This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That ‘Pura Vida’ Life

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

When Kelsey and Mike got engaged, where they would tie the knot was never a question. Costa Rice had been in their hearts since their first few visits together. With its relaxed, Pura Vida lifestyle (which, after 2020, we should all try to adopt this mindset for less stress in our lives) and beautiful, lush landscapes, they said YES to this destination in record time.

Trust us, if you've ever dreamed about beachside 'I Dos,' with waves poetically crashing in the background, you'll definitely want to keep scrolling through all of the stunning snaps captured by Megan McCullor Photography. Bliss Weddings Costa Rica planned every detail of these January 2020 nuptials (before this year's waters got rough), Stylos & Flores furnished flowers that sung with the coastal and tropical setting, and Eventos Artesanos brought in rentals that truly transformed a boundless beach into the couple's own private bohemian hideaway in Santa Teresa. You can see all the images in the full gallery and read on to hear more from Megan McCullor Photography and the bride, herself!

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

A once-in-a-lifetime event to celebrate forever love and a locale with all the meaning

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

Mike and I are infatuated with Costa Rica and knew it was where we wanted to get married before we even got engaged. Once we started talking logistics and planning, we immediately got overwhelmed. While we love Costa Rica, it's a lot to ask people to take a week off of work to come to a place they’ve never been. Everyone flew from Boston and we just wanted to make sure that they had the time of their lives and were able to see just why we fell in love with Costa Rica in the first place! ~ Kelsey

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

A surf town with swells of spirit

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

The couple settled on the sleepy Pacific surf town of Santa Teresa and chose one of the top venues in town; the beachfront Balinese-inspired estate of Casas Capitan. Kelsey worked closely with Bliss Weddings Costa Rica to create an event that encompassed both a relaxed and luxurious feel. The team, with Stylos & Flores at the root of the foliage, wanted the color palette to reflect the vibrant surroundings, so they use pink torch ginger, mokara orchids, roses (white, orange, pink), eucalyptus and bougainvillea in Kelsey's bouquet. She wore a perfectly-fitting silhouette by Emmy Mae Bridal (style Bec) and she was an absolute stunner!

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

Every detail was very well thought out. The table settings had a romantic and intimate feel with the underlying current of the entire event harping on the fun, easy going Costa Rican spirit. There was a live band and a DJ at the reception, as well as a reggae band for the rehearsal dinner. Upon arrival to their Costa Rican hotels, the guests were greeted with personalized welcome bags including a Spanish “cheat sheet” that included all of the Costa Rican slang words they needed to know for their adventure. It was quite a source of entertainment with many nicknames and jokes spawned from it throughout the week.

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

Came in as festive party-goers and left as well-tippled family

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life

For the sunny beach wedding, the guests had their choice of sombreros or wooden fans to add to the festive mood. And further enlivening that palm-charged spirit were six specialty cocktails from Drift Bar. By the time the toasts rolled around that evening, you could tell that the bride and groom had succeeded in throwing their dream wedding. Both of the families - whom hadn’t spent much time together prior to this wedding trip - had grown a very tight bond and the celebration of love beautifully unfolded throughout the night!

This Costa Rican Wedding Under the Palms Makes Us All Want to Lean Into That 'Pura Vida' Life