Tropical Occasions

Tropical Occasions featured on The Wedding Chicks

We were so thrilled when we were asked to be featured on one of the wedding industries hottest blogs. The Wedding Chicks. Not only did they feature the beautiful wedding of Alex and Akil, but as well they gave the event a 3 part spread and so much delicious eye candy. I only aspire to one day be able to blog and share as much beauty as they do when it comes to Weddings. Of course it did not hurt that this wedding was shot by one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world, Jose Villa. The best news of all we have been invited to be on their preferred vendors list, a huge honor and we look forward to posting many more fabulous Costa Rican weddings with them. Make sure to visit all three posts, each of them is spectacular.

LINK TO PART ONE 

PART TWO  

 PART THREE 

 

Real Weddings, Alex & Akil, Photographs by Jose Villa

This Wedding was SO much fun. It started with me just adoring the bride Alex. As soon as her and I got on the phone we were like "Peas and Carrots" and I was simply so excited to work with her. She also let me know her husband to be, was a wedding photographer and she would get to plan the wedding 100% as he wanted to be surprised. The groom the very talented Akil Bennet only had one detail and that was he wanted to hire the photographer. Alex let me know they were hiring the one and only Jose Villa. I about jumped out of my seat with this news.  Jose Villa had yet to do an event in Costa Rica, so knowing we would help produce the first one he captured was well pretty flippin awesome news. Anyone who works in the wedding industry is aware of the genius who is Jose. He has been quoted as one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world and his work is called fine art photography. He actually uses film! He wants that organic and beautiful natural light that only film can truly capture. He then develops the film and scans in high resolution so client can have digital images. The outcome is, as you will see, simply stunning. Take his art, add the incredible looks of the beautiful Alex and her handsome now husband Akil, combined with the fast as lightning film loading skills of the equally wonderful Joel Serrato   finally add another flawless event produced by us and we had a masterpiece event on our hands.   

I could say so much more, but I will let these photos do the talking.

 



     
 


 

 

Akil and Alex, you two are such beautiful people, I so enjoyed working with you both, Anahi and I had a blast on the creative shoot day, helping out, being makeup artists, carrier of all things- even your underpants! We wish you an amazing life together, you are a wonderful couple and I was honored to help you.

Thank you as well to Reserva Conchal for all your efforts with this event- You run a beautiful property and we are so thankful for your efforts with this event in particular.

Jose and Joel you guys are in a league of your own and hanging with you was so fabulous. You are truly wonderful in every sense of the word and I look forward to working many more times together and having lots of more fun with you both.

Aimee

Behind the Scenes... Creative Photo shoot with the amazing Jose Villa

I just returned from planning yet another truly wonderful event in Costa Rica. The groom, a very talented wedding photographer named Akil Bennet, went to the best for his own photos, none other than the oh so talented Jose Villa. 

Having planned hundreds of events we have seen so many talented photographers at work. I am always in awe of this art and love to watch it in action. I was however in all honesty floored by the creative genius that is Jose Villa. Not only is he one of the nicest individuals I have ever been around (No Diva attitude with this artist, unlike many others we have encountered) He is always thinking, looking and pondering his next move as well obsessing about the light, which luckily cooperated with him beautifully.  

We spent 4 hours looking at possible spots, lighting, and settings for both the wedding as well as the creative shoot the day we met. The wedding day was surreal- what he captured and what Costa Rica gave him will be another masterpiece wedding he has shot. Do not worry we will post the images once Jose is done processing all. For now I wanted to share a glimpse into the fun we had on the creative shoot the day after the wedding with Akil and his lovely bride Alex. 

We started with a "boudoir" session (Jose's first!) on the beach in a day bed. It was HOT and we put on some fun tunes for the couple to cuddle, dance and jump to. We then made our way through small towns, with Jose wanting to stop at beaten up cabins, soccer fields, dirt roads,  we even borrowed a dog, asked men to step down form bar stools so we could have couple take their places and basically took advantage of every fun, creative and even bizarre setting Costa Rica had to offer.

Here is a look at a few of the spots we used and a behind the scenes look into a genius at work. These are taken by me on my I phone, so they will be a sad comparison once Jose's photos of the "real deal" make it our way.

 

 
 

 

Here are some shots of Jose's attentive and happy to be there assistants. Your's truly in the first photo and then Anahi Contreras of Tropical Occasions and the also equally as wonderful and talented Joel Serrato of Joel Serrato Films who traveled with Jose on this trip to assist and have a blast with all of us. 

Akil and Alex, I cannot wait to see your photos they will be nothing short of amazing. 

Jose and Joel. you guys are so much fun, we had a wonderful time with you. Jose it is pretty obvious now why you are so famous in our industry. You are light years ahead of anything I have ever seen and beyond that just a really cool guy. I cannot wait to work and hang out with you and Joel again and again

Aimee