From the Bride: For years, Greg and I had traveled the world solo, so when we first met, we were excited to pursue as much outdoor adventure and world travel together as possible. Our plans, as was true for so many, were interrupted by a global pandemic. To say the last several years have been a whirlwind would be an absolute understatement, so we were so excited to plan a destination wedding in Costa Rica to bring together many of our beloved family and friends, many of whom had never had the chance to meet. Our extended wedding weekend was akin to the best family reunion we could have dreamed up—from our starlit rehearsal dinner, to late night cocktails on the beach, random poolside meetups, and our post-wedding Sunday brunch. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. My dad applied for a passport and used it for the first time for his daughter's wedding, and by the end of the week, he didn't want to leave! To top it all off, my youngest nephew, Crew, turned two during our stay and we had a poolside Mickey Mouse-themed party complete with a smash cake and popcorn party favors for him and our other mini wedding guests. Suffice to say, it was a weekend to remember!

The day of the wedding was absolute magic and started with morning mimosas by our personal plunge pool, and the rain cleared just in time to confirm our beachside ceremony location. Virador Beach was immaculately decorated with a flower-covered arch and teak chairs for our guests. A solo guitarist played "Fools Rush In" as my dad walked me down the sandy aisle, strewn with flower petals. Greg and I read our handwritten vows to one another as our family read selected Bible verses and Rumi's "“Where Everything Is Music”. After oceanside photos, we took a golf cart to the top of the cliffs overlooking the beach and were blessed by a beautiful photo session complete with a double rainbow to cap off our ceremony experience.

As for our wedding celebration, we had several grandparents who had passed away plus some older family members who were unable to travel who we wanted to honor, and we were proud to be able to feature their framed photos on our guestbook table. Our first dance was to “You are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder . Our guests dined on food and drink handpicked to represent our diverse palates and danced to a mix of Motown classics, '90s pop music, bluegrass, and contemporary tunes underneath the roof of the gorgeous reception area, where you could hear the waves crashing against the cliffside below.

Bride’s Advice: Focus on maximizing time spent with family and friends, rather than stressing out over an overly detailed wedding-day timeline.

Photography: Sylvia Guardia | Videography: Jamileth López | Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica | Venue + Caterer + Rentals: Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo | Florals + Event Designer: Art Flower CR | Wedding Planner: Silvia Melis | Cake: Victoria Zoch | Music: DJ Devon Paterson | Paper Goods: Minted | Hair + Makeup: Giancarlo of Four Season Costa Rica | Bride’s Attire: Martina Liana Bridal | Groom’s Attire: (Suit) Belk (Tie) The Tie Bar | Credits: (Floral Hair Piece) Madre Perla (Shoes) Betsey Johnson

Allison + Gregory's Costa Rica Wedding