Pinwheels… We know about them, we all loved them when we were children, but, since our youth, when have we really had them around to enjoy for their whimsical wind powered mechanics? Sadly, I can not think of the last time pinwheels have been in my life, that is until last weeks wedding reception.

One of our destination brides from Boston packed an assortment of her favorite paper prints so that she was ready to quickly assemble her DIY pinwheels when she arrived. All of her guests ended up loving them… And why not? They are affordable, funky, perfectly chic decor accents that brides can easily design and assemble themselves!

Pinwheel Instructions ~

1. Begin with a square of paper.

2. Fold your square, corner to corner, then unfold.

3. Make a pencil mark about 1/3 of the way from the center.

4. Cut along fold lines. Stop at your pencil mark.

5. Bring every other point to the center and stick a pin through all four points

6. The head of the pin forms the hub of the wheel.

7. Turn your pinwheel over – make sure the pin pokes through the exact center.

8. Roll the pin around in little circles to enlarge the hole a little.  This guarantees your pinwheel  will spin freely.

9. Stick the pin into a thin dowel.

Photo Sources: Chasing Rainbows Kissing Frogs, Style me Pretty, Oh Happy Day, Instructions – Leslie Tryon, The Cupcake Chronicals

With the most stable government in all of Central America and tourism on the rise, Costa Rica has moved to the forefront of the destination wedding choices for many couples. This post is a brief overview of the country from a Costa Rica wedding planner perspective.

The Law: Attaining a marriage license in Costa Rica is a relatively easy and painless process.  Costa Rica marriage license laws can be found here.

The Geography: One thing that sets Costa Rica apart from other destination wedding locations is the diversity of its landscape. With a great variety of beaches, volcanoes, cloud forest and calm gulf waters, this country offers something for everyone.

The Lifestyle: The most common phrase that you will hear while travelling through Costa Rica is “pura vida” which translates to “the pure life”.  The beautiful people of this small country are considered to be some of the happiest people on earth. Their positive demeanor is absolutely contagious.

The Flowers: Costa Rica provides the ideal growing environment for orchids. The country boasts over 1300 varieties of orchids alone. Combine this with birds of paradise, many varieties of ginger, heliconia and bromeliads and you have yourself a stunning and locally harvested bouquet. The great thing about tropical flowers is that, not only are they beautiful and vibrant, but they are also hardy, so the wedding flowers can be enjoyed throughout the entire trip.

As we continue to explore all that this beautiful country has to offer, we fall further and further in love with it as the perfect destination wedding location. For additional information about our travels throughout Costa Rica, please check out our Insider Guide to Costa Rica.

According to Catherine Muller, a french floral designer recognized globally for her avant-garde designs, “Fruits and vegetables, always a key ingredient in the French bouquet, are especially au courant {current} this season.”

While an assortment of fruits appear in stylish designs coming out of urban centers around the globe, many couples are just starting to experiment with these sumptuous textures in their wedding floral designs. Aubergine Mission figs, kumquat branches, yellow cherry tomatoes, and Redbar kale are just a few of the unique ingredients that are now being paired with floral blooms in a variety of different designs. Parisian floral design masters were on to something  great when they incorporated these common farmers market items to create tres magnifique bouquets. Meander through your own local farmers market to find seasonal fruits and vegetables that will add sophisticated charm to your wedding day designs. If you are having a destination wedding in Costa Rica, wouldn’t it be fun to incorporate tropical fruit into your floral designs?

Photo Credits  1. Kirsten Juntunen | Four Winds Weddings & Events  2. Ariella Chezar 3. Teresa Halton Photography via Style me Pretty

{Source}  1. New York Food Company 2. Junie Moon 3. Style Me Pretty 4. Laura G Blogs

Beautiful and inspiring lighting can be achieved on any budget. Check out Luna Bizaar for over 20 varieties of Chinese lanterns. Sival Lighting is a great source for commercial grade string lights. If you are looking for candle lanterns, Wholesale Mart has a good variety of reasonably priced items.

For DIY brides that want to make your own, Beauty Addict has come up with a nice and tidy list of wedding day essentials.

Clothes: Static Guard, Febreze (see if you can find the mini bottle), Tide Pen, Double sided tape (I like Hollywood Fashion Tape in various sizes), White chalk (to disguise any stains on the gown), Packing tape (a friend recommended this and she’s right, it does everything from repairing headpieces and hems to removing lint), Sewing kit (w/ scissor), Safety pins

Face: Makeup for touchups, Mirror, Tissues, Blotting papers (I like Boscia), Revlon Makeup Eraser pen, Q-tips

Hair: Brush, Hairpins, Hairspray

Smile: Floss, Travel toothbrush and toothpaste, Gum, Mints

Nails: Clear nail polish, Super glue, Nail file

Body: Tampons, Deodorant, Advil/Tylenol/Motrin, Alka-Seltzer, Tums, Band-aids, Visine, Purell

Feet: Slippers, Various foot cushions (I like the Runaway Bride set from Foot Petals), Band-Aid Blister Blocks

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Manuel Antonio- This town has been on the tourist radar for many years now, so during peak holiday travel it can become flooded with travelers.  Don’t, however, let this sway you from visiting the area. What brings people to this area are the gorgeous ocean views and the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park. This protected stretch of coast land is home to hundreds of different species of birds, sloths and 3 types of monkeys. Since it is a mountainous coastline, the majority of accommodations are perched up high overlooking the Pacific ocean. Even though this area can get crowded, we consider it a must see if you are headed to Costa Rica’s central Pacific area.  It is the ideal location for honeymooners, families and backpackers alike. Accommodation Suggestions: Costa Verde and Buena Vista Villas.

Esterillos-  Although the sleepy town of Esterillos is just off the busy route from Jaco to Manuel Antonio National Park, you wouldn’t know it when you are walking on the beach. Most travelers drive right past this idyllic stretch of tropical coastline. The area is divided into Esterillos Oeste (west) Esterillos Centro and Esterillos Este (east). Each area is separated by a nature rich estuary, but it is, otherwise, one long stretch of beautiful beach. We visited several beautiful villas while in the area and were quite impressed by the panoramic views and solid construction of many of them. There are also several beach front hotels to suit a wide range of budgets. If you are imagining Costa Rica as an untouched natural wonderland with pristine beaches, then this town would make a great location for your next trip. It is truly unspoiled and not touristy, which is exactly what we love about it. It has great surf too! Accommodation Suggestions: Xandari, Encantada and Casa Exotica

Playa Hermosa- This world renowned surf spot attracts hardcore surfers from around the world. Known for its wave consistency and hollowness, Playa Hermosa is the perfect place to go for the active traveler that can handle advanced surf. This black sands beach is situated just 6 miles south of Jaco, but has a distinctly different flavor. It is considerably smaller than Jaco and mainly composed of beach side hotels and restaurants. Accommodation Suggestion: Backyard Hotel

Jaco- Located just 1 hour from San Jose’s Sanatamaria International Airport, it represents the closest beach stop for many city dwellers who are looking for a weekend getaway.  In the last 5 years or so, the town has experienced substantial growth with the addition of many new businesses and condo developments. Unfortunately, there are few zoning measures in this area and the new growth lacks any uniformity. Businesses use gaudy sign-age to attract the attention of would be customers and the result is rather hodge podge . What Jaco lacks in aesthetic and charm, it makes up for in amazing crafts and great bargains. We have found the best and most affordable souvenirs in this coastal town. If you are looking for something special to take home to loved ones, Jaco would make a great afternoon stop. Accommodation Suggestion: Doce Lunas

One of our friends in Costa Rica is the artist responsible for the hand carved signs found on most businesses in the beach town of Playa Tamarindo. The other day, he came over and presented a sign that he made for us as a gift. We were so thrilled that we put it up directly in the entryway to our office. After spending a few days admiring it, a light bulb went off. We have found the perfect personalized destination wedding gift. If you are a wedding guest looking for a signature gift for the wedding couple, then look no further. This would also make a great gift for the wedding party. How cool would it be to send your wedding guests home with an exotic wood memento from your destination wedding. For a personal touch, you could have the artist inscribe a special thank you message on the back of each sign.

Like many small businesses throughout Costa Rica, our friend Greivin Quiros Obando doesn’t have a website. If you are interested in having him create a custom sign for your event, please contact us at info@fourwindsweddings.com and we will forward your inquiry to him.

Stephanie Longoria of Roseville, California.

A big congratulations to Stephanie and thanks to everyone who participated.

1.) Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort: When we visited this hotel it really struck us as a the perfect first honeymoon stop in Costa Rica. The rooms are all well appointed with all of the luxury amenities of a 5 star hotel including a large Jacuzzi soaking tub, quality king sized bed and gorgeous furnishings. What really sets this hotel apart from others, however, is its location. As you might gather from its name, Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort contains some of the most gorgeous hot springs on the planet. The resort is situated in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. Arenal is one of the 10 most active volcanos in the world. On a clear night, the volcano can be seen spewing fire and ash from its crater.

2.) Los Altos de Eros Luxury Inn and Spa: If you have been a follower of our blog in the past, you will know that we are big fans of this small hotel (check out our previous blog post). Los Altos de Eros is unique in that it is located high up in the hills, overlooking the Guanacaste countryside and pacific ocean in the distance. With its location, the owners of the hotel have struck a balance between complete serenity and close proximity to surrounding tourist hotspots like Playa Tamarindo and Avellanas. They have several full time drivers on staff that will take you from the hotel to the destination of your choice. Spa de Eros is an opened air, but completely private area that allows for ultimate relaxation. We highly recommend the couples spa package, which includes your choice of three spa treatments and a delicious lunch.

photo: Bi-drop

3.) Ylang Ylang Beach Resort: This beach front hotel is actually comprised of several private stucco bungalows and is located in Montezuma, one of our favorite towns in Costa Rica. The resort has gorgeous manicured tropical gardens with paths that lead guests from the main facilities to the individual bungalows. The town of Montezuma is charmingly small with several restaurants and shops throughout. One of the largest attractions to this area besides the beaches are the Montezuma waterfalls. Located walking distance from town, these falls are a must see for cliff divers and nature lovers alike.

4.) Hotel Capitan Suizo: Located on the more private south end of Playa Tamarindo, the impeccably manicured grounds of this hotel are a jungle oasis in an area surrounded by dry forrest. Howler monkeys, flocks of birds and curious iguanas call this small sanctuary home. Capitan Suizo is a swiss owned boutique hotel with arguably one of the best beachside pools in all of Tamarindo. The honeymoon bungalow is tucked away on one of the many winding paths that line the grounds. It has a spacious living space with a patio that faces the ocean, a large Jacuzzi soaking tub and a very comfortable bed. Every friday night (from December to May), Capitan Suizo hosts a beach side barbeque where guests can feast on a large assortment tasty food. After dinner, everyone is treated to the traditional dance and music of the Guanacaste. There is a marimba band that plays throughout the evening.

5.) Hotel Punta Isleta: Located in the decidedly less touristy area of Samara, this beautiful hotel provides all the privacy that one might want in honeymoon destination. We recommend staying in one of the casitas (spanish for little house). Each casita is beautifully furnished with rustic, but elegant furniture. Step outside and you will discover a private patio and plunge pool where sunbathing and general relaxing can take place. What is unique about this property is that, while it is perched in the hills overlooking Samara bay, the hotel also has a beachside facility with an amazing pool, swim up bar, private lounge area and a casual restaurant. This hotel truly captures the best of both worlds!

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