Costa Rica Wedding Photographer
The Simple
Elegance of
Being in Love
Documentary and editorial destination wedding photography for couples who want to feel their day, not perform it.
18 Years Experience · 300+ Couples · Previews Within 72 Hours · Travel Fees included Across Costa Rica & Barcelona
Photographs that feel lived, not staged.
Recognized by
My work as a Costa Rica destination wedding photographer has been featured or recognized by MyWed, WeddingWire, Fearless Photographers, ISPWP, The New York Times, HuffPost, Iberia and Bored Panda.
SELECTED FRAGMENTS
Weddings remembered in fragments.
The gestures, weather, movement and small moments that make a celebration feel like itself.
CRISSORAMA FILMS
Beautifully unplanned.
The people, the movement and the moments nobody could have planned. This is what I want you to remember.
01 / THE APPROACH
You should remember the people, not the posing.
I’m Christopher Alga, the photographer behind Crissorama. I photograph destination weddings across Costa Rica and Barcelona with an editorial & documentary photography approach that’s calm, observant, and gently directed when needed.
You don’t need to know how to pose or spend your wedding day performing for a camera. I’ll step in when direction helps, and disappear when the moment matters more than the photograph.
NOT YOUR TYPICAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
I came to weddings through documentary photography.
I did not come from the traditional wedding world. I trained with photojournalists who document real-life events, which shaped the way I see weddings: not as staged productions, but as living stories.
I bring that documentary instinct together with an artistic eye, analog film, and cinematic storytelling, so your final archive feels natural, atmospheric, and true to the experience.
No cookie-cutter posing. No forced performance. Just honest energy, thoughtful composition, and memory preserved with intention.
Documentary instinct. Editorial restraint.
A Wedding Archive,
not just coverage.
I don’t see a wedding as a set number of hours to photograph. I see it as a story to preserve.
The people, the voices, the music, the landscape, the unexpected moments, the things you touched, kept, heard and felt.
I bring digital photography, analog film, Super 8, audio, motion and physical keepsakes together to create something bigger than a wedding gallery: your wedding archive.
Some stories become photographs. Some become films. Some live in sound, grain, movement and objects.
The goal isn’t to make your wedding look perfect. It’s to make sure you can remember what it felt like.
02 / THE UNPLANNED
The part you couldn’t plan.
Kelsey and Colin planned every detail, but they didn’t plan for the sudden breeze that swept her veil just as he turned around. That unguarded wonder became their favorite image. I find the moments you didn’t plan, wherever your story takes you.
WHY COUPLES CHOOSE CRISSORAMA
Presence over perfection.
Not because they want perfect poses. Most couples who reach out care more about presence than perfection, and want imagery that feels lived-in, atmospheric, and emotionally real.
- Honest, unscripted moments over staged performances
- A calm presence that helps the day feel natural
- Cinematic imagery with emotional depth and atmosphere
- The texture of analog film and Super 8 alongside digital photography
- A cohesive photo and film experience instead of disconnected teams
- An artist’s perspective rather than a formulaic wedding approach
- Someone who understands destination weddings emotionally and logistically
03 / THE EXPERIENCE
Transparent pricing.
No hidden travel fees.
Most couples spend $3,500–$5,000 for comprehensive wedding coverage. Travel anywhere in Costa Rica is included, with previews within 72 hours, full printing rights and a carefully backed-up archive.
Wedding collections begin at $3,500. Elopements begin at $2,200.
Every collection is publicly priced, built around real wedding timelines rather than hourly limits, and comes without surprise add-ons.
How we plan together.
- Vibe call.I reply personally within 24 hours and learn about your wedding: the location, guest count, atmosphere, and what you most want to remember.
- Timeline guidance.I help you plan around Costa Rica’s light, weather, and travel. We protect the best light without letting photography run the day.
- The celebration.You stay present with your people. I document what unfolds: the emotion, movement, light, and in-between moments.
- Delivery.A 72-hour sneak peek, your full high-resolution gallery in 2 to 3 weeks, and wedding films in 4 to 6 weeks.
IN THEIR WORDS
“Neither of us is very comfortable in front of a camera, but Christopher made sure we didn’t feel like we were posing.”
— Elle & Omesh
Christopher was amazing!! Everything he planned and all the photos he took turned out amazing. He was very knowledgeable about the area and we got our photos back super quickly!
Chris was an incredible photographer/person who made us feel super comfortable and took amazing engagement photos for us. He captured everything beautifully and was extremely flexible. Best photographer in Costa Rica!
Highly recommend Crissorama! He went above and beyond while helping to plan my surprise proposal and did an amazing job capturing the moment. I was a first time tourist to Costa Rica, so he suggested multiple scenic locations/hidden gems and even called several on my behalf to make sure all my questions were answered. He was incredibly responsive, flexible, and truly talented with a camera. Thanks Christopher!
We were looking for a photographer who really understood what we wanted for our elopement. Christopher was by far the best choice we could have ever hoped for. He truly cared about us having the best possible experience and made us feel at ease throughout the day. He took time out to talk to us before we decided, just to get to know us and what we were looking for. When Christopher found out we hadn’t fully planned our trip, he asked about the dates we were staying in Costa Rica and asked what types of things we enjoyed. He then planned an itinerary with recommendations. Christopher truly went above and beyond for us. Not only that, he stayed in constant communication with us and really made us feel taken care of. On top of all of this, Christopher took amazing pictures for us throughout the whole day and recorded our wedding vows. Neither of us is very comfortable in front of a camera, but Christopher made sure we didn’t feel like we were posing or that we were in any way awkward about the whole situation. In fact, it was one of the best days of our lives, and I’m so grateful that Christopher was there to take our photos. We look back at them with such fondness and happiness, and I would encourage you, if you need someone to capture your wedding day in Costa Rica, please pick Christopher.
People move differently when the landscape becomes part of the day.
04 / A SENSE OF PLACE
Look closer.
Costa Rica isn’t just the backdrop. It changes the story.
The coast changes the light. Rain changes the rhythm. Heat pulls dinner outside. Wind moves a veil before anyone can arrange it. In the rainforest, people gather closer; by the ocean, everything opens up.
After years photographing weddings across the country, I plan around those differences rather than trying to make every place behave the same way.
Costa Rica may look small on a map, but choosing the wrong location can completely change your wedding experience. This is why I help couples think about locations based on how they want the day to feel, not only how it looks.
- Beach locationsSunset ceremonies, open landscapes, relaxed celebrations
- Jungle regionsIntimate elopements, texture, immersive atmosphere
- Mountain areasDramatic views, cooler climates, slower timelines
- Multi-day destinationsWelcome dinners, wedding weekends, fuller story archives
PapagayoLuxury resorts · sheltered beaches · dry tropical coast
TamarindoPacific sunsets · villas · relaxed Guanacaste rhythm
Playa ConchalShell-sand beach · Reserva Conchal resorts · wedding weekends
NosaraWild surf beaches · boutique villas · slow Pacific mornings
Manuel AntonioRainforest meets the ocean · hillside terraces · private villas
Arenal & La FortunaVolcano views · hot springs · green-season mist
MonteverdeCloud forest · cooler air · slower timelines
DominicalDense jungle · family villas · the wilder South Pacific
Osa PeninsulaBoat access · Corcovado rainforest · far from everything
Explore Costa RicaRainforest · volcano · coast · cloud forest →
What are you planning?
Start with the kind of story you’re here for.
Weddings
Full days and multi-day celebrations.
Elopements
Intentional days with room to explore.
Proposals
Quietly planned, genuinely surprising.
Families
Vacations, reunions and growing years.
05 / FILM & MEMORY
Film, texture, and the beauty of imperfection.
I use 35mm, medium format and Super 8 not only for nostalgia, but because each medium remembers differently.
A digital frame catches the instant. Film slows the eye. Super 8 lets movement, grain and sound carry what a still photograph cannot.
Not perfected. Remembered.
STILL → STILL → STILL → MOVEMENT / SUPER 8
06 / COMPLETE STORIES
Selected wedding stories.
A photograph can hold a moment. A full gallery shows what happened before it, what came after, and how the whole day moved.
BEFORE YOU START PLANNING AROUND THE PHOTOGRAPHY
A few practical things worth knowing.
The photographs should feel effortless. The planning behind them should not be guesswork.
How much does a destination wedding photographer in Costa Rica cost?
Professional Costa Rica wedding photography collections typically begin at $3,500 for weddings, while elopement collections begin at $2,200. Most couples spend between $3,500 and $5,000 depending on location, timeline, guest count, and whether they want photography only or a fuller archive with cinematic film, analog photography, Super 8, and multi-day coverage.
Do you photograph weddings across all of Costa Rica?
Yes. I document celebrations nationwide. Whether you need a Tamarindo wedding photographer, an adventurous session in La Fortuna, or an intimate elopement in Manuel Antonio, I travel wherever your story takes place. Familiarity with Costa Rica’s microclimates, from dry Guanacaste heat to South Pacific humidity, helps me plan around the season and location.
Why hire a local Costa Rica wedding photographer instead of flying one in?
Hiring a local expert is not about saving money. It is about avoiding mistakes. In 18 years photographing weddings here, I have learned how fast the equatorial light shifts, how tides and rainforest terrain affect timing, and how to plan around venues and microclimates without making photography run the day.
What happens if it rains during our wedding?
Rain is part of the tropics. I carry weather-sealed gear and plan backup options with usable natural light. A light mist or the minutes after a storm can create some of the most atmospheric photographs of the day. We do not need to fight the weather. We need a plan that gives us room to use it.
We are camera-shy. How do you handle portraits?
Most of my couples tell me they are not comfortable in front of the camera. I guide you just enough so nothing feels awkward, while giving you space to be yourselves. You do not need to know how to pose. I also keep important family and group portraits efficient so you can get back to celebrating.
How far in advance should we book our destination wedding?
Most couples book 9 to 15 months in advance, especially for high-season dates between December and April. Last-minute availability does happen, so it is always worth reaching out. Once you contact me, you can expect a personal response within 24 hours to talk through your plans.
AND THEN, SOMEHOW, THE DAY IS OVER.
What remains is how it felt.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Tell me what you’re imagining.
A wedding in the rainforest, a few days with everyone you love, or something you haven’t quite figured out yet. Tell me what you know so far. I’ll read your message personally and help you take the next step.
