Tropical Occasions

Real Weddings - Sabrina and Phil - April 2011- Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Sabrina and Phil are a stunning, chic couple from New York City.   It was truly a pleasure to work with their fun, unique style.  They started the festivities a few days before the nuptials with group surf lessons and a welcome BBQ provided by Casual Cooking for 40 guests at Sabrina's rented house.

The soft lines of the bride's dress was enhanced with embroidered lace giving it a traditional twist on a modern gown.  Her bouquet of white orchids, lillies and roses with  just a hint of green kept the sophisticated, clean lines that carried throughout the design.  They married on the sunlit beach under a bamboo altar covered by a floating white silk canopy.  The simplicity was an amazing reflection of their love.

Special touches like the lace garter with an amethyst colored brooch and Sabrina's hand written thank you speech once again lent to the traditional aspect of the couple. I loved the book marks that described the different activities for their guests as well as all the special touches that went into their plans. The invite was a full guide book to Costa Rica, amping up the excitement for each and every guest that attended.  It was very well thought out and an awesome courtesy to the people who traveled to be with them on their special day.

The reception was breathtaking.  Sabrina had asked us to bring in a very organic look that also celebrated a beach side affair. Woven chargers held a single succulent flower atop the crisp white napkins welcoming the guests to dine.  Bamboo folding chairs and driftwood centerpices flanked by white votive candles in glass sparkled on the table.  White lights twinkled in the trees as night fell.  Square wood vases held white dendrobiums and greens in a most artful design.  The natural woven burlap criss cross material that served as an overlay to the white tablecloths on each of the tables was really in keeping with the simple, natural theme the couple were going for. 

I loved the simplicity of this natural design not only because it was a true reflection of the way Sabrina and Phil live their lives, but it actually added to the beauty of the surroundings that is Costa Rica!  We were all very pleased with the outcome.

Enjoy the beautiful photography courtesy of Mike Blum Photography 

 

  



 

Best wishes for a fantastic life together!  Thank you so much for letting us design and coordinate your gorgeous wedding!  Enjoy all sunsets as if each was your first as husband and wife! 

Real Weddings – Nicole and Dave- March 2011 – Reserva Conchal, Costa Rica

Nicole and Dave are a young and incredibly fun couple from Walnut Creek, CA.  I had the pleasure of meeting with them in person 2 times during our planning. The first time was in Costa Rica and the second at their home town in Northern California. Each time we would meet I would get more and more excited about their wedding day from all the great ideas, to the simple enthusiasm they both showed for showcasing their love of one another.  Their style and attitude were reflected throughout their wedding from gorgeous flown in handmade high end linens (and let me say it was worth all the drama to get them there) to the elegance of the altar tent with hanging orchids flowing organza with the beautiful blue sea as their backdrop. The aisle was a carpet of white and orange rose petals.

The color scheme was all sunset and glamour.  The cocktail hour boasted deep orange, red  and lime green linens and each dinner table was draped in beige silk linen that had the most amazing beadwork of bling, that simply sparkled under the countless votive candles.  The cake table which held the four tier cake created by Victoria Zoch had a gorgeous puckered linen a shade darker than the guest tables and the orange Asiatic lilies remarkably complimented the gathers in the material. 

I was so happy to be able to actually be there and see the flawless execution of the well thought out design.  It was such an incredible collaboration of dreams and visions by all involved.  The way it all came together just heightened the joy of the awesome day.

Please enjoy these photographs by El Velo Photography and Thornton Cohen.

 

 

Nicole and Dave- it was beyond a pleasure to work with you and more so to simply hang with you both- You are such lovely people as well as your families and friends.  I wish you all the very best life has to offer.

 

 

Real Weddings - Danielle and Jeff, Photos by The fabulous Otto Schulze

This is one of those times when making a decision is not my forte!!  These photos of Danielle and Jeff's gorgeous wedding are too fantastic not to share as many as I could! So Prepare yourself for a very large posting. I had previously worked with Otto Schulze  (One of the Photographers who is the genius behind the lens of this art you will see below) last summer in Colorado. I was so blown away by his talent, I knew he would create magic in Costa Rica, and as you will see, he did just that.

Danielle and Jeff our gorgeous bride and groom are fellow Coloradoans, now recently relocated Californians. We got to meet in person in the mile high city to plan their big day, which was great. Then they headed to the tropics and my wonderful mid pacific manager and planner Karen Ogden executed a stunning wedding for them. They were married at the beautiful Los Suenos Beach Club in Playa Herradura, Costa Rica. The bride was a vision captured so flawlessly by the photographer (not a hard task, as she is a gorgeous woman)  The bouquet was hand tied with fabric selected by the bride and the flowers were a mix of white cala's and fuchsia dendrodiums, which were the perfect contrast to her brilliant ruffled wedding gown.  The bridesmaid held single orchids showcasing the elegance of the event that welcomed 80 guests from all over the world.

The tropical palm arch made up of two bamboo bases with palms coming out and tied together at the top. The flowers adorning the arch were Monstera leaves, haliconia, along with phalenopsis and dendrodium orchids.  

The bride walked down an aisle lined with coconuts and more Monstera leaves  The fans on the chairs cooled the already totally cool guests!  

Loose orchids and candles sparkled in the light of the tiki torches as everyone enjoyed a specialty cocktail.  At dinner, the guests were seated at round tables with trio centerpieces of submerged white Phalenopsis, green and fuscia dendrodium orchids with floating candles.  At the entry to the reception were the fun escort cards of mustaches in cylindrical vases full of sand for each guest to have fun with. At the head table were Wayfarer sunglasses for all the wedding party.  These fun props added a lot of humor to the event and showed the true playfulness of this amazing couple.

The party went on with a festive lit dance floor, and great tunes spun by DJ Jose PM of Costa Rica Weddings DJ's and an awesome group on non stop dancing guests.  Fireworks explode into the Costa Rican night Illuminating the sky and creating a perfect end to a truly beautiful and memorable event. 

Please enjoy these phenomenal gallery-like photographs by the very talented Otto Schulze and Eric Clausen This is the first time they have showcased a joint wedding, where these two remarkably talented men have joined forces to create a masterpiece wedding album- Enjoy!

The Rehersal and Rehearsal dinner at the wonderful http://www.adventurediningcr.com/

 

 

The Wedding Day!

 

 

Best wishes for a lifetime that echoes your fabulous wedding day! We were honored to help bring the dream to life! Aimee, Karen and Isabel
And a huge kudos to Otto and Eric for some of the most stunning photographs I have ever seen.

Real Weddings - Katrika and Quintin - March 2011,Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Katrika and Quintin are very simply put, a lovely down to earth couple.  Their style shines through with all the earth tones and elegant choices they made for their perfect day.  

Katrika's gown, beautiful fabric falling in drapes around her, set the tone for the whimsical feeling of the ceremony and reception.  White orchids securing her up-do was soft and elegant against her silhouette.  The beaming couple exchanged vows outside under a canopy lined with streamers of white and green.  A bouquet of white roses and orchids and a splash of greens highlighted the beauty of the bride. 

At the reception, the couple chose a long banquet table decorated with brown linen napkins and smoky green vases which held a few white orchids each.  The earth tones and materials were highlighted beautifully by the white lights crisscrossed over the table.  Hearing the ocean ebb and flow behind them gave this party real life!  As night fell, tiki torches and white paper lanterns brought on the ambiance and the party rocked on.

Take a look at the gorgeous couple and gorgeous light captured by photographer Julie of Comfort Studio.

Thank you , Katrika and Quintin, for choosing Tropical Occasions to coordinate the wedding of your dreams.  We wish you all the best for a spectacular future!

Real Weddings- Jennifer and Cristian, Costa Rica – March 2011

Jennifer and Cristian make an amazing couple.  Not only are they fun and down to earth, they are so incredibly in love!  Their energy and joie de vivre is contagious and evident in all the decisions they made for their beautiful day.   Cristian a Costa Rican native is a linguist, teaches both Spanish and French.  Jennifer is a doctor.

The fun begins in the distinctive design of old meets new.  The modern elements mixed with a vintage look helps to understand the diversity and unique expression of this couple.   We were so excited to help bring to life the concept of true exuberance with props for all the guests,  like mustaches, hats and funny glasses. Play being the operative word here…you can just see how fun their future will be.  The actual fireworks were an excellent symbol of their spark.

The long banquet table sat all the guests and a well thought out theme  with beautiful lighting. Simple yet elegant light pink and white roses, purple and white orchids and accents of bells of Ireland, and green hydrangea were gathered in square wooden vases along the center of the table.   Tall vases housing coffee beans and votives sure to liven up any party sent a perfect glow around the tables.  As night fell on the reception soft purple lights illuminated the perimeter.   Humidors with deliciously scented cigars were at the ready for the guests as well!  Nothing was overlooked by the Senora and Senor. 

Their impeccable taste is showcased in the fabulous photos by Michael Segal. The beauty of his work is seen in all the candid photos that captured the sweetest moments of Jennifer and Christians’ perfect day.  Michael also produces all of the photography for the show My Fair Wedding in which David Tutera, a famous planner, is the host.  You can see through these exceptional photos his amazing talent and why he works with the best in the business….including Tropical Occasions, of course!   The pictures make you feel like you are actually at the joyous occasion!  Enjoy…..

 

 

 







 

Jennifer and Cristian, best wishes for a beautiful, rich future or as the French would say, Bonne chance or as the Spanish would say, los mejores deseos para el futuro!

 

Real Weddings - Cecilia & Tim - Tamarindo, Costa Rica at Villa Marrakesh

Cecilia and Tim are a beautiful couple from Los Angeles, CA.  Their dream of a chic, sophisticated destination wedding was wholly realized in February 2011 at the Villa Marrakesh in Costa Rica. 

The bride was inspired by the extravagant beauty of the Marrakesh's architecture and incredible event space.  The natural setting of the willowy trees and the soft glow of paper lanterns continued the feel of her desired Paris in Spring, but in the tropics wedding.

Black and White was the main color palate, bistro style tables and a long banquet tables with Damask runner adorned with bright sunset colored roses are reminiscent of an elegant parisian cafe.

Complimenting the scenery was the gorgeous Vera Wang wedding gown worn by the bride which was tied softly at the waist with a black satin ribbon and stunning rhinestone appliqué.

The design was enhanced by the thoughtful collaboration between Aimee and Alessandra of Tropical Occasions, the bride and her mother Gilda.  

Catering was provided by local chef Bathsheba and the event was perfectly staged by Aimee Monihan and flawlessy executed by her team leader in Costa Rica, Alessandr and head design consultant Anahi.

Please wrap yourself in the beauty of this Paris meets the tropics wedding with the following pictures provided by the fabulously talented Steven Stanton photography.

 






 

 








Bon chance to our lovely friends, Cecilia and Tim for letting us share in your beautiful day!

 

Real Weddings - Clara and Joey, Villas Caletas Amphitheater, Costa Rica

 

Under an altar of bamboo laced with hanging orchid garlands of lime green, orange, purple, pink and red orchids, Clara and Joey made their promise.  Beautiful cones made from tropical leaves were filled with petals for aisle pillows and were later used to adorn the bride and groom after the nuptials.  

The joyously fragrant orchids and lilies were elegant and bright throughout the venue.  Their eye popping color captured the fun, festive mood of this tropical themed celebration.  The bride's bouquet was luxuriously hand-tied white orchids.  A single Cala lily was handed to the mother of the bride during the ceremony.

Votive candles floated effortlessly in a glass base welcoming the romance into the venue.  Luminaries were aligned the terrace allowing for soft light to offset the brilliant color of the drapes that whimsically hung around the dance floor. Tall cylindrical vases of various heights were filled with limes and lemons in water with floating candles. 

In a creative twist, name place cards doubled as favors for the wedding guests.

The unique, fabulous design was a collaboration between Aimee and Karen of Tropical Occasions and the bride, Clara.  

 

Lighting and DJ were executed by the incredibly talented Stephen Denton of Cabo Luna Event Rentals

Videography was provided by Mario Arroyo.

Enjoy a peek into Clara and Joey's unique wedding with these stunning photos courtesy of Ale Sura.

Thank you again Joey and Clara, we wish you a fabulous filled future as husband and wife. 

Felicidades

Karen, Isabel and Aimee of Tropical Occasions

 

Pretty Little Things, Real Weddings from 2010

The following is a mix of some fun weddings we did this season with some nice color combos and fun details. I feel so bad that we have been so busy I have had so little time to blog the many many great weddings we have been blessed with this year.

So here is a look at a few and I promise to share more eye candy soon....

Photos courtesy of El Velo Photography

Hope you enjoy! 

Aimee

 

Simon & Christina- Married at the Hilton Papagayo

 

Ralinda & David- Bahia del Sol, Playa Potrero

Alexandra & Edmonds - Villa Marrakesh, Playa Langosta

Suejily & Jeff - Villa Caletas, Playa Herradura

Old Fashioned Whimsical meets the Tropics

First off my apologies for the disappearing act over last few weeks, Every day goes by and I say I need to blog... day ends and next day I say same thing!  Alas, I am getting to it. So to make up for my lack in blogging  and what we have been up to....which is A LOT, thus the reason for no blogging time. I wanted to share a truly wonderful wedding we did with you. Many more to come... check back soon.

The minute I started working with this wonderful bride (Mrs. Jeanne Choi)  I knew I had met a fellow design enthusiast and all together amazing person. I loved every idea she brought to the planning table and we had a really fun time co creating a really beautiful event.  From the start we were like peas and carrots and the result as you will see was something very different than we usually produce- Jeanne thank you so much for the inspiration to bring old fashioned whimsical to the tropics, we miss you!

The Event was held on the private beach of Tuelmar Estates. Accommodations by Buena Vista Villas   Photos courtesy of the lovely and extremely talented Steve Stanton

 

Real Weddings- Lyndsay & Phil, Hacienda Pinilla, Guanacaste- Costa Rica

This entry will be a doozie so hope you enjoy it.  There are many reasons,  but the biggest two being that I was so completely taken with these clients. The telling point was when I was saying goodbye at the post wedding brunch and the brides mother and I started crying as we hugged goodbye... I just loved these people and each and every one of their guests were equally as amazing. I know we will forever be friends and having put such a lovely event together for them filled me with such love and pride. Secondly I was honored to work with not only one, but two incredibly talented photographers -  hats off to both Steve Stanton and Alec Vanderboom for these fabulous shots, you guys are the best!

The wedding was at the beautiful Hacienda Pinilla. events took place at the JW Marriott as well as luxury homes throughout property, the private beach front palapas. Lyndsay and Phil wanted their guests to fall as in love with Costa Rica as they have been for many years. based on the comments we heard from the guests, Mission accomplished.

The Rehearsal Dinner - a True cultural Tico experience, from a Marimba band, Folkloric dancers, a Costa Rican street Vendor Ice Cream Cart for dessert and even a full roasted pig or as we say in Costa Rica "El Chancho"!

 

 


  

The Wedding Day

The bride wore the most beautiful Monique Lhuillier I have ever seen, it had a removable skirt as you will see in the photos so she went from a full ballerina skirt during ceremony to a slinky sexy straight silhouette for the party. The style of the wedding was a new spin modern preppy meets the tropics. A white and green color palate was chosen and we let the vibrant colors of Costa Rica fill in the rest.

 













Thank you again to the entire Steuber and Norman Family, it was such an honor to be a part of this beautiful week and we wish you and all your friends a life full of love laughter and much happiness!

Your extended family at Tropical Occasions!