links we are totally lovin’ from around the web:

an fantastic watercolor-inspired wedding via Once Wed
a perfect palette to the tune of pink & gold via The Sweetest Ocassion
a gorgeous and soft soiree via One Lovely Day

Costa Rica is quickly becoming one of my favorite destination wedding locations… and with insanely gorgeous affairs like this one captured by the oh-so-fabulous A Brit & A Blonde filling my computer screen, it’s downright impossible not to head over heels in love with this Central America wonderland.  Yes, the gorgeous inspiration is pouring from every nook and cranny of this stunning affair… and so are the breathtaking views.  Plus, with moment after moment of sweet, sweet details, the pretty will literally fill your entire afternoon… and more.  Click here for all of the lovely.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From A Brit & A Blonde… Chelsey and Dylan are probably the raddest and most chilled out couple we have ever worked with. Dylan is a musician and Chelsey is a yoga instructor and they live in LA. They have been together for over a decade, gotta love that. Neither of them had ever been to Costa Rica but they are adventurous types and wanted something different. So they chose amazing Manuel Antonio for their big day.

The whole vibe was a hippie love bird type feeling. Which goes perfectly with their relaxed style and Costa Rica as the back drop. Their day started off chillaxing in the beyond awesome villa that they rented in Manuel Antonio: Casa de Las Brisas. And then the girls headed over to Si Como No Resort Spa & Wildlife Refuge to get all beautified and this is where the ceremony and reception would take place as well.

Si Como No is such an amazing venue – their view and grounds are out of this world. Plus they are extremely eco-conscious and have received a 5 Green Leaves rating for their sustainability efforts – the highest you can get. So we love ‘em even more for that! Did I mention they also have a butterfly garden right across the street that you just have to see to believe how magical it is? Totally Alice in Wonderland. So of course we had to take them there for some fab photos.

Since Dylan is a musician – music was an important part of their wedding – obvs! His best man is in the band Hoobastank. As a sort of nickname Dylan is also known as Bob – as in Bob Dylan – when I saw the sign her friends created that said Congrats Chelsey and Bob – I had to ask who the heck is Bob? Chelsey’s sister is an opera singer and blew us all away with her incredible voice during the ceremony. The ceremony music was all Beatles based – fab touch. As Chelsey walked down the aisle their friend Tim, who also happens to be a Grammy award winner for a song he co-wrote with Jason Mraz (ridic right!) played “Stand by Me” on the guitar. And there was a full on dance-off that would put the walk-off scene in Zoolander to shame.

Chelsey’s bridesmaids knew that the whole vibe was hippie chic and found the really unique yellow flowy cute bridesmaid dresses and then Chelsey found super cool earrings and feather necklace and cool ring bauble to top off the look. Her details were super cute but did not break the bank at all. Her shoes which were super cute were less then $40. Crazy. Her fun hair accessory was from Target! Who knew! The guys also had great style, topped off with the customary Vans.

Chelsey and Dylan have a great sense of humor – so for the seating cards with LoveBirds, instead of just writing each person’s name – they wrote the nicknames they have for them. Which was really cute especially because they have hilarious nicknames for everybody. But it really gave it that personal touch and the guests loved it. They had the lovebirds on their wedding program and on top of the cake as well.

Since their 2 babies (their dogs) were not able to make the journey down to Costa Rica – Chelsey made 2 little love birds out of origami which she put in her weddings dress (that’s right her dress had pockets, gotta love that!). That way even though they were not there with them, they were represented still which was super sweet.

Wedding Photography: A Brit & A Blonde / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jen’s Pirate Booty / Bridesmaid Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Bridesmaid Feather Earrings, Necklaces + Rings: Sam Moon / Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal / Bride’s Shoes: Make Me Chic / Hair Accessory: Target / Groom’s Suit + Shoes: Macy’s / Groomsmen Outfits: Milanoo / Groomsmen Shoes: Vans / Bird Seat Cards: Timeless Paper / Wedding Program: Wedding Paper Divas / Wedding Ceremony + Reception Venue: Si Como No Resort / Accommodations: Casa de Las Brisas

Having a destination wedding in Costa Rica is sure to pack on beautiful views and lovely cultural traditions and that is double with today’s gorgeous feature shot by Katherine Stinnett of Comfort Studio. Every image is swimming in loads of fab details crafted by Tropical Occasions
and these beauties are ever so smitten-worthy. From the baby’s breath seating cards right on through to the kissing hammock, we’re slapping those babies in our Favorites folder. (Side note: It is just a regular hammock but the Bride and Groom ARE kissing in it so today, we’re calling it such. Deal?) Cozy on up to the gallery for lots more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…My DIY projects for the wedding were the invites and thank you cards, the table escort cards, the frames with the table names, and the biggest job was the magnets. I made those from beads and random jewelry pieces. They were made in honor of my mother-in-law, who loves to collect magnets whenever she travels. I thought they would be a nice gift for our guests to remember the Costa Rica wedding they attended. I wanted them to look a bit like brooches, and I thought they would be pretty on the table settings. I am OBSESSED with terrariums right now, so one of my favorite details of the wedding were the glass jars with the orchids in them. Tropical Occasions really made that happen for me! Aimee’s vision for the wedding was perfect for Mario and I…her inspiration was Cartagena. Very romantic, and true to us because the first time Mario took me to Colombia, we stayed in Cartagena. She suggested the Senor and Senora chair decorations, which I ordered from Etsy. I also mentioned that I love baby’s breath (which I was a little embarrassed to admit, because it always makes me think of cheesy 80’s wedding), but she made the flowers so fresh and modern.

Mario and I moved to Albuquerque at the same time, back in 2006. His job brought him here, and my pediatric residency did the same. We met about a year later through friends. They arranged for us to be dance partners in a salsa class. We’ve been together ever since. Although I always have to mention that we still can’t salsa dance. I knew pretty early on in our relationship that Mario would be a great husband. He took care of me during my pediatric residency in a way that no one ever has. I knew he loved me when he fixed my broken car window (after someone had broken it early one morning to take the CD player), drove it to the hospital so that I would have it to drive home after my shift, and then walked home. He always made sure I was OK. And the fact that he is hilarious and a beautiful singer is just icing on the cake.

I knew the engagement was coming up, because Mario is a planner and he asked me what type of ring I would like. That being said, he still wanted to surprise me, which he certainly did. I came home from work one Saturday, put on some grubby clothes and we watched TV until I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, he told me that he put together a slideshow on his new iPad. This is classic Mario…he is a computer nerd to the max. I didn’t suspect anything because he had just gotten the iPad and was trying out all the new features. He named the presentation “Oh, the places we will go”, and put together all of the places we’ve talked about visiting in the future. At the end of the slideshow, it was a picture of Albuquerque. He then started to talk about how it’s not just where we’ll go, but when we will start our adventure. He then had an “X” on the screen and he said something like “X marks the spot”, and when he touched the screen, the “X” traveled to the edge of the screen, where he pulled out the ring that he had been holding the whole time. He then got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.

That is one reason we chose Costa Rica…Mario came up with the idea and really felt that it would be symbolic of our commitment to travel. Also we really wanted an intimate, personal ceremony. There was family pressure to get married in Colombia and there was pressure to get married in the states. We had never been to C.R., but we had only heard great things and felt we couldn’t go wrong. (Boy, were we right!) We chose May 24th as our date because my grandparents (both deceased) got married on that date. They were married for 60+ years and had a huge family. We both wanted to honor our grandparents and family that day, so I carried my other grandmother’s rosary with the bouquet and Mario had his great grandmothers rosary (his GGM passed in January). We had “Tita”, his grandmother say one of the readings during the ceremony (on an iPad; Mario was very proud). Our friend, Teresa Vigil, married us. It was her first wedding and she was able to do it in Spanish and English. Perfect for our guests.

The song that Mario sang was a surprise to me. He sang the song from Juno…it’s a Barry Louis Polisar song…”All I want is You”. That was my favorite moment because I LOVE it when he sings and plays the guitar. The harmonica was new…I had never seen him play before! It was such a beautiful day, from start to finish. I hope I never forget that feeling when I saw the church with the open doors, and the flowers hanging down from the ceiling, and I could feel our family’s and friend’s love and positive energy. It was overwhelming (thus the crying that took place, glad I was able to pull it together for a little bit). Such a sweet moment. I ADORE the pictures Katie took because even though I could feel everyone’s presence, the only face I saw the whole time I was in the chapel was Mario.

Wedding Photography: Katherine Stinnett of Comfort Studio / Event Design + Planning: Tropical Occasions / Floral Design: Stylos y Flores / Location: JW Marriott Guanacaste / Lighting: Cabo Luna Event Rentals / DJ: Costa Rica Wedding DJ / Ceremony Music: Josh Hoke / Rentals: Costa Mesa / Stylist: Fernando Hidalgo Fallas / Carriage: Hacienda Pinilla / Wedding Dress: BHLDN / Veil: Bridal Ambiance / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie / Groom + Groomsmen Attire: J.Crew / Ties: Cyberoptix Tie Lab / Chair Decorations: My Primitive Boutique

I’ve never been to Costa Rica, but if this stunning soiree by Sara Kauss Photography is any indication, I need to make plans to visit ASAP.  Boasting some of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen, the prettiest of yellow hues and some very stunning calla lily centerpieces by Costa Brava Weddings & Events, this casual, yet elegant affair is all kinds of perfect.  Plus, there’s a cupcake tower and that’s always a good thing.  Yes, prepare yourselves for a whole lot of lovely and join me in the gallery for even more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… Tacho and I met quite unexpectedly in August of 2006.  Born and raised in Indiana, I had been relocated the summer before to LA with my job as a Branch Manager for a supply chain solutions company.  I hardly expected to stay in California more than a couple years, yet on August 4th Tacho, an Engineer with Downey Fire, entered my place of work to conduct the annual fire inspection, and I met my future husband.

After the ring was permanently on place on my left hand, we got busy trying to decide where we wanted to get married.  Choosing a destination wedding was one of the easiest decisions we’ve made!  The decision fit us both perfectly for different reasons.

We are both excited to give our immediate family and closest friends the opportunity to celebrate with us for an entire week.  Tacho being the social butterfly and life of the party couldn’t be more happy to have an entire week to party with everyone.  I’m happy we were able to plan an intimate ceremony and afford a reception that all of our guests will enjoy and hopefully remember for a lifetime!  What better way to build lifelong memories than exploring the jungle in Costa Rica!

Wedding Photography: Sara Kauss Photography / Wedding Planning, Lodging + Ceremony Location: CR Luxury Vacation Rentals & Tours / Flowers + Decorations: Carol Bikker of Costa Brava Weddings & Events / Wedding Catering + Reception Venue: Adventure Dining

Who would have thought when you logged into Style Me Pretty this morning that you’d be spending your day in Costa Rica? When Ale Sura Photography sent over a phenom, colorful Costa Rican wedding, I knew I just had to share it with all my favorite LBBers. Seriously, this wedding is so amazing, from the soft rosy glow encompassing the whole day to the fantastically bright and delicious looking candy buffet. And of course, every detail in between. I am so going to shut off my phone for a little while and spend some time imagining I’m at this wedding – complete with the warm Costa Rican weather, and the company of that gorgeous bride and her yummy groom. Good thing there is even more in the full image gallery!

Rich and I have always been an extroverted couple and with very different tastes. When we got engaged, we knew that our wedding had to show our personalities and our life style. Our parents had a little trouble trying to understand our taste for colors and decoration since they were used to the traditional white-and-silver wedding. However, they accepted our ideas and… we got down into business!

We believe that when God brings two people together, He takes care of every little detail, and that happened with our wedding.  We knew that we wanted an colorful, outdoor wedding in the morning. The flowers and the paper lamps were simple but elegant. The candy bar was our main challenge, but with our friends’ help,  we had it perfect! The cake (the cherry on top) had to reflect our personalities.  Rich is a drummer, and I have always admired his passion to play the drums, so we decided to have a fun and personal cake topper. We loved how it looked at the end!

Finally, one of the biggest decisions: pictures! They’re the memories of unique moments in life, so it was necessary to hire someone who knows how to capture what’s behind the wedding…  love, emotions, and the best feelings in that special day! Ale Sura was perfect.

Photography: Ale Sura Photo / Flowers: Plantas y Asesores / Ceremony and Reception Location: La Rivera de Belén, Alajuela, Costa Rica

Big props to this groom who took his bride’s vision of her dream wedding, planned every last detail and turned it into a beautiful reality.  A beautiful and romantic reality on a breathtaking beach in Costa Rica no less!  They exchanged their intimate, love-filled, barefoot vows with only the photography dream team of A Brit & A Blonde as witnesses.  The majestic centerpiece of the wedding was the dreamy bed set on a sandy floor with a flowing, white canopy creating a fairytale spot for the two newlyweds.  Take a break and relax in the full gallery to see it all! Come back this afternoon to see their day-after trash the dress session!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From A Brit & A Blonde… Dustin and Terri may have only met less then a year ago, but to be around them you would swear that two people could not go together any better. They both hail from sunny Florida but chose Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (AKA the best beach in all of Central and South America) as the romantic backdrop for their elopement. Although both Dustin and Terri have kids from previous marriages, and friends and family who undoubtedly wanted to be there – they were focused right from the start to make it about the two of them. They wanted to forego the show, or any obligatory large scale celebration. They wanted to tune out all the distractions of the world and enjoy each other.

Terri came up with the whole vision of what she wanted her big day to be and in a role reversal that I think should become a new trend, it was Dustin’s gift to her that he took the reigns of the planning over to make sure she got exactly what she wanted and brought her ideas to life. One of the big items on Terri’s wish list was a bed brought out onto the beach with beautiful, white fabric flowing in the wind. Dustin pulled out all the stops and truly created a paradise fairytale: tiki torches, gorgeous flowing fabric on the bed posts, a bonfire, a secluded part of the beach. Dustin created sand pails with their names on them – so they could build sand castles together and feel like kids again. Technically, they had gotten married in Florida before arriving in Costa Rica – so that they could simply read out their own vows to each other, under a lovely little canopy overlooking the ocean – without any officiant. Their vows were truly from the heart and had us – the photographers weeping behind our cameras the whole time.

Photography: A Brit & A Blonde / Bride’s Gown: Galina / Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein +  Perry Ellis

You can’t complain when you start your Monday in sunny Costa Rica, and that’s exactly how we are going to kick off your morning thanks to the Costa Rican photography talents of Comfort Studio and event planing gurus of Tropical Occasions. With a barefoot wedding ceremony, a star-in-the-making ring bearer (who happens to be the couple’s stylish son), and a surprise fire dancer performance – I would have to say this week of weddings is off to a pretty great start. It doesn’t have to stop there, there is so much more to help brighten your day in the full gallery.

click here for more Costa Rica!

Alex and Eric sacrificed no glamor or elegance when planning their destination wedding in Costa Rica.  Tropical Occasions did an amazing job translating their vision.  Their beach ceremony was emotional and heartfelt and they included their son, Xavier, in the ceremony.  The wedding was small and intimate with less than 30 guests, but they all had a blast, and the bride and groom surprised their guests at the end of the night with a performance by a couple of local fire dancers.  The event was gorgeous, sweet, and stylish, perfectly fitting the couple.

Photography: Julie Comfort of Comfort Studio / Flowers: Stylos y Flores / Event Design and Planning: Tropical Occasions / Ceremony Location: Playitas Beach, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica / Reception Location: Casa Fantastica, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica / Rentals: Costa Mesa / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Dress: Jacquelin Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BCBG Max Azari / Cake: Chelsea Baldson of Mariposa

When Candice sent me this fabulous wedding shoot, she said, “This is by far, the most amazing shoot we have ever done!!!” The team was brought down by Los Suenos Resort, a little piece of heaven right on the beaches of Costa Rica, with the hopes that you style savvy girls who are looking for the perfect destination spot would fall head over heels for this little resort.Well that is exactly what I have done thanks to this gorgeous shoot and lucky for us, we now get to see the story really come to life…with Buzz Media’s incredible vignette. You are seriously going to die when you see this.

Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica from Buzz Media Company on Vimeo.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography / Event Design & Planning: Jubilee Events / Model Styling & Accessories: The White Dress by the Shore / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Cinematography: Buzz Media / Beauty: DD Nickel / Ceremony + Reception Location: Los Suenos Resort, Costa Rica / Furniture & Rentals: Eventos Boadicea / Invitations: Posh Paperie / Shoes: Zappos / Linens: Gala Cloths / Ring Bowl & Ribbon: Paloma’s Nest / Calligraphy: Primele / Jewelry: Ben-Amun / Paper Flower Garlands: Kate’s Paperie

I had a ballroom wedding…a big, beautiful, Boston, ballroom wedding. And it was honestly the most magical day of my life, one that I would never change even a single detail. And yet, if there is one style of wedding that I am always a little jealous of, it’s a perfect seaside affair. A casual, totally laid back beach wedding with a pretty, flowy dress and a perfect flower tucked neatly into a messy, messy bun. There is just something so romantic about the style, something blissfully happy and carefree. So when we opened up this beach inspired shoot from Candice of Jubilee Events, Beth of The White Dress by the Shore, the cute girls at Posh Paperie and the fabulous Carla Ten Eyck (among other fabulous vendors), I kind of squeeled with glee. And I’m pretty sure you will too.

You can click here for even more!

Before our actual shoot happened and was in motion I tried very hard not to have any preconceived ideas as to what I wanted to do or not do. I wanted to wait and see where we ended up- be it the rainforest or the black sand beaches of Playa Hermosa and let my surroundings inspire how I would photograph Michelle and Alejandro. Lucky for me these two were such naturals in front of my camera and so in love – for the most part I let that dictate a lot of the feel that I was going for in my images- and let the story line come naturally. We had a variety of weather that day – and I used it all to help set the tone but really and truly it was Michelle and Alejandro’s clear, obvious love that came through- whether we were shooting in the sun or the bone drenching rain!

My favorite image is from what we all thought would be the end of our shoot for the day- the skies had opened up and everyone scurried about packing the vans, stowing the musicians and instruments- and Michelle and Alejandro had already fled to the top of the beach to leave. I stopped them and, well since they were already soaking wet? I just had them enjoy being with each other, all wet and in fancy clothes! Michelle’s makeup held up PERFECTLY- and everything just jumps out of the frame at you- their skin tones, the drops of water all over them, the way Alejandro’s white linen shirt just clings to him… it’s all natural, real and completely romantic! –From Carla Ten Eyck, photographer

So much of the landscape in Costa Rica is dense and lush with saturated tropical colors and thick, waxy flowers — this beach was the antithesis of that – breezy and simplistic. i knew the florals needed to be a reflection of that. Most exciting to me was having the opportunity to work with new flowers — many that i’d seen only in photographs, still more that i couldn’t even identify! I chose to create bouquets that moved in the wind – a cascade for our bride and a fan bouquet for her maid. The inspiration for the floral jewelry came from the turquoise stones offset with shades of orange and yellow croton foliage and green shampoo ginger. Local fruits became the focus of the florals for our tablescape – melons and oranges simply accented with braided palm fronds. Fan palm provided just the right touch for the chair backs and gorgeous yellow and green flax foliage (clipped from the back yard of our posh accommodations!) accented the large driftwood pieces used to mark our ceremony. My favorite part of this shoot, as always, was the collaboration between the incredible group of artists and visionaries. — From Tony Palmieri of Datura: A Modern Garden

We absolutely loved being a part of this innovative & inspiring shoot – with such an amazingly talented group of people.  Candice is really the one who came up with the inspiration board & colors that she wanted to incorporate. We took her initial storyboard and ran with it! We came up with a fun and funky pattern to use on several of the pieces– and designed an adorable “postcard style” save the date. The mustard yellow and moss green were a perfect combination for all of the paper goods – and the mix of a funky script with a block font made for a clean but fun look. To incorporate the “beachy” aspect, we pulled in shells filled with moss for the placecards to rest in. This was one of our  favorite shoots ever to be a part of! Thanks to the amazing team who made it come to life. — From Elizabeth Seaton of Posh Paperie

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography / Event Design & Planning: Jubilee Events / Model Styling & Accessories: The White Dress by the Shore / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Cinematography: Buzz Media / Beauty: DD Nickel / Ceremony + Reception Location: Los Suenos Resort, Costa Rica / Furniture & Rentals: Eventos Boadicea / Invitations: Posh Paperie / Shoes: Zappos / Linens: Gala Cloths / Ring Bowl & Ribbon: Paloma’s Nest / Calligraphy: Primele / Jewelry: Ben-Amun / Paper Flower Garlands: Kate’s Paperie

Good morning SMP-ers! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. We are kicking off the week with the kind of inspiration that will definitely make you a little jealous…right on the beaches of Costa Rica. Designed by some of our favorite vendors on the planet, including Candice of Jubilee Events, Beth of The White Dress by the Shore, the cute girls at Posh Paperie and the fabulous Carla Ten Eyck, this is a shoot right out of wedding heaven. From the beachy, laid back vibe to the design that was literally collected the day of the shoot, (and for anyone that has planned a destination wedding, you know how that is often the case) every little detail of this wedding shoot is total eye candy. Total perfection.

We have more coming up in a bit, but if you simply can’t wait, you can click here for more!

Our inspiration for the shoot came from our real life couple Michelle and Alejandro, who are avid surfers. Costa Rica is known for some of the best surfing in the world and we really wanted to highlight that. We also wanted to do something casual, relaxed, and beach side that captured the easy going and romantic side of our couple. A lot of what we pulled together was simply based on inspiration when we went to set up that day– finding that instinct and intuition of the natural landscape really influenced our design. In our tablescape my favorite, spontaneous elements are the centerpiece of braided fronds, which was the brilliant idea of our floral designer. I also love the paper chargers created by Posh Paperie, that we intermixed with real leaf detailing on the tiffany blue napkins. The hair and fashion was inspired by runway and an anthropolgie catalog we received a few weeks prior. Overall it’s colorful, light, carefree, and playful– much like the beautiful country of Costa Rica. –From Candice of Jubilee Events

The opportunity to work in Costa Rica was a dream come true!  The lush jungles, stunning beaches and rich culture inspired me to keep the attire very natural.  The accessories that we used were made from wood and shell.  We brought in a small touch of sparkle, because every bride needs some! The bridal gown by was by designer Augusta Jones.  I selected it because it had a very organic feel to it. The silk chiffon fabric was perfect for the beach setting and the touch of metallic embroidery at the neckline had an ethnic feel that made it perfect for Costa Rica.  The bride’s jewelry and headband selected for the shoot were by Maria Elena.  Both contained accents of mother of pearl.The bridesmaid was outfitted in a satin yoryu dress by Vineyard Collection.  I loved the vibrancy of the color of the dress, but also the amazing flow that the fabric had.  We accessorized the dress with wooden bangles from ben amun to bring in a natural element. –From Beth Chapman of The White Dress by the Shore

This trip to Costa Rica was so inspirational in too many ways to list!  The hair and makeup was inspired by a combination of the relaxed beach environment, the casualness of the couple, and the gorgeous styling of the event and the bride.  It’s so important as a hair and makeup artist to understand the full vision of an event, so you can create the perfect finishing touches! Beachy, unconstructed waves for the hair really reflected the personality of the day and flowers  tucked in the hair made the perfect accessory. For makeup, rich, vibrant color was the only way to go!  Costa Rica is such a colorful place!  I highlighted the eyes with bold shades of violet and teal and kept the lips soft in shades of pale coral and peach for balance. –From Deanna Nickel of DD Nickel Beauty–From Deanna Nickel of DD Nickel Beauty

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck Photography / Event Design & Planning: Jubilee Events / Model Styling & Accessories: The White Dress by the Shore / Flowers: Datura: A Modern Garden / Cinematography: Buzz Media / Beauty: DD Nickel / Ceremony + Reception Location: Los Suenos Resort, Costa Rica / Furniture & Rentals: Eventos Boadicea / Invitations: Posh Paperie / Shoes: Zappos / Linens: Gala Cloths / Ring Bowl & Ribbon: Paloma’s Nest / Calligraphy: Primele / Jewelry: Ben-Amun / Paper Flower Garlands: Kate’s Paperie

I told you guys we had a day of gorgeousness here. One perfect wedding after another. And this next wedding is total magic. It’s this great combination of modern style and seaside elegance. And the bride is, well. Drop dead gorgeous. Photographed by Julie of Comfort Studio and designed by our own Little Black Book member, Weddings Costa Rica, this wedding is one for the books. And if you love it as much as I do, you can see the full gallery right here.

{click here to see the full wedding}

This was a fresh, modern, multicultural affair.  The bride is from Costa Rica, the groom is from Spain, they met in Madrid, moved to Warsaw, and now live in Hong Kong.  The ceremony was on the beach at sunset at one of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches in Costa Rica, Mal País.  The reception was at a private beachfront villa and was set up cocktail party style on the lawn with a huge dance floor, two bars, and several lounge areas on either side.  With guests from all over the world and a six-piece band, they partied all night.  It was a fun and festive event unlike any other I have been a part of.

Photography: Comfort Studio / Event Design & Coordination: Weddings Costa Rica / Ceremony & Reception Location: The March House, Mal País, Costa Rica / Dress: Rosa Clará (Spain)