A Ceremony Space That Will Truly Take Your Breath Away

Carolyn and Jack are two high school sweethearts that know how to throw a party. They took their love of travel and adventure and weaved it into a celebration that was all about having fun with their loved ones at Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica. Think scuba diving, zip lining and pool games, plus a ceremony that was all vibrant colors and beautiful blooms. See so much more from Madison Baltodano in THE VAULT.

From the Bride... A love for travel is one of the things that has always bound Jack and I together. As high school sweethearts, we would dream of the places we would go and the adventures we would share. From floating down the Mekong River in Vietnam to hiking to the top of Machu Picchu (where we got engaged), travel has been an important aspect of our lives together. When it came time to plan our wedding, we knew that a destination wedding was what we wanted. We considered many options before deciding on Costa Rica and the beautiful Dreams Las Mareas Resort. With family and friends traveling from Canada, the United States and England, it needed to be accessible but still a bit unique. Dreams Las Mareas provided a wonderful setting and plenty of opportunities for our guests to be as adventurous or as peaceful as they wanted in the days leading up to the wedding. Zip lining, scuba diving, pool games or just watching the local monkeys kept everyone entertained.Our wedding planner, Daniel worked tirelessly to ensure that our wedding day was what we had envisioned. We didn’t meet in person until the week of the wedding but had been in contact through e-mail and by phone. The end result was everything we had hoped for and more! The day of the wedding was overcast and humid with a 90% chance of rain although the “official” rainy season was still many weeks away. Daniel’s calmness gave us the confidence that although we may need to make some adaptations, our day was still going to be wonderful. We were able to have the ceremony on the beach as planned but decided to move the reception to another location. None of the usual in-door venues felt quite right but Daniel and his team agreed to something they had never tried before: the reception would be set up in a long, covered passageway. When we arrived after the ceremony we were astonished with what Daniel and his team had created in a few short hours. Lights and flowers had transformed the space into something magical.We ended the evening with a bonfire party on the beach. Only then did the rain finally arrive providing a cool and dramatic ending to a wonderful day.

Photography: Madison Baltodano Photography | Coordination: Daniel Meza | Floral Design: Dream Las Mareas, Costa Rica | Wedding Dress: Kathryn Bass Bridal | Wedding Dress: "Lya Tulle Skirt" And "Esra Silk Cami" By Alexandra Grecco | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Nordstrom | Catering: Dream Las Mareas, Costa Rica | Groom's Attire: Peter Parvez | Venue: Dream Las Mareas, Costa Rica | Bridal Accesories: Pearl & Dot | Wedding Ring: Tiffany & Co. | Wedding Signage: Artisan Decor YYC