Jesse & Viviana's intimate wedding in Santa Teresa

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