Kassie and DJ were my very last couple that I photographed from Louisiana. and yet they did not get married in Louisiana. People flew in from all over the place, including myself all the way from Costa Rica. It was a beautiful day for a couple who truly deserves it. The ceremony took place in the afternoon on the white sandy beaches of Nags Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Immediately after a rockin' reception took place at the Village Beach Club. 

I remember the first time I met Kassie and DJ, and got to talk to them about their wedding. I remember DJ telling me that it would be a crazy fun night,  and that him and his boys would provide lots of crazy fun photo ops. I would say that I was pretty well warned for what I was getting myself into, yet when you first enter the guys area of getting ready, you never know what to expect. All of the young men were very courteous, but boy were they wild.  

The girls, on the opposite side of the spectrum, where very calm and quiet. They cracked a few jokes every now and then, but mostly focused on getting ready for the events to come. I loved taking photos of Kassie in curlers, I think every bride should have curlers in her hair for getting ready photos.

The ceremony was simple but beautiful. 

Being on the East coast was so much different for me, the lighting is the complete opposite from what I am used to on the warm Pacific waters of Costa Rica. It was a nice change, and a new challenge to work with the sun coming from the opposite direction. 

The DJ/wedding planner/master of ceremonies was Liz Daley from Liz Daley Events. She is known for providing something a little different from your typical wedding reception, and she definitely knows how to get the party started. Instead of your typical bridal party introduction, Liz "roasts" each bridal party member as they make their way in. This was certainly a revealing yet entertaining part of the night. 

Kassie and DJ were not roasted, but were introduced with a story of they came to be, also highly amusing. 

The couple brought some spicy treats from Louisiana for their guests. "Chow, chow" is the green sauce that is in the mason jars. It is a spicy homemade sauce that goes great in gumbo. I sneaked one back with me to Costa Rica, it is delicious!

The bride's sister had found out ahead of time of the roast that was planned for her and her fellow bridesmaids, and so she decided to burn the bride and groom in her speech to them. All in good fun of course.

Photography: Yours truly :)
Venue/catering/decor: The Village Beach Club
Planning and entertainment: Liz Daley Events
Co-master of ceremonies: Peter Merry
Photo Booth: Williamsburg Photo Booth

Catarina and Ashot had their elopement ceremony in the morning. They also wanted to have beautiful Pacific sunset photos, so they opted to do a trash the dress/romantic session the next evening. The sky was really cloudy, so the sunset was not very dramatic, but we were able to get some beautiful shots of them together.

Catarina had some specific poses in mind that she really liked. The jumping photo above was a lot of fun to take.

Photography: Yours truly
Location: Alma del Pacifico Hotel, Playa Esterillos Este

When most people think of an elopement they think of two people running off on a whim and marrying one another with a very simple ceremony. Catarina and Ashot's elopement was far from simple! It was a very well thought out and well planned event, with many details, decorations and traditions. I had a blast getting to know them, trying to communicate with Ashot (who speaks many languages but neither of them being English or Spanish), and being a part of their unique celebration. 

Ashot and Catarina chose the well groomed Alma del Pacifico hotel on Playa Esterillos Este. It was my first time there and I was thoroughly impressed with the gardens and tropical plants that lined the walkways of the entire grounds of the hotel. The bright tropical painted hotel rooms also added the the playfulness of the venue.  

Catarina is from Russia and it was so interesting to learn things about the Russian culture. Below, the hanger reads "bride" in Russian. One of the most interesting tidbits of information that I learned, was that in Russia they wear their wedding rings on the right hand, not the left.

Like I said earlier, far from a simple ceremony. The bride and groom had a beautiful bamboo arch decorated with flowers, sheer fabric and orange accents.

The inspiration for their decor was orange and coffee, two of their favorite things. The color orange was very apparent and coffee beans made subtle accents throughout.

Ashot patiently waited for his beautiful bride.

One of the really nice things about elopements is that I can easily take photos from every angle. No guests are watching so I don't have to worry about blocking someones view. 

I am not quite sure what they were saying to one another during their vows, as they were in Russian, but by the looks on their faces it was something funny.

Catarina and Ashot thought of every little detail. They knew there wouldn't be anyone to throw rice at them, so they set things up so that they could toss some on themselves. It was so wonderful to see how much thought went into this two person ceremony. 

Another one of the traditions woven into their ceremony was locking two chains together that were tethered to their chairs. After locking them they went and threw the key into the ocean, symbolizing that they will never part.

After cake and champagne we headed to the beach to take some newlywed photos. Catarina had many great ideas and props with her.

Another really fun activity that the couple had planned was the tossing of the bouquet. Catarina brought photos of all of her closest friends and we setup a bouquet catching grid in the sand. She was so excited when the flowers landed in her sisters square.

Photographer: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Alma Del Pacifico

Jesse and Viviana had many wonderful reasons to be wed in Costa Rica. Being biologists and having a love for the ocean was one of the reasons, I was actually a little surprised when I heard the groom was out on a fishing trip the morning of the wedding. I quickly realized how easy going Viviana was, allowing her husband to be to venture far out into the ocean on such an important day. Viviana and her family are from Costa Rica, which also made the location even more meaningful to the couple. 

For the wedding they rented all 4 of the boutique villas at Milarepa, a beautiful piece of paradise right on the ocean in Santa Teresa. It was my first time in Santa Teresa and I quickly fell in love with the area. The town is very quaint and the beach is scattered with beautiful seashells. 

The dynamic duo, Lisavette and Myriam, from Mal Pais Green Weddings planned the day perfectly. They also worked tirelessly decorating the reception and designing the floral arrangements. Beautiful recycled bottles were used for centerpieces, filled with local flowers and eucalyptus.

I loved Viviana's ring, the deep sparkling blue reminds me of the ocean. 

I loved getting to know Viviana and her sister, I could tell how important they are to one another and that they played big roles in each others lives. That was later confirmed to me by the touching speech given by Viviana's sister. 

Viviana's dress was beautiful, and fit her perfectly! Like most well fitting dresses, it was not the easiest to get into. Her bridesmaids had a fun time trying to figure out the best way to get Viviana dressed.

The property at Milarepa is so secluded and natural, it is just perfect for small, intimate weddings. 

Jesse made it back from his fishing trip just fine and arrived with his groomsmen right on time for a few photos. 

The ceremony was held in the shade of the palm grove at Milarepa. The waves quietly crashed against the shore just beyond where the bride and groom were standing. 

Throughout the getting ready process we could hear thunder coming nearer and nearer. We were all praying that the rain would hold off, and it did, at least for the ceremony. In the middle of taking family portraits by the ocean it starts down pouring, without any sort of sprinkle beforehand. Everyone ran for the nearest covering, which was one of the villas. We finished up the family photos there, and then I shot a few of the newly weds. Later in the evening the rain stopped and we were able to take some beautiful night portraits. 

During the cocktail hour there were some amazing passed appetizers. What I loved most about them is that they were all traditional Costa Rican bocas, but they each had their own gourmet twist. 

The lighting of a reception plays a huge key in the ambiance of the evening. Candles were scattered along every table and were also hung from the ceiling. The candles combined with the stringed lights gave a wonderful warm feeling to the room.

The food looked and tasted amazing! It is the norm for the wedding professionals to eat during the reception, but a lot of the time we are made a different meal, like a staff meal. I was lucky enough to enjoy the same food as Viviana and Jesse's family and friends that night, and it tasted just as wonderful as it looked. 

Like I said earlier, once the rain cleared up I pulled the bride and groom away for a few minutes to take some night portraits. It is always a little hard to pull a couple away from the party, but the photos came out stunning so I am glad I did.

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Wedding planner, decor and flowers: Mal Pais Green Weddings
Caterer: Soma Chefs
Venue: Milarepa