The Couple

Aaron and Carina met in Colorado when he was traveling for business and happened to stay at the hotel Carina worked at. Aaron followed Carina to Arizona, shortly after she moved there. Aaron proposed on a special birthday trip of his to Niagra Falls. The couple knew they wanted their destination wedding in Costa Rica, along the Pacific side.

The Planning

The couple based their decision solely off the advice of their Destify agent, Jessica, and together they selected the Dreams Las Mareas Resort. It sounded like the perfect fit for both adults and families that had kids. Working with Jessica was easy, and the couple appreciated the app and how it allowed them to see the number of guests attending and when they were checking in. Carina said, “Working with Destify was a breeze, puns intended!”

Although communication was sometimes slow with the Dreams’ wedding department, the couple agreed they had the planning down to a science. The couple planned to keep things simple and elegant for the ceremony, with beautiful flowers that helped to frame the beauty of their location. Once on-site they had everything ready to go, and Carina didn’t have to lift a finger on her wedding day.

The Wedding

The resort ended up being the perfect choice for the adventurous couple. On the first day, Carina attended the yoga on the beach activity and was enthralled by the butterflies flying around the treetops. The drinks and food were top-notch, and at night there were fire dancers performing to great music. The night before their wedding, they held a welcome dinner, and everyone was thoroughly impressed with the food and service. Even Aaron who is a chef and several of his friends from the culinary world. The most impressive part may have been when the food all came out at the exact same time, despite everyone ordering from separate menus, and it was cooked perfectly.

In the morning on the day of, Carina and her bridal party got ready in an extra room provided by the resort, and they ordered champagne to enjoy during the preparations. The ceremony was held at the resort’s wedding gazebo, at 5pm, in the pool complex close to the beach. The couple didn’t mind that the venue was only semi-private, as onlookers congratulated them and cheered for the beautiful ceremony. There was a cocktail hour after the procession, featuring a live jazz trio who kept guests entertained while the couple took sunset photos.

The couple held their reception at the Seaside Terrace, overlooking the gazebo and the beach. The wedding department knocked it out of the park with the decor, and the food was delicious. The couple said, “It was a gorgeous setting and we got to watch the sunset over Playa de Jobo”. The couple loved their Tres Leches wedding cake and had it boxed up so they could enjoy the rest of it over the next 3 days.

Looking Back

As a special surprise, the wedding coordinator even arranged for a cake and gift to be brought to Carina’s niece during the ceremony, who happened to be sharing her birthday with the day of the wedding. It proved to be one of the standout moments of the wedding. The couples’ advice is to pack extra bug spray if you visit Costa Rica during the rainy season. Also, ask for a tour of wedding venues, so that you can see all of the options once you’re on-site. They also recommended downloading Whatsapp so you can conveniently talk to guests and coordinators all in one place.