Daniela and Carlos brought a close group of family and friends to celebrate their love and marriage in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Mother nature had plans for a rainy day, which moved the ceremony "indoors" (under a thatch roof with no walls and views of the ocean doesn't really count as indoors, does it?). Luckily, after the ceremony the weather was clear enough for us to get on the beach and get some beautiful photos. 

The day started with Daniela getting ready at the villas. She was easy going and stayed calm even when things were running a tad behind. She opted to do a first look with her husband to be, as they would be sharing transportation to the ceremony. A beautiful green nook at the hotel served us perfectly for the first look, where Carlos anxiously waited for his bride. 
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Daniela warned me that Carlos doesn't smile a lot, and especially not in photos. She also requested that I try and get him to smile. So I made that my mission. I tried hard to get him to crack, and was able to get a good handful of him with a smile on his face. 

The ceremony was held at Arenas del Mar Hotel. It was held under a thatched roof rancho, where bright florals decorated the space. Daniella's father officiated the ceremony which included some beautiful religious aspects.

Back at Oasis Villas a private dinner was setup for the reception. The hotel is quite small so Carlos and Daniela's wedding group filled it up and had the whole place to themselves. It worked out really perfectly. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Oasis Villas / Arenas del Mar
Wedding Planner: Oasis Destination Weddings
Cake: Mariposa Pastry
Flowers: Floristeria Quepos
​Caterer: Chef Desiree

Erin and Bryan traveled from Virginia to commit to one another for the rest of their lives. They held an intimate ceremony on the rooftop of a 5-story luxury villa, situated in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle with views of the Pacific Ocean. Erin and Bryan were both so easy going and fun to be around. They both always had a smile on their face, and a friend close by to be conversing with.

The day started with Erin getting ready. She was getting ready in the master suite which has beautiful floor length windows and glass doors looking out towards the ocean. Erin's dress was a soft champagne color, with beautiful hand beading. On the inside of her dress she pinned a gold leaf brooch with a piece of blue fabric in honor of her deceased mom and dad.

At the ceremony site a beautiful white arch accented with green tropical leaves awaited the couple. White lanterns lined the aisle. Technically this wedding took place during the rainy season of Costa Rica, but there was not a rain cloud in site on this beautiful afternoon. 

After some group photos we headed down to the beach to see if we could get a few portraits there. The tide was super high, and the waves were making it all the way up to the road. Erin and Bryan braved the tides for a few short minutes, I think it was worth it. 

While guests were enjoying cocktail hour the rooftop deck was being transformed from ceremony space to reception. Long, rectangular tables were quickly moved in and decorated with tropical garlands. The setup was beautiful. 

Photographer: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Punto de Vista
Wedding Planner: Oasis Destination Weddings
Hair and Makeup: Mademoiselle Salon
Flowers: Costa Brava
Guitarist: Alvin Urbina
Catering: Chef Desiree
Cake: Mariposa Pastry

With the rainy season comes morning weddings, and sometimes we get overcast, cloudy skies, and sometimes beautiful shining sun skies. On the day that Georgianna and Aaron eloped the sun was shining bright and the sky was a beautiful blue. The light is so different in the morning verses the evening here, and the photos really have a completely different feel to them. Even though we had to work around the harsh shadows created by the sun, the photos still turned out stunning of this beautiful couple and family. 

Georgianna asked me for a recommendation for an officiant, but the normal officiant I recommend wasn't available, so in a pinch my husband, Alvaro, officiated the wedding. It was something different and a little bit fun for him. The three girls stood by watching. 

I think Nissa is one of my favorite brides ever! She is so fun to be around, full of positive energy, and so uniquely herself. Her happiness is contagious and attracts people to her, as demonstrated by her large group of girlfriends, eager to celebrate her wedding in Costa Rica. I didn't get to spend as much time with Gabe, but from the time I did spend with him I could tell he is the perfect partner for Nissa, and a really nice guy. One of those guys that a mother always hopes their daughter finds and marries. 

The weather was questionable that afternoon, and luckily the call was made to move the ceremony inside, as it did begin to rain just before the ceremony started. The ceremony was officiated by Fernando, the hotel manager, and two family members did readings as well. 

Nissa was getting ready with her mom, sister and friends. She was cracking jokes the entire time, and even laughing about how classy she was by drinking Coors Light on her wedding day. Some very odd baby hands props had been acquired before the wedding, and made their weird appearance throughout the day. 

Gabe was getting ready with his two groomsmen. He looked quite dashing in his navy blue suit.

The ceremony was held in the thatch roofed restaurant at Alma del Pacifico. A beautiful arch with large tropical arrangements awaited the couple. During the ceremony, Gabe and Nissa partook in the Costa Rican wedding tradition of passing 13 coins back and forth to one another.

Nissa and Gabe's wedding cake was topped with a custom cake topper, featuring their German Shepherd dog from back home. 

Once the dancing started Nissa changed into a cute little romper which went perfectly with her country gal cowboy boots. The ladies were eager to catch the bouquet, while the guys passed the garter around like a hot potato, hoping the music wouldn't stop while it was in their hand. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Venue: Alma del Pacifico
Planner: Katherine Gamboa
Officiant: Fernando Alfaro
Flowers: Alma del Pacifico
DJ: Son Latino Discomovil

Alison and Tom traveled from New York to marry one another on a tropical beach in Costa Rica. The wedding was nothing short of perfect, as the sun peeked through the rain clouds to shine on them during their vows. It had been down pouring earlier that day when we arrived, and I was certain that the ceremony would have to be held indoors. But the weather cooperated and stopped just long enough for the ceremony and a few photos, before it started drizzling again. 

Alison was getting ready with her mom and her bridesmaids. She looked beautiful. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, and her lace dress had a beautiful back and neckline. She was very sweet and down to earth, and even with the back and fourth and uncertainty of the weather, she remained calm and collected. 

A stunning tropical arch awaited Tom and Alison. The ceremony was held on the beach just in front of the all inclusive Riu resort. 

After the ceremony we took some photos along the beautiful beach. I normally start with family photos, but Alison wanted to start with photos of just her and Tom, just in case it started raining again. I didn't think it was going to rain, but of course obliged, and I am so happy we did start with them because literally 5 minutes later it started raining. Luckily we got a few great shots before the rain, and even one of Tom defending his wife's dress from a beach dog. 

The reception was held in the Riu's event center. Upon entering, the newlyweds took to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. 

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography
Videography: Baltodano Films
Venue: Riu Guanacaste