Lisa + Mike told us about how they met.. the old-fashioned way.. online via OkCupid! The conversation very appropriately started with jokes and talk of statistics. They both work in data science so they bonded immediately by geeking out on math stuff. On the first date, Mike made jokes trashing BMW drivers, and then on the second date, he found out that Lisa drove a BMW. They both laughed and that was the start of a lifelong game of picking on one another! Their conversations quickly turned to date ideas and then into adventures all over the world from trips to Ireland, Costa Rica, kayaking down the Silver River in Flordia, and exploring Little Baobab in San Francisco.
They both are obsessed with dogs - both their own and ones all over on the internet. They enjoy cooking together, fancy date nights, playing with the dogs at the park, hiking, traveling, watching tv shows cuddled up on the couch, reading, discussing cool books, having amazing conversations, and still geeking out about data science all this time later.
It wasn't long before Mike fell for Lisa. He said he loved her empathy for everyone she meets, her intelligence, her sense of humor, and that she's "f**king gorgeous!" Lisa said she loved that Mike is one of the genuinely kindest, most intelligent, interesting, and funniest people she had ever met. She fell for his easy-going and fun personality. She knew he was the one because of their deep understanding and respect for each other. She said that has played a key role in creating a successful relationship for them from the start. - We can second that!
A year after they had been dating, Mike set up an amazing proposal. He came up with the idea months in advance and recruited all of Lisa's closest friends to help. Mike planned a whole romantic day. He took Lisa to the ballet which she has loved since she was a little girl, then they walked around the Hayes Valley neighborhood in San Francisco to get drinks and some appetizers. Afterward, they went to the most gorgeous and delicious pop-up seafood dinner at the oldest hotel in San Francisco. Mike had arranged for all their friends and Lisa's mom to meet there under the guise that it would be more fun to enjoy the pop-up dinner surrounded by friends than strangers. At the beginning of the dinner, the chef came out to introduce himself and talk about the evening and brought two live crabs out with him. When he asked who wanted to hold the crabs, Mike's hand shot up. They held the crabs and laughed nervously before giving them back to the chef to take back to the kitchen. Lisa was distracted by all the commotion when Mike called her attention. She turned around to see Mike on one knee, popping the question and she screamed a very enthusiastic "Fuck Yes!". That of course led to an amazing night of celebrating with their friends and family.
They wasted no time planning their dream wedding. When we connected with them we asked "What do you look forward to most about being married?" Mike replied, "Spending the rest of my life with such a wonderful woman and starting a family together." Lisa said "Same! Spending countless days laughing, creating, growing, and having fun together. We work very well as a team so I'm looking forward to furthering building a life and sharing adventures together." From those answers alone we knew this wedding was going to be a special one.
After a little discussion, Lisa and Mike picked Costa Rica because they had enjoyed exploring Costa Rica together previously and loved the idea of sharing this beautiful paradise with their friends and family. They chose the Zephyr Palace because they loved the design of this venue and its location because it is close to so many things to do for the guests! We wanted their friends and family to feel completely taken care of. We arranged transportation for them from the airport to the hotel and welcomed them with adorable welcome packs for their stay. Inside were custom cookies and cake pops! A real treat after a long travel day.
For the wedding day, Lisa wanted the look to be soft, beautiful, and romantic. They knew choosing the decor could be relatively simple and elegant with whites, golds, light corals, and pinks because the venue itself is already very decorated! Lisa's number one request was cherry blossom flowers which are not available in Costa Rica but we were able to work a little magic to make her wish come true. We planned a romantic wedding ceremony over the famous view from Zephyr Palace followed by a cocktail hour at sunset. Everything was really elegantly decorated but with a laid-back feel. Lisa + Mike wanted their guests to feel like the atmosphere was joyous, easy-going, fun, and they wanted everyone to really enjoy mingling with one another.
For the reception, we focused on good food and fun tablescapes. The centerpieces were tall flower arrangements surrounded by floating candles in vases. The blush pink of the tablecloth complemented the colors and architecture in the ballroom, as well as, the beautifully painted ceiling. All of the guests signed a unique guestbook, it was a large wooden disk with their wedding date on it that they will cherish forever!
For late-night dessert, there was an assortment of fresh fruit, chocolate truffle with cognac, white chocolate truffles, and of course wedding cake! Just as the couple was feeding each other the cake, we had fireworks cued! Everyone headed out to the terrace and watched as the fireworks glistened off the water. Then the party really began! Absolutely everyone was on the dance floor at this wedding. It was a fun bunch. They enjoyed the picture booth and open bar until someone decided they wanted to take a quick dip in the pool. As soon as that rumor spread everyone was in for a swim! The entire wedding party jumped in together which was a great ending to a perfect night.
Testimonial
We don't even know where to begin in terms of how absolutely incredible, flawless, and just pretty much epic our wedding came out to be. Thank you all so so much - you hit it out of the ballpark!
Meghan – the biggest thank you for organizing a wedding not just of, but beyond our dreams – it was perfection! Practically all of our guests came up to say that this was their favorite wedding that they had been to and an unforgettable experience – the breathtaking decor, fantastic music (as I told him during the evening, Tmour absolutely killed it!), and flawless execution! And thank you for being quite patient with us in the weeks prior! We were doing everything quite last minute and appreciate your amazing communication, constant patience, guidance, and pro tips! You and your team are phenomenal, and we thank you for creating the most unforgettable day of our lives!
Cata – the decor, WOW WOW WOW! I heard guests commenting nonstop at how gorgeous everything looked (those centerpieces, and the candles playing with the water and the gold decor of the room, how grand that rectangular family table looked, amazing table settings, and those chairs – amazing choice, how gorgeous!!) – our jaws seriously dropped when we saw it all. I mean I know we discussed it for a while – but the way you brought the vision to life and made it into something so breathtaking – just phenomenal, we were completely blown away. It was so lovely to work together the past couple of months and you’re truly a master of your craft 🙂
Kristina – we’ve never been at a wedding where the guests were talking nonstop about how amazing the coordinator is. So chill and easy-going while completely running the show – thank you for making the day flawless. We had at least a dozen guests say “was there ANYTHING that went wrong today?! The wedding has been absolutely perfect!” And through it all Mike and I just had the most incredible time, when Michael Alvarado from the hotel pulled us aside at the end to tell us he’s really sorry the cocktail hour musicians couldn’t make it we couldn’t even remember what he was talking about, the evening was so smooth and awesome we forgot we even booked them!
Jaime – the flowers, those incredible centerpieces, that absolutely breathtaking arch, omg… all GORGEOUS!!! I mean, it looked like the most magical garden inside of a palace! And thank you for being so kind and flexible and giving me some special flowers last minute to make one of the bridesmaids extra stand out, you made her and my day 🙂 You and your team – absolutely amazing.
Muchísimas gracias otra vez! Pura vida!
Lisa and Mike
Zephyr Palace Wedding in Costa Rica Vendors
Guests Welcome Gifts: Cakeology
Florist: Flores de Campos
Photography: Jhankarlo
Videography: Dreamcatcher Wedding Films
DJ: DJ Timour
Stylist: Xinia Chacon
Rentals: DGala
Cake: Dulche Caprichio Pasteleria