EPIC. That is the word that comes to mind when I think of Nate and Sofia's wedding.  The ceremony was beautiful, the decor was stunning, but that is not what made this wedding epic. What made this wedding so fun was the people. Their joy for life and love was just amazing, and on top of that they danced the night away like no wedding group I have ever seen before. They danced hard, and loved every minute of it.

Nate and Sofia were wed at the Discovery Beach House located in Manuel Antonio. The house is wonderful for weddings as it is located directly on the beach, and has enough room for both a ceremony and reception area. The day started off as it normally does with the girls getting ready. 

The Discovery Beach House is owned by an amazing woman names Evelyn. Evelyn puts a lot into making sure that her guests feel welcomed in the house. She also has an interesting life story, as her job was to photograph primates in the wild while they were being studied. The walls of her house are adorned with amazing photographs of her working with these animals. The book shelves are lined with books about monos, and one of the books made for a perfect ring photo.

The groom was getting ready at a nearby hotel. I walked down the beach to meet him and his groomsmen for a few photos before the ceremony. 

This is just to give you an idea of how wonderful this venue is. Sofia and Nate were able to party in the lush, green, jungle heat, and have their ceremony just beyond this directly on the beach. As a photographer it is great as it is so easy to sneak out and capture the reception details without having to take much time away from the bride.

What better a way to celebrate getting married than by taking a celebratory shot with your bridal party.

While the guests enjoyed a beach side cocktail hour, I took Sofia and Nate along the beach to get some beautiful sunset portraits of the two of them.

Guests were moved to this magical night-time reception. Dinner was served and toasts were made. Then the real party began.

Some of the grooms family was unable to attend the wedding. They sent a video to be played during the toasting hour. It was hilarious and included them showing off their dance moves as if they were there partying too.

I always like to look over at the bride while the groom is dancing with his mother. Sometimes the bride is somewhat interested, watching and maybe talking with a guest, or sometimes the bride is just not paying attention at all. I so loved how Sofia sat contentedly the entire song, just smiling and watching her husband dance with the other most important woman in his life. 

And then the dancing began, and oh how they danced!

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT! The energy of this wedding was so high. Take a look at the young man paying homage to these two sisters breaking it down.

The bride had kept a huge secret from everyone at the wedding. Only her and the wedding planned knew about the awesome comparsa group that was coming to entertain the group and bring. When they she surprised everyone they went wild! A comparsa group dresses in festive outfits and dances to very fast and loud drum beat. They then begin to pull guests in to join in the dance. It is a great cultural yet fun addition to any wedding or event.

And with that the epic day concluded, although I suspect that the party continued after I left in the pool.

Photography: Yours Truly
Wedding Planner: Weddings Costa Rica
Day of Planner: Chelsea Brandau
Venue: Discovery Beach House
Rentals: Eventos Boadicea
Hair Stylist: Monica Mosapor
Makeup: Claudia Ramirez
Caterer: Desiree Brassert
Florist: Stylos y Flores
Cake: Mariposa Pastry
Guitarist: Alvin Urbina
DJ: A Class Production
Lawyer: Ana Castro
Comparsa: Comparsa Latin Sound

Part 2:
The next night Laura Sibley from Liquid Weddings hosted a beautiful rehearsal dinner for the press that were touring Costa Rica. The dinner took place at Hotel Parador which is perched on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. 

Costa Rica's Tourism Bureau hosted a week long press trip which focused around weddings. It was a great opportunity for hotels and other wedding vendors to gain exposure and showcase their talent. The purpose of the trip was to help build the wedding industry in Costa Rica, so events were planned throughout the week that supported that. I was lucky enough to be involved, and was asked to photograph the different events that were going on in the Manuel Antonio area. 

The first event I attended was the welcome dinner. It was hosted at Si Como No Hotel, which is a popular location for weddings. The planner for this dinner was Barbara Broutin from Four Nineteen Weddings.

I don't normally blog about family portraits but I thought it would be nice to have some variety in my posts. This family was vacationing here and decided to surprise their mother with family portraits on the beach. It is actually 3 families in one, as the children are now grown and have families of their own. The tide was very high but we managed to get some beautiful sunset photographs to preserve the memory of their trip here.

Zahra and Nate were vacationing in Costa Rica during Zahra's second trimester of pregnancy. They hadn't thought of having maternity photos done here, but when a friend mentioned it to them they said "hey, why not". I am so happy they decided to take advantage of the beautiful scenery that this country has to offer. Here are a few of the gorgeous shots I took, I hope they make up for me mispronouncing Zahra'a name all morning. {Sorry again}

Photographer: Yours Truly
Location: Manuel Antonio Beach

Where do I begin with this one. Let me start out simply. Ben is my cousin and Brooke is his beautiful wife. I love them both very dearly.

I was so lucky to be able to travel to Louisiana to attend Ben and Brooke's wedding, and to photograph their beautiful rehearsal dinner hosted by my Aunt and Uncle (also my Godparents) Bonnie and Mike. Bonnie poured so much of her heart into creating this amazing atmosphere for Ben and Brooke's rehearsal dinner. The bride and groom to be were left in the dark about what the event would look like and how it would flow. Bonnie took inspirations from Brooke's wedding decor to create a soft, rustic feel for the evening. It was the perfect, intimate complement to the extravagant wedding that took place the next day.

I love how the room changes so much once night falls and the candles are lit. 

The evening started off with a casual cocktail hour. It was followed by dinner and dessert. 

Many gifts were exchanged that evening, but one that really stuck with me was a handmade wooden cross that Ben crafted for their priest. Ben, like all of the men in his family, are wonderful wood workers. He also made a beautiful wooden bench to use as their guest book. Brooke engraved the bench using a wood burning tool. I can't wait to sit on that bench 20 or maybe 30 years from now and re-read all of the lovely messages left by family and friends.

After dinner the speeches started. Ben and Brooke's Best Man and Matron of Honor started off the storytelling. They were followed by many, many more. Laughter was shared and tears were shed. It was wonderful to hear so many great stories about these two lovely people.

To conclude the night a slideshow was played showing photos of Ben and Brooke from when they were little babies all the way up until this momentous occasion in their lives. 

Just for good measure I took some group shots of the bridal party and family. 

Photography: Your Truly 
Venue: Abacus
Decor: Bonnie Leblanc, call her if you need decor services, haha just kidding!

Nina's Dad gave her and Matthew the option to have a big traditional wedding in the US or to jet away to Costa Rica to have the time of their lives. I think they made the right choice. 

The ceremony took place in the gardens of Costa Verde Hotel, in a beautiful grass clearing overlooking the ocean. The perfect place for an intimate gathering.

From what I was told the family had been doing monkey dances and monkey calls all morning in hopes that the monkey would pass through. Well whatever they did worked! A whole clan of monkeys swung through the trees just after the ceremony ended. Everyone was so excited and I was even more excited as I was able to capture this awesome photo of the couple with the monkey in the background. PURA VIDA!

I know I already put this photo but I wanted to put it again because it is just so cool. Inside of this airplane suspended in the jungle is a master suite hotel room. I highly recommend booking a night if you are in the Manuel Antonio area.

Nina, Matthew and their family and friends enjoyed a dinner at El Avion restaurant to celebrate their marriage. 

Photography: Yours Truly 
Venue: Costa Verde
Wedding Planner: Isabel Vargas
Flowers: Manuel Antonio Weddings
Officiant: