A jungle wedding in Dominical, Costa Rica was a natural choice for Nikki and Alonso. Nikki’s family owns a home in the mountains above Dominical, so instead of choosing a hotel or established wedding venue, they invited around 100 people into a place that was already part of their family life.

The wedding at a glance

• Couple: Nikki and Alonso
• Venue: Nikki’s family home in the mountains above Dominical
• Guests: Around 100
• Ceremony: A shamanic ceremony with a Catholic tradition for Alonso’s family
• Season: Green season, with a tent ready for the rain

Planning in this area? Read my Dominical wedding photographer guide and my Costa Rica wedding venues guide, or see how I work as a Costa Rica wedding photographer.

Alonso is Costa Rican and Nikki is from the United States. They’re both relaxed, slightly hippie in spirit, and wanted a wedding that felt like them rather than something overly formal.

The ceremony brought together a shamanic ceremony and a traditional Catholic element for Alonso’s family. The rain came, as it often does in green-season Dominical. Nobody panicked.

They had planned for it.

A Private Villa for a Jungle Wedding in Dominical

This wasn’t a villa rented for the weekend.

It was Nikki’s father’s private home, a modern house surrounded by gardens and dense jungle in the mountains of Dominical.

That changes the feeling of a wedding.

There aren’t other hotel guests passing through, another wedding scheduled for the following day or tourists appearing in the background. The property belongs to the family, and for the day it could simply become their wedding venue.

I started photographing early in the morning, around breakfast and getting ready, and stayed through the party until midnight.

The ceremony was planned for the garden.

Because this was green season, rain wasn’t treated as an unexpected emergency. They already had a tent for the ceremony, and the house itself could accommodate the reception.

That is exactly how I think a green-season wedding in this part of Costa Rica should be planned.

You don’t spend the week hoping it won’t rain.

You make a plan that works if it does.

My Costa Rica green-season wedding guide explores that preparation in more detail. If you’re comparing a private home with other settings, start with the Costa Rica wedding locations guide.

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A Shamanic Ceremony and a Catholic Tradition

One of the things I remember most about Nikki and Alonso’s wedding was the ceremony itself.

They had a shaman woman involved in the ceremony, but they also incorporated a traditional Catholic part because that was important to Alonso’s family.

I liked that combination because it didn’t feel as though the wedding had been designed to fit neatly into one category.

It reflected the people who were actually there.

Around 100 friends and family gathered in the garden while the jungle and cloudy Dominical weather became part of the setting.

And then the schedule began to move.

The ceremony lasted longer than expected, and the rain meant that the portrait plan I might have used on a clear afternoon was no longer possible.

That’s where experience matters more than having a perfect timeline.

When the Rain Changes the Portrait Plan

Dominical in green season is not somewhere I would build an entire wedding photography plan around a guaranteed sunset.

The ceremony ran longer than expected, evening arrived, and it was raining.

So instead of trying to force outdoor portraits into conditions that weren’t giving us what we needed, we worked inside the villa.

That wasn’t the original idea, but it became the right one.

A private home gives you something an outdoor-only location doesn’t: rooms, windows, architecture, covered areas and existing light that you can use when the weather changes.

The villa was modern, and although moving around with approximately 100 guests in a relatively small private property could be tight, everyone was relaxed about it.

That made a difference.

Wedding photography doesn’t always require solving a dramatic problem. Sometimes it’s simply recognizing that the original plan is no longer the best one and moving on without making the couple feel that something has gone wrong.

Photographing a Rainy Dominical Wedding

I photographed Nikki and Alonso’s wedding digitally with a Canon 5D Mark III and Canon L-series prime lenses: a 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.2 and 85mm f/1.2.

There were two photographers, which Nikki and Alonso had specifically requested.

For most of the day, I worked with the natural light available at the house. The overcast sky actually gave us very even light in the garden.

I also carried a Canon 600RT flash, using it when the existing light wasn’t enough.

The house had its own lighting, although it wasn’t particularly bright. Rather than trying to make every part of the property look artificially illuminated, I worked with what was already there and introduced flash where it helped.

The difficult part wasn’t darkness.

It was space.

A hundred people inside and around a private home is very different from photographing the same number of guests in a purpose-built ballroom. You have to keep moving, anticipate where people are going and work without making an already busy space feel even more crowded.

The Terrace and the Dominical Jungle

One of my favorite places for photographs at the property was the terrace.

From there, the house opened toward the landscape, with jungle surrounding the property and views across the mountains toward the Pacific.

The gardens were another important part of it.

Dominical doesn’t give you the manicured tropical feeling of a large resort. The vegetation is dense. The mountains rise directly behind the coast. During green season, everything feels saturated with water and intensely green.

That environment was a major part of Nikki and Alonso’s wedding even though we never needed to leave the property.

And because it was a private family home, there was nobody else around.

No tourists.

No hotel guests.

Just the wedding.

What a Dominical Wedding Actually Feels Like

Dominical is very different from Guanacaste.

If you’re choosing between them, you’re not simply choosing between two Costa Rica beach destinations.

The landscape changes.

Dominical sits in a much wetter part of the Pacific coast. The jungle is dense, humidity is part of everyday life, and particularly during green season, I would never promise a couple that they’re going to have a clear sunset.

But that’s also why it looks the way it does.

The vegetation is extraordinarily lush, the mountains come close to the ocean, and the whole area feels less developed and more immersed in nature than many of Costa Rica’s larger wedding destinations.

Vendor logistics can require a little more planning too.

Many vendors serving weddings in Dominical travel from San José or elsewhere along the Central Pacific, whereas in Guanacaste there is a larger wedding industry already concentrated around the main destination areas.

That doesn’t make a Dominical wedding difficult.

It just means you should plan it accordingly.

Green Season in Dominical: Plan for Rain, Don’t Fear It

This wedding is a good example.

It rained.

The ceremony still happened.

The reception still happened.

We still made portraits.

And the party was crazy.

The important difference was that Nikki and Alonso hadn’t created a wedding where everything depended on the weather behaving perfectly.

There was a tent for the ceremony and an indoor option for the reception. When rain and timing changed our portrait plan, we photographed inside.

If you’re getting married in Dominical during green season, that’s the approach I recommend.

Have an outdoor plan you love.

And have an indoor plan you also like.

Then you don’t have to spend your wedding looking at a weather app.

The Logistics of a Private Villa Wedding in Dominical

There is one thing I would pay particular attention to if you’re planning a wedding at a private home in the mountains around Dominical:

transportation.

Many of these homes are accessed by mountain roads where a 4×4 can be important, and private properties usually don’t have parking for dozens of guest vehicles.

For a wedding of this size, I would coordinate transportation rather than asking everyone to find their own way.

Bring guests up in organized groups and allow plenty of time.

There is a useful consequence to that approach too: the arrival can become part of the wedding.

Have drinks, food or something simple waiting for the guests who arrive first instead of treating the time as dead space while everyone else makes their way up the mountain.

For accommodation, I would generally keep guests around downtown Dominical and organize transportation between town and the wedding property.

It is much easier than trying to coordinate dozens of separate cars on unfamiliar mountain roads.

Who a Dominical Wedding Is For

Dominical works particularly well for couples who want Costa Rica to feel present in their wedding rather than simply visible behind it.

It is humid.

It rains.

The jungle is dense.

The roads into the mountains can require some planning.

But you’re rewarded with privacy, extraordinary greenery and a part of the Pacific coast that still feels much wilder than Costa Rica’s larger resort areas.

For Nikki and Alonso, there was another reason this worked so well.

This wasn’t simply a beautiful villa they found online.

It was part of their family.

Their dog was there. Their families were there. A shamanic ceremony could exist alongside a Catholic tradition. One hundred people could squeeze together when the rain came. And when the formal parts were finished, everybody could dance until midnight.

That’s much more interesting to me than perfect weather.

Planning a Wedding in Dominical?

If you’re considering a private villa, jungle property or wedding venue around Dominical and Costa Rica’s South Pacific, I can help you think through the day from a photography perspective, including light, rain, timing and what actually works in this part of the country.

A Hotel Costa Verde wedding in Manuel Antonio gave Joelle and Levi a different kind of Costa Rica destination wedding. With around 150 guests, they chose the hotel’s terrace instead of a beach ceremony, brought in a traditional Costa Rican folklore performance because Joelle is originally from Costa Rica, and finished the night with a DJ who was also a friend of theirs.

The wedding at a glance

• Couple: Joelle and Levi, from New York
• Venue: Hotel Costa Verde
• Location: Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
• Guests: Around 150
• Ceremony: On the hotel terrace instead of the beach
• Reception: A Costa Rican folklore performance, then a DJ until midnight

Planning in this area? Read my Manuel Antonio wedding photographer guide and my Costa Rica wedding venues guide, or see how I work as a Costa Rica wedding photographer.

It was a wedding with two very different kinds of energy. The evening started with traditional music, colorful costumes and dancing, and later turned into a full dance floor that stayed busy until midnight.

The Story: A Costa Rican Wedding With a New York Twist

Joelle and Levi came from New York, but Costa Rica was an important part of their story. Joelle is originally from Costa Rica, so having a traditional Costa Rican folklore performance was a meaningful part of the reception.

The wedding took place on the terrace at Hotel Costa Verde, with around 150 guests.

Rather than having a traditional beach ceremony, they chose to celebrate at the hotel. That gave the wedding a different atmosphere from many of the beach weddings I photograph around Manuel Antonio.

The folklore performance took place during the reception, from around 7:00 to 7:30 in the evening.

The dancers arrived in traditional outfits, accompanied by live instruments, and performed traditional Costa Rican dances. The colors, movement and music completely changed the atmosphere of the terrace.

Then the party changed direction.

After the folklore performance, the DJ took over and kept everyone dancing until around midnight.

The DJ was also a friend of Joelle and Levi, which helped give the reception a very relaxed feeling. Joelle and Levi themselves were super cool and relaxed throughout the wedding, and over time they became great friends of mine.

And then there was Levi’s father, who was a character in his own right and added plenty of personality to the day.

The Photographer’s Perspective: Photographing a Wedding That Keeps Changing

One of the things I like about weddings is that the atmosphere can change completely within a few minutes.

At Hotel Costa Verde, the evening moved from a traditional Costa Rican performance with live instruments and colorful clothing into a completely different kind of celebration with music, friends and a packed dance floor.

My approach was to let the light that was already there do as much of the work as possible.

The terrace had plenty of existing light, so I used it whenever I could. For the reception, I introduced flash when it was needed, using a Canon 600RT.

The idea wasn’t to make everything look like it had been lit by a flash. I wanted to keep the atmosphere of the room and the light that was already part of the wedding.

That became particularly important once the dance floor filled up.

The Technical Side: Canon 5D Mark III and Fixed Lenses

I photographed the wedding with a Canon 5D Mark III and Canon L-series fixed lenses.

My approach was simple: work with the existing light as much as possible, and introduce flash when the reception needed it.

For the folklore performance, the existing light and the atmosphere of the terrace were important. The colorful traditional clothing, live instruments and movement already gave me plenty to work with.

Later, when the reception became darker and the dance floor took over, I used the Canon 600RT flash.

Flash can sometimes make a reception feel disconnected from the environment if it is used without considering the existing light. I prefer to first understand what light is already there and then use flash to support it.

The goal is still to photograph what the wedding actually felt like.

For the portraits I carried the 35mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.2 on a Holdfast Moneymaker harness, so both lenses were always at hand. The 35mm gave me the wider scenes with the Manuel Antonio coastline. The 85mm let me stay back and photograph the closer, quieter moments without getting in their space.

An Insider’s Look at Hotel Costa Verde

One of the things I like about Hotel Costa Verde is that it offers a strong alternative for couples who don’t want their ceremony on the beach.

The terrace is particularly interesting because of its relationship with the surrounding Manuel Antonio landscape. It also has beautiful light around sunset, which makes it a natural place to continue photographing the couple after the ceremony and during the transition into the reception.

The gardens around the hotel are another useful part of the property.

They give you a chance to photograph the greenery that makes Manuel Antonio such a distinctive place without needing to leave the hotel. For couples who want photographs that feel connected to Costa Rica but don’t necessarily want every photograph to be on the beach, that is a real advantage.

We photographed around the hotel and used those different environments throughout the day.

The terrace gives you the views and the changing light. The gardens give you the tropical greenery. And then the reception brings everyone back together.

That variety means you don’t have to build the whole photographic experience around one location.

The Tropical Wall and the Bridge

You don’t always need your toes in the sand to show you’re in Costa Rica. Most photographers at Hotel Costa Verde head straight for the beach. We found a quieter side of the terrace instead: a lush wall of palms and native trees that kept the jungle front and center in Joelle and Levi’s portraits.

We used the bridge on the property for their first look. It looks beautiful, but what it really gave them was privacy. In the middle of a wedding day, a quiet corner where a couple can just be together matters more than any backdrop.

Joelle and Levi told me early on that they didn’t want the usual sunset poses. I spent the getting ready and the ceremony watching how they moved and talked to each other, so by the time we got to portraits I wasn’t really posing them. I was guiding them into moments that already felt like them.

Why a Hotel Wedding Can Be the Right Choice in Manuel Antonio

When people think about getting married in Manuel Antonio, the first image that often comes to mind is a beach ceremony.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Hotel Costa Verde offers another option. You can have your ceremony and reception in one place while still having access to the landscape and greenery that make the area special.

For Joelle and Levi, that worked particularly well because the wedding itself was the focus.

The terrace provided a beautiful setting for the celebration, the gardens offered another environment for photographs, and the reception gave them enough space for a large group of around 150 people.

And because the folklore performance was part of the reception, the venue became more than just a backdrop. It was the place where their New York life and Joelle’s Costa Rican background came together.

A Wedding That Brought Two Worlds Together

Joelle and Levi’s wedding wasn’t trying to look like a traditional destination wedding.

It was personal.

A couple from New York. A Costa Rican folklore performance because Costa Rica was part of Joelle’s story. A friend providing the music later in the night. Around 150 people celebrating together on a terrace overlooking Manuel Antonio.

For me, that’s what makes a wedding interesting to photograph.

The venue matters, but what people bring to the venue matters even more.

Hotel Costa Verde gave Joelle and Levi the terrace, the gardens and the Manuel Antonio landscape. They filled it with their people, their music and their own connection to Costa Rica.

And that’s what I remember most about the day.

Planning a Wedding at Hotel Costa Verde?

If you’re considering Hotel Costa Verde for your Manuel Antonio wedding and want to know what the day can look like from a photographer’s perspective, I’d be happy to talk through your plans.

CC Beachfront Papagayo Wedding Photographer. Planning a “wellness” resort wedding at CC Beachfront Papagayo is about embracing the natural rhythm of the ocean and the sun. For Brittany and Michael, their celebration was a beautiful reflection of this philosophy, but it came with a distinct technical challenge: the timing of their ceremony meant we were working with the most intense, harsh sunlight of the Guanacaste afternoon.

Mastering the High-Sun Challenge: Creative Exposure

Many couples fear an early ceremony because of “flat” or “harsh” lighting. However, after over 18 years of navigating the Costa Rican sun, I’ve learned to view light and shadow as creative tools rather than obstacles.

Instead of fighting the sun, I controlled the exposure to use those high-contrast shadows creatively. The result is a gallery of unique, editorial-style images that feel intentional and bold. In post-production, As Costa Rica wedding photographer who maintained my commitment to true-to-color skin tones, ensuring the vibrant blues of the Papagayo Peninsula were preserved while applying my signature film-like look for a timeless, nostalgic finish.

Technical Soul: The Agility of Prime Lenses

Brittany and Michael wanted a pure documentary experience, which meant keeping the gear as unobtrusive as possible. I relied on my Canon DSLRs paired with the 35mm f/1.4 and 50mm f/1.2.

Using a Holdfast Moneymaker harness, I was able to transition instantly from the wide, environmental storytelling of the 35mm to the intimate, “human-eye” perspective of the 50mm. This setup allowed me to avoid flash during the day, preserving the organic mood of the wellness resort. We only introduced artificial light during the reception to capture the high-energy, vibrant motion of the dance floor.

Expert Advice: Why You Shouldn’t Fear an Early Ceremony

If you are planning your wedding at CC Beachfront Papagayo and are worried about a 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. ceremony due to the heat or hard light, don’t be.

Often, couples choose an earlier time to avoid the late-afternoon tropical rain showers. A photographer with deep experience in natural light can work around the “harsh” sun to deliver stunning, high-contrast images. Furthermore, an earlier ceremony buys you something incredibly valuable: more time for the cocktail hour and blue hour portraits.

Candid, vibrant images of you celebrating with friends and family during the sunset are a massive trend right now. By starting earlier, you ensure you don’t miss a single minute of that magical twilight light with your guests.

Ready to Capture Your Story?

If you’re looking for a CC Beachfront Papagayo wedding photographer who knows how to master the light, from the harsh midday sun to the quiet indigo of the afterglow, I’d love to chat. With a decade and a half of experience in the destination industry, I’m here to make sure your only job is to be present.

Westin Conchal Wedding Photographer. The Westin Reserva Conchal is undeniably one of the most versatile and luxurious backdrops in Guanacaste. However, for a photographer, the Guanacaste sun is as demanding as it is beautiful. For Evon and Adam’s wedding, the challenge wasn’t just about the scenery; it was about the technical precision required to document a mixed-race couple under the intense, high-contrast light of the Pacific coast.

The Technical Balance: Skin Tones and True-to-Color Editing

When documenting a couple with different skin tones, in this case, African American and White, the margin for error in exposure is razor-thin. If you expose for the highlights, you lose the richness of deeper skin tones; if you expose for the shadows, you blow out the details in the white wedding dress or the groom’s skin.

With over 18 years of experience in natural light, my approach was to control the exposure manually in-camera to preserve as much “data” as possible. In post-production, I utilized a true-to-color editing style. While many photographers lean into heavy filters, I believe in maintaining the authentic beauty of my couples’ complexions. I blended this accuracy with my signature film-like look, ensuring the colors remained vibrant and real, but with that nostalgic, timeless soul that digital-only editing often lacks.

Agility and Aperture: The Power of Prime Lenses

To maintain the “pure documentary” feel Evon and Adam requested, I avoided using flash during the ceremony and portraits. I relied on my Canon DSLRs equipped with two of the most iconic pieces of glass in the industry: the 35mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.2.

Wearing these on a Holdfast Moneymaker harness allowed me to switch instantly between wide-angle environmental shots and tight, emotional portraits. Shooting at ultra-wide apertures (like f/1.2) is what allowed us to capture that creamy, blurred background while working with nothing but the fading Costa Rican sun. We only introduced flash during the reception to transform the dance floor into a vibrant, high-energy celebration.

Expert Advice for Your Westin Conchal Wedding

If you are planning your celebration at Reserva Conchal, here is my veteran tip: Give your timeline room to breathe.

Because the Westin is so architecturally diverse, from the beach to the forest-like suites, you have an incredible range of photo opportunities. Allowing more time for the portraits of the bride, the wedding party, and the groom means we can utilize the entire resort rather than rushing through just one location. With the right amount of time, your gallery can be truly outstanding, showcasing every facet of your luxury experience.

Ready to Capture Your Story?

If you’re looking for a Westin Conchal wedding photographer who understands the technical nuances of light and values a “true-to-color” legacy, I’d love to chat. With a decade and a half of experience navigating the unique challenges of Costa Rican weddings, I’m here to make sure your only job is to be present.