Plan a Wedding in Costa Rica: The Easy Way

Deana and Sam reached out to the wedding folks at Makanda by the Sea here in Manuel Antonio and suddenly their wedding was a fairy tale come to life.

Check it out!

A Dream Wedding by the Sea

Makanda by the Sea is an adults-only hotel tucked in the verdant rainforests of Manuel Antonio right next to the beach. It is known as one of the most Instagrammable spots in the area — and for good reason.

The hotel has gone to great lengths to make the entire place pleasing to the eye. There are tons of unique decorations, furniture, plant walls, etc that can only be described as works of art.

Thus, you might expect — as Deana and Sam did — that weddings at this place might be extra glamorous. And you would all be right.

A Ceremony with a View

There are a few options for ceremony locations at Makanda. Deana and Sam opted for a lookout location with a stunning view over the verdant green rainforest and the stunning blue ocean beyond.

Clear chairs for Deana and Sam’s 20 guests make sure the furniture doesn’t take away from the spectacular view. Plus, little wooden fans on each seat were a nice touch — especially since it was particularly hot in Manuel Antonio that day.

To finish off the look there were bright bunches of tropical flowers, strategically placed to add gorgeous pops of color in all the right places.

All in all, the effect was stunning. And the best part for Deana and Sam was how easy the whole thing was to plan.

Exotic Photographs in an Exotic Place

Of course, no matter how lovely a hotel is (and Makanda is quite lovely) it still can’t compare to the stunning beauty of Costa Rica’s beaches. Thus, Deana and Sam and I took a trip down to the nearby beach as the sun was setting to capture some lovely images of the two of them.

They joked around and played with each other on the beach. The gorgeous images that we captured will be treasured for decades to come, I’m sure!

Living it Up in Paradise

As the sun dipped below the horizon, we headed back to the hotel for the party. And what a party it was!

The staff at Makanda did a quick change to set up dinner on the same lookout terrace where the ceremony was held. They hung fairy lights to add a magical glow and added tropical leaves to all the place settings — giving the table an extra touch of nature.

A magical place for a reception

The food was absolutely delicious and, of course, artfully displayed as everything is at Makanda. In fact, the food was so beautiful that you almost felt bad eating it…almost.

The evening was very warm, but nobody was complaining. With smiles all around (and a few tears here and there) Deana and Sam celebrated a night that was well worth remembering for the rest of their lives.