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Double Weddings are Double the Fun!! Gaia Hotel, Manuel Antonio

8/29/2016

When I was first contact by Cat about photographing a double wedding I was of course thrilled! It was something I had never done before, and I may never have another chance to do as double destination weddings are not very common. Cat and her best friend Alisha planned to marry their better halves together on the sandy shores of Manuel Antonio. One of the things that I loved about this group of friends is that it wasn't just the ladies that were great friends but the guys as well.

I started the day with the two grooms getting ready. They were at the luxurious Hotel Gaia in one of the villas. Hand written letters were delivered to them from their brides to be.

The brides were getting their hair and makeup done at the hotel spa. They were so excited to be experience the joy of marrying the loves of their lives together.

Cat and Alisha made their separate entrances to the ceremony. A rain cloud was making its way to where we were, but held out for the entire ceremony.

After the ceremony we headed to the shore line for photos, trying to beat the incoming rain. The storm eventually caught up with us but that didn't damper anyone's spirit. Both couples had no problem getting drizzled on, and some beautiful rain night shots were also captured.

Once the rains started to get a little heavier we all headed back to Hotel Gaia. Sandy, the wedding coordinator, had a beautiful private dinner setup for the newlyweds on their private terrace. Each couple took a turn cutting the cake as well.

Photography; Yours Truly
Venue: Gaia Hotel
Wedding Coordinator: Sandy Schmidt
Flowers: Floresteria Quepos
Officiant: Marcelo Galli

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Christina & Dustin Trash the Dress at Dreams las Mareas

8/24/2016

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The day after Christina and Dustin said "I do" we met up at the beach to trash Christina's beautiful dress. One of the things that I love about doing trash the dress sessions in the ocean is that the dress is normally completely salvageable afterwards.

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Christina & Dustin's Romantic Nuptials at Dreams las Mareas

8/24/2016

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Christina and Dustin traveled with family and friends to Dreams las Mareas, Costa Rica. The day started out overcast and rainy, as many of the days do during the rainy season of Costa Rica. But this couple had luck on their side as the weather took a turn for the better and mother nature even produced one of the most powerfully orange sunsets I have ever witnessed.

Christina was getting ready with her bridesmaids, mother and niece and nephew. This day had been long in the making and I could tell how important it was to Christina. She made such a stunning bride and her smile just lit the room up.

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Dustin was getting ready with his groomsmen. He was laid back and quick to smile.

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The ceremony was held on the beach in front of the resort. The beach is known as Playa Jobo, but this particular area under the trees is called Arboleda Beach. Christina and Dustin didn't miss a beat when planning their wedding. Beautiful details were found throughout the day, I especially liked the soft petal filled baskets that lined the aisle.

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Immediately after the ceremony the bridal party was served a champagne toast to celebrate Christina and Dustin's marriage to one another. The newlyweds were beaming with joy. Afterwards we took family and bridal party photos, and then started the couples portrait session.

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I always have photos that I absolutely love from every wedding that I do, but this wedding I had such a hard time choosing because there were so many portraits that came out so beautifully.

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The reception was held at Seaside Grill. Daniel, the wedding planner, did a great job creating privacy from the group and dressing the room up.

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I know some people don't like having kids at weddings but I definitely do! The kids are always the first ones on the dance floor and tend to bring a different level of energy to the celebration. The young kids at this wedding were so fun and full of joy. It was a great time chasing them around with my camera.

The cake cutting started out with an innocent lick of frosting on Christina's nose, it quickly escalated into one of the messiest cake cuttings I have ever photographed. Luckily it was all in good fun.

Photography: Yours Truly
Venue: Dreams las Mareas

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Camille & Chrisie's Sweet Wedding, Dominical, Costa Rica

8/22/2016

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Camille and Chrisie brought their family and very best friends to share a week together in Dominical, Costa Rica. During that week the two married one another while overlooking the blue pacific waters. It was an intimate and laid back affair, just like Camille and Chrisie wanted it to be.

Chrisie and Camille wanted to include a few items into their celebration that represented gay pride, but they didn't want it to overtake the ceremony and the meaning of what the two were doing that day. So, before the wedding, the entire group took some fun photos surrounding the gay pride theme.

Afterwards Camille and Chrisie both made their preparations for the wedding ceremony. The weather couldn't make up its mind that day. One moment it was raining, the next it wasn't and then again 5 minutes later it was. But the weather didn't damper the spirit of anyone, which was really amazing to see.

In another area of the house Camille was getting ready with her sisters and friends.

The ceremony was held on a small platform overlooking the ocean. Luckily the rain held off for the ceremony, which was simply beautiful. The guests waded into the pool to create an intimate and supportive setting.

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After the ceremony the entire group jumped into a few different cars and headed down to the beach for photos. We went to Dominicalito, one of my favorite beaches in the area. The waves were tremendous and came crashing in and splashing up against the rocks. A few times my heart dropped as I thought, oh no, this wave is going to wash the newlyweds away. But luckily the water just shot up and made for magical photos.

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The session ended with their feet up and beers in their hands. I don't think it could have been a more perfect day for these two.

Photography: Yours Truly
Location: Dominical

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Tamara & Gene's Beautiful Wedding at Dreams las Mareas

8/16/2016

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Tamara and Gene traveled from New Jersey and met up with friends and family to marry one another on the sandy shores of Playa el Jobo. The wedding group stayed at Dreams las Mareas, an all inclusive resort in the Northern area of Costa Rica. The weather was questionable that day but we ended up with a stunning sunset for the portrait session.

I started the day with Tamara getting ready. She had her makeup done at the resort spa, and moved to her room to finish with the getting ready process.

In another area of the resort Gene, Grandpa and the bride and groom's two sons were getting ready as well.

The ceremony was setup at the poolside gazebo. Red and orange flowers set the stage for a romantic ceremony. There was a last minute change and one of the couple's close friend officiated the ceremony. He did an amazing job, especially considering the short notice he was given.

After the ceremony we headed to the beach to take photos, while the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour. This family was so excited and happy to be united as one, they all had big smiles the entire time.

The reception was held in the ballroom where the newlyweds made a grand entrance and shared a first dance.

Photography: Yours Truly
Venue: Dreams las Mareas

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Kristen & Tony's Fun-tastic Wedding at Zephyr Palace

8/3/2016

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Kristen and Tony were such a sweet and easy going couple, I really enjoyed getting to photograph their wedding because of how friendly and personable they are. Because of their demeanor they naturally attract many good people to them, and there wedding was a testament to that. The ballroom at Zephyr Palace was filled with smiling faces as the couple and their friends and family celebrated the night away.

I started my day with Kristen and the girls getting ready, while my second photographer, Sarah, went to photograph the boys getting ready.

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Kristen had her hair and makeup done a bit earlier in the day so she had lots of time to relax and enjoy the wedding day with her mom and maid of honor.

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The ceremony was setup poolside at Zephyr Palace. Soft colored rose petals lined the aisle. Kristen looked absolutely stunning as she made her entrance at the top of the stairs.

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After the ceremony we headed to the beautiful stone arches of Zephyr Palace to take portraits. We ended the portrait sessions with photos of the sunset. Tony was so excited once the pinks started showing in the sky as we thought we wouldn't get much of a sunset at all because of the thick cloud cover.

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The reception decor was stunning. Beautiful gold studded linens covered the tables and accent lights transformed the room into the party of a lifetime. A live band brought guests to their feet, even before dinner was served.

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The evening was topped off with a surprise firework show for the wedding group. Kristen and Tony gathered everyone on the terrace for a "group photo" and then suddenly the lights went out and the sky lit up.

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Photography: Yours Truly
Second Shooter: Sarah Yunker
Venue: Zephyr Palace
Wedding Planner: Weddings Costa Rica
Flowers: Stylos y Flores
Cake: Sweet Constructions
Rentals: Costa Mesa
Band: Da Funk
Ties: General Knot and Tie

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Double Weddings are Double the Fun!! Gaia Hotel, Manuel Antonio

Christina & Dustin Trash the Dress at Dreams las Mareas

Christina & Dustin's Romantic Nuptials at Dreams las Mareas

Camille & Chrisie's Sweet Wedding, Dominical, Costa Rica

Tamara & Gene's Beautiful Wedding at Dreams las Mareas

Kristen & Tony's Fun-tastic Wedding at Zephyr Palace

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