Janae and Jayce held an intimate wedding ceremony at a vacation house nestled in the Costa Rican jungle. They said their vows to one another with tears in their eyes, and smiles of joy on their lips. Family and friends joined them to celebrate, as well as two very important guests, their two sons. 

The day started with Janae getting ready. Her two little ones looked so cute in their little outfits, complete with bow tie and all. Janae wore a simple dress that beautifully displayed her body art. 

A tropical arch was set for the ceremony. Traditional Costa Rican bird whistles were given to each guest. They all blew on them and sang little bird songs as the couple exited from the ceremony. 

After the ceremony the newlyweds shared a first dance as an entire family, it was such a sweet moment, I am tearing up just writing about it. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Casa de las Brisas
Wedding Planner: Oasis Destination Weddings
Florist: Floresteria Quepos
Officiant: Melissa Klassen
Hair and Makeup: Mademoiselle Salon

Brandi and Luke arranged a simple yet beautiful wedding on Manuel Antonio Beach. With a view of the Manuel Antonio Nation Park, this couple said, "I Do" to one another and committed to love one another for the rest of their lives. 
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Guests enjoyed the amazing sunset and wet their feet in the water before heading to a dinner reception at a nearby restaurant.

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Officiant: Marcelo Galli
​Hair and Makeup: Mademoiselle Salon

Rachel and Andrue had an over the top wedding. They had the kind of wedding that I love to photograph and the kind of wedding I would want to have for myself. They held their wedding at Villa Mareas, a beautiful mountain top Villa which is more of an estate. The views from the high up venue are amazing, and also provide complete privacy and the ability to party as long and as loud as you want, since there are no nearby neighbors. It was the perfect space for this wedding and provided a beautiful backdrop with lots of options for portraits. 

The day started with Rachel getting ready. She was accompanied by her bridesmaids and both mothers. She chose a lace dress with a nude underlay, it looked gorgeous on her. She also wore a beautiful back necklace which drew attention to the tattoo on her back that she and Andrue designed. 

While the ladies were finishing up with the last touches of hair and makeup I made my way over to Andrue who was getting ready with his groomsmen and both fathers. He had an old fashion pocket watch which fascinated me, and wore a full suit complete with a tweed vest, despite the hot weather. He looked sharp, and the color palette worked perfectly. 

By the time I returned to Rachel she was ready to put on her dress and accessories. 

The ceremony was held on the pool deck with views of the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful florals were set on modern wooden boxes, creating an alter for Rachel and Andrue. A pair of violinist played as the bride walked down the aisle.

After the ceremony we made our way around the property taking portraits, ending back at the pool deck for sunset photos. 

Rachel and Andrue, along with the help of their wedding planners from Tropical Occasions, put a lot of effort into making the reception area a beautiful space. Round tables were set with woven chargers and beautiful floral centerpieces. The ceiling was draped with fabric, bringing an added touch of elegance to this outdoor, jungle celebration. 

It was Rachel's Dad's birthday so they surprised him with a custom made surf themed cake. The entire group sang happy birthday to him. Having his daughter get married to love of her life must of been a great birthday present to him as well.

After the formal dances Rachel, Andrue and their guests danced the night away. Reggae music could be heard throughout the entire day, and the reception was no exception. People kicked off their shoes and took to the dance floor. 

After dancing everyone headed to the pool to cool off. Andrue enjoyed some cigars with some of his friends which made for some fun photos. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Videography: Baltodano Films
Venue: Villa Mareas
Wedding Planner: Tropical Occasions
Designer: Aimee Monihan
Coordinator: Karen Ogden 
Florist: Stylos y Flores
Rentals: Costa Mesa
Lighting and AV: Cabo Luna
DJ: DJ Estif
Cake: Mariposa Pastry
​Catering: Citrus Ojochal

Janet and Reg decided to elope with only Janet's son and his significant other in attendance. They eloped at the foot of La Paz Waterfall, in a intimate gazebo decorated with tropical flowers. Janet was excited as she prepared for her husband to be. She looked beautiful in lace and beaded gown. 

To me, La Paz Waterfall really exemplifies a Costa Rican Paradise. The lush greenery surrounding the waterfall, paired the the tropical flowers from the ceremony make the perfect place to get married. Marcelo Galli officiated the ceremony. 

At the end of the photo session the newlyweds headed to the restaurant where they were to have dinner. A delicious chocolate wedding cake was there waiting to be cut and enjoyed by all. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Wedding Planner: Hazel
Officiant: Marcelo Galli

Maria and Will are planning to get married next year here in Costa Rica. They came for a pre-wedding trip, to do some planning and get a sense of the layout of things. They took advantage of this great opportunity to also take some engagement photos. These photos were taken exactly 1-year before there wedding will take place. The sunset was so beautiful that evening, and I can't wait to see what the sunset is like one year from now for their wedding date.

Johanna and Tommy had a wedding full of smiles. From the moment I met Johanna when she was getting ready to the dancing in the evening there was always a smile on her face, and when Tommy would see that smile there would be one on his.
Johanna and her mother got ready together at the luxury villa where the wedding group stayed, Vista Hermosa. 

A beautiful arch was set on the beach with views of the world famous Manuel Antonio National Park. A guitarist plucked at his strings as Johanna walked down the aisle with her father. 

After the lovely ceremony we took a walk along the beach for sunset portraits. These two were such naturals in front of the camera. 

Long rectangular tables were set back at the villa for the reception. Pink hued lilies brought elegance to the room, along with the wicker chargers and blue napkins. 

After dinner the festivities continued on the pool terrace. Once the dancing started it didn't stop, as a mix of both American and Latin music was played. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Vista Hermosa
Wedding Planner: Costa Rica Paradise Weddings
​Hair and Makeup: Mademoiselle Salon
Officiant: Marcelo Galli
Cake: Mariposa Pastry
Flowers: Floristeria Cristal
Rentals: Costa Mesa

Chelsea and Wes had the best of both worlds. They had a romantic elopement on a remote mountain top in Costa Rica, and then went back home and had a big, fun reception with all of their family and friends. They wanted to be able to celebrate with all their loved ones while still being true to themselves. 

The couple stayed at Rio Magnolio, and held the elopement there as well. The owners of the hotel were very excited to have them there and eager to help with the setup and any other wedding related needs. 

The morning started with Chelsea getting ready. She had so many thoughtful details but my favorite were her custom made Toms, complete with a Costa Rica map and a sloth (one of Chelsea{s favorite animals).

Wes and Chelsea decided to have the ceremony just under the terrace roof instead of out on the lawn as a huge rain storm had just passed. It was amazing to see the change in weather that happened so quickly. When we arrived the mountain was covered in a big cloud of mist, and just an hour or so later is so completely sunny out. 

After the ceremony and newlywed portraits Chelsea and Wes popped champagne in celebration of their union. They also broke bread together by cutting a small cake. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful day full of love.

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Videography: Baltodano Films
Venue: Rio Magnolia
Hair and Makeup: Hair by Monica
Flowers: Floresteria Quepos

This lovely family took a trip to Costa Rica to celebrate their 10 year wedding anniversary. They decided that a sunset photo session would be a great way to document this milestone. The sunset this evening was beautiful. 

Matthys and Rebecca flew all the way from Europe to Costa Rica for an adventure of a lifetime. That adventure also included the start of their new life together as husband and wife, after marrying one another with their toes in the sand. Rebecca's sister and her sister's husband stood as witnesses as this lovely couple committed to each other for the rest of their lives. 

The day started with Rebecca getting ready at Costa Verde Hotel. She looked beautiful and revealed herself to Matthys on a hanging bridge at the hotel. After the first look and taking a few photos at the resort we all headed down to Manuel Antonio beach.

Awaiting at the beach was a beautiful arch. The first thing that struck me about this arch was the direction it was facing, which was towards the National Park. Almost 100% of the time I do beach ceremonies in Costa Rica the sun is setting behind the arch, but for this one, it was on front, which really created a beautiful light and a great backdrop of the park behind. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Wedding Planner: Mil Besos
Venue: Costa Verde Hotel
Florist: Floriesteria Quepos
Hair and Makeup: Priscilla Solano
​Officiant: Eugenia Alpizar

Keclie and James traveled from chilly Chicago to the warm waters of Costa Rica to marry one another. They brought with them, an intimate group of family and friends. Kelcie and James had taken a trip to Costa Rica previously and fell in love with it, so when they decided on having a destination wedding they knew that Costa Rica would be the perfect place. 

The couple chose Villa Caletas as their venue, a luxury hotel with a beautiful amphitheater for wedding ceremonies. The day started with both James and Kelcie getting ready in separate hotel rooms. 

Kelcie surprised her mom by adding a photo charm of her deceased grandparents to her bouquet. It was a really touching moment for both of them when she first showed her mom the special charm. Kelcie also had a sweet yet emotional first look with her father once she was fully dressed.

The ceremony was held in the amphitheater with views of the beautiful Pacific Ocean. It was a beautiful ceremony and I don't think there was a dry eye to be found. 

After the ceremony we took family photos, followed by portraits of the newlyweds. The ground of the resort make for such beautiful images.

The reception was conveniently held next door to the Amphitheater on a terrace with a view. 

At the end of the reception Kelcie and James brought their whole wedding group to a local taco bar in Jaco. It is a place they had frequented during their first trip and held a close spot to their hearts. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Videography: Baltodano Films
Venue: Villa Caletas
Officiant: Noel Ibo Campos
DJ: DJ Kika