Alicia + Grego. Costa Rican Summer.
Beautiful Earth Toned Destination Wedding by the Sea | Hacienda Pilla, Costa Rica
A stunning couple, beautiful backdrop, a top-wedding planner, and the most amazing venue made the perfect combination for this destination wedding in Costa Rica! What else could a photographer ask for?! Neutral and earthy tones of the decorations and florals blended perfectly with the dry season pallet of the Costa Rican Pacific Coast. The gorgeous surroundings played a huge role in making Alicias & Grego’s wedding feel organic, yet full of life.
The Bride and Groom share more about their vision, inspiration, and experience of their wedding day. A great read for brides planning their dream destination wedding.
Alicia: Gregorio is originally from Costa Rica so it was always at the top of our list as a potential destination for our wedding. We had also considered Puerto Rico (for Alicia’s family) or somewhere in the US, but ultimately decided that with guests scattered all over, Costa Rica was a perfect location.
Once we decided on Costa Rica for sure, we knew that we wanted it to be a beach wedding and at the suggestion of our planner, Barbara from 419 Weddings, we secured Las Palapas at Hacienda Pinilla (site unseen!). We wanted our wedding to be relaxed in terms of both the dress code and atmosphere so this location ended up being ideal for us. Plus, a beach wedding also helped make the trip abroad much more attractive for our guests.
We kept the color palette fairly neutral with soft pinks and earthy tones of green for the table settings and florals and chose a simple triangular wooden arch for our altar so that the focus would be the stunning beach backdrop at sunset.
More than anything, however, we wanted our guests to enjoy themselves. Grego’s groom speech even alluded to that idea by inviting everyone to eat, drink, dance, and ‘get a little less beautiful tonight’. Case in point: the inflatable bouncy slide. Originally meant to be a bouncy castle, after our first vendor canceled with less than a month’s notice, we were scrambling until only about a week prior to the big day to get it replaced with a giant slide instead. The last-minute swap proved serendipitous! Some of the most memorable photos from the evening were the ones taken on it.
Instead of a cake, we chose to have a DIY gourmet s’mores station, delicious SugarCharm donuts, and a local version of snow cones called ‘granizados’. We received rave reviews about all of our treats from guests.
The first look was definitely one of my favorite memories from the wedding. Grego had said for months prior to the wedding that he would be wearing a suit he already had, but as I looked out of the window of the bridal suite to see the groom’s party arriving, I saw him from behind, dressed in a brand new one of a completely different color. I had to do a double-take to make sure it was him! I also loved Grego’s vows and groom’s speech, but really all the toasts that night were lovely. I was so touched at the effort my bridesmaids put into theirs as it was just as heartfelt as it was hilarious!
Grego: Bright green and 25 feet tall, the inflatable slide was supposed to set the tone for the evening. However, a few hours into the reception only my 4-year-old nephew had discovered its magic. At that point, everyone was assuming it was Kids Only. Everyone except my grandma. Replacement hip and all, she grabbed Alicia and climbed up the front as everyone gawked with concern and awe, but mostly envy. The image of my 81-year-old grandma and brand new bride sliding down tandem-style is forever imprinted in the corner of my brain reserved for the happiest thoughts.
A+G: Hire a planner you vibe with and trust. A part of us is still amazed at pulling this event off-site unseen, but that was all thanks to Barbara Broutin and her team at 419 Weddings.
Wedding credits underneath the gallery.
Costa Rica Destination Wedding Credits:
Planning: Barbara Broutin, 419 Weddings
Location: Hacienda Pinilla
Photographer: Kuba Okon Weddings
Videographer: DW Stories
Makeup Artist: Lisa Boehm Beauty
Second Makeup/Hair: Famous Points Beauty Salon
Flowers: Stylos y Flores
Cake (Donuts): Sugar Charm Donuts
