Hotel Parador Costa Rica

As a photographer I love having wedding couples that absolutely adore photography, or are themselves photographers.  So I jumped at the chance to shoot Jacqueline and Darren’s wedding at the Hotel Parador Costa Rica in Manuel Antonio.  Darren is a photographer from Toronto and we had long emails discussing the style of photos he would like for his wedding, and it turns out we were on the same page with how we approach the day and what we look for.  This helped make for some totally natural photos with the two of them, and the freedom to shoot guests and family and look for moments throughout the day.  Moreover, Jacqueline has worked as a model and it was obvious she had tons of experience in front of the lens.  Lastly, they have the cutest son in the world, and I think I got a million shots of him laughing and smiling throughout the day.

The day started with Jacqueline getting ready in her room at the Hotel Parador.  Jacqueline and Darren had also planned to have a First Look before the wedding, so we went up to where Darren was getting ready and surprised him as he was coming out the door.

The ceremony was held at the beach in Manuel Antonio.  Being a traditional Jewish ceremony it was very endearing and meaningful for the couple and the guests as they marked the day with traditions that span thousands of years.

After the ceremony we had some time on the beach for a champagne toast with friends and family, as well as time for a portrait session with just Jacqueline and Darren.  We went for a walk on the beach so that they could just focus on each other and interact and have fun.  They fell into this so naturally and we were able to get some great shots before the sun went down over the Pacific Ocean.