Wedding Destination: Costa Rica
It was July 2018 when we weren’t social distancing and were allowed to get on planes. My best friend, Jillian asked me to be in her wedding and of course, I said yes! She decided that she was going to have it in Costa Rica. I was ecstactic because she chose a location that was unique and I had never been there before.
Costa Rica’s ‘Pura Vida’ is one of the most popular destinations in Central America. It is known for their plethora of wildlife, good food, and friendly people.
We stayed at the Hotel RIU Guanacaste which is a 24- hour all inclusive resort. It is located directly on Matapalo beach, next to the Riu Palace Costa Rica. You are given a wristband for the duration of your stay on the resort when you book with the bride and groom’s party. This allows you access to the resort. The resort is a family environment. We celebrated their son, Jonah’s 2nd birthday during our last dinner, we had the whole pool TURNT playing flipcup, and celebrated Jillian’s wedding eve with desserts and good laughs.
The bridal party and guests did some group excursions as well. This really brought us together to bond with close family and friends.
Diamante Adventure Park is located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It offers zip line courses, ATV trucks, and other excursions. Also, they have a wildlife sanctuary that allows you to feed the animals and go on a tour. It is best to make reservations in advance before you go. Some of the excursions can be all day or 2 hours, depending on what you choose. I chose zip lining since that is what Costa Rica is known for. We picked the Superman Zip Line Aerial Pass. This was my first time zip lining and it was scary, but a memory that I will never forget.
Playas del Coco is one of the oldest beach communities in the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This area has a strip of sounvenir shops and grocery stores. You can spend the day at the beach as well. We took a shuttle from the resort to our destination. The shuttles run every 30-45 minutes I believe.
I didn’t want to do too much off the resort since our focus was the wedding. However, I do plan on going back to explore other areas.
Wedding Day: Jillian and Jeremiah’s wedding took place on the 4th- floor terrace of the RIU Hotel. Just imagine the breathtaking view and the sunset. It was beautifully executed and magical. 🍾
