I can’t believe it has been a year already since my Costa Rica wedding. I can still picture everything as if it was yesterday. It was one of those things you never forget. It was and still is one of the greatest days I’ve ever had. No matter how bad of a day I’m having, I just have to remember my bride walking down the aisle to the Imperial March by Star Wars and my day is instantly better.
What I really loved about our Costa Rica wedding was the sheer number of friends and family who joined us. When we first thought about having our wedding at our favorite Costa Rican vacation spot, Hotel Villa Caletas, we didn’t envision 120+ of our family and closet friends would join us. We thought a destination wedding would be a turn off and who really wanted to go, would go. Well pretty much everyone went. The flight down was packed with people for our wedding and just walking around town all you saw were our wedding guests. On the Friday before the wedding we had a “White Party” at a local restaurant. People thought the restaurant was having a private event as the whole restaurant was filled with our guests dressed in white having a great time. We basically took over Jaco, Costa Rica.
My wife and I did a lot of the wedding details ourselves. Ok, mainly my wife. We designed our wedding invitations to be a passport book filled with information about our wedding. The actual RSVP card was create to look like an airline ticket. My wife did all the details herself. She made centerpieces and the flower arrangements. We also had a lot of help from our friends and family. Me being a wedding photographer myself, I had my team down there taking pictures. I photographed a lot of the pre-wedding shots, but after that I just wanted to enjoy my wedding. The DJ, Ed the World Famous and the emcee, the Stone Groove, are close family friends and my wife’s friends who do hair and makeup came down to Costa Rica too to help out.
I was pretty loose prior to the wedding. I was having drinks and finger foods in a room with my groomsmen. When it was time to get dressed I still felt fine. It could have been the Johnny Walker I was drinking. When the wedding started and I walked my mom down and I took my place by the officiant, I was good. As the wedding party made their way down one by one, the emotion started to bubble up. I knew my wife was coming down next. I kept telling myself not to cry; to suck it up etc. and then she came out. My wife walked down to the Imperial March from Star Wars. I totally was thrown off my game. Never expected it, never saw it coming. I couldn’t stop smiling. She was like an angel. She was beautiful and still is. I could have amnesia and I will always remember how she looked and how proud and honored I was to know that I was going to be her husband.
We got married by an infinity pool that looked down on the rain forest and out to the Pacific Ocean at sunset. Yes, it was picture perfect. I can’t describe the emotions and feelings that were pulsating through me. You waited so long for this moment and you wanted to savor every second of it. You have this vision in your head of how it would look and how it would be only to realize it was nothing like you thought. It was so much more. It was as perfect as perfect can be.
After we took our bridal party photos it was time for our entrance and first dance. I have a disclaimer, I can’t dance. So I was nervous for our first dance. Now everyone could see I have two left feet. As soon as our first dance song came on, Unthinkable by Alicia Keys, I got lost in my wife’s eyes and forgot about the fact I can’t dance. The common theme was how perfect it was.
The party we had the reception was phenomenal. Everyone had a great time. The drinks were flowing, the dance floor was packed and it was perfect. It was great seeing everyone enjoying themselves. Towards the end of the night, the music switched up to a Miami theme. I’m smiling as I write this thinking about that night because of all the fun we had. Our son and nieces and nephews were dancing. Our siblings were dancing. Our friends were dancing. That was what I remember most, how much people enjoyed themselves.
It’s hard to imagine we had a Costa Rica wedding and we only got married a year ago. My wife is the best part of me. The foot in my ass when I need it and the rock that keeps me level. I’m thankful for her each and every day. I wouldn’t be half the person I am with out my better half. Happy Anniversary sunshine!
