Danielle and Matt

Couple on the beach, getting married in Costa Rica

Is there anything more romantic than getting married in a villa by the sea?

This is precisely the reason why so many people come to Costa Rica each year for a destination wedding. Full-blown, domestic weddings are hectic, take months to plan, fly by in a flurry, and end up stressing out the bride and groom to the max.

Why not make getting married a vacation instead by having a destination wedding?

That’s exactly what Danielle and Matt decided to do, and it was so worth it.

Getting ready in a room with an epic view in the villa Punto de Vista

Finding True Love

Danielle hails from the humble Hoosier State — Indiana. She moved to Boston for her career as a cancer surgeon. The fact that she is a cancer surgeon made a huge impression on me.

My father is a cancer survivor – and we all know he was able to go through it because he had such a great surgeon. I am so thankful there are people out there like Danielle that devote their lives to helping people at this most critical time patient’s lives.

But little did Danielle know that in Boston, Massachusetts she would find more than just a successful career. She would also find the love of her life, Matt.

But she went back to Indiana and both of them were focused on getting their careers going. So they let their love ripen and age for 10 years before finally decided they wanted to make things official and do life together. They’ll be going back to live in Boston after the wedding.

For their wedding Danielle and Matt decided to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and rent a villa by the sea in dazzling Costa Rica. Villa Punto de Vista is a private house overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Manuel Antonio.

The 12,000 square foot villa nestled into 2.5 acres of jungle has 10 Suites that can comfortably accommodate 30 guests. The modern architecture is stunning and only pales in comparison to the breathtaking view of the Costa Rican jungle and the Pacific Ocean.

The Villa itself offers several breathtaking backdrops perfect for the ceremony part of getting married. Alternatively, couples can hold the ceremony on the beach and say their “I do’s” to the music of the crashing waves.

For their ceremony, Danielle and Matt opted for the highest spot in the villa that offered a gorgeous view of both the ocean and jungle. We took advantage of the fact that we were so close to the ocean by heading down to the beach to do portraits.

The bride laughing with a bridesmaid before the ceremony

Flower girl on a corner of one of Punto de Vista's terraces with an epic view

The epic view from Punto de Vista — The view from the ceremony spot

The adorable little ring bearer comes down the aisle — Here comes the adorable ring-bearer!

Matt's dad as the officiant — Matt’s father performed the ceremony

Getting married in Costa Rica means epic bridal portraits!

The Reception

Matt and Danielle’s reception was like something out of a fairy tale. As night fell, a terrace in Punto de Vista was prepared for the party. Strings of little lights hung from the ceiling and candles decorated clear tables and chairs.

White, long-stemmed calla lilies graced the tables along with balls of white hydrangeas and delicate white orchids. They couldn’t have asked for a more lovely reception.

Then it was party time on the first floor. As you can see from the photos, all the guests tore up the dance floor until late in the night.