Oh what a night!
We had a wonderful time with 90 of our closest friends and family over the past 12 days in Costa Rica. It was wonderful to have so many people join us in paradise for a little bit of everything: hiking, zip lining, and hot springs in Arenal to salsa dancing, surfing, and sailing at sunset in Tamarindo.
Thursday started with a group catamaran sailing trip on the Marlin del Rey. It was the best and biggest sail boat ride ever! We knew everyone on the boat (which made it so much more fun) and we were dancing, sunbathing, swimming and keeping the bartenders busy for 5 hours.
On Friday, Seth's parents hosted a delicious groom's birthday dinner at Dragonfly in Tamarindo - arguably the best restaurant in all of Costa Rica - fresh tuna fillets, salmon and tempura tuna sushi, linguini and raviolis, mashed potatoes and veggies and cake. The bar was busy there, too! After dinner, the owner surprised us with a live band and so everyone went outside and danced barefoot in the sand until our feet hurt and the place closed down. It was awesome!
Katie with the Peruvians who made the trip "Up North" for the wedding!
But the highlight for me was definitely saying our "I do's" on Saturday evening on the Tamarindo beach and then being serenaded by the latino trio singing "Besame." The wedding was fantastic - 1,000 times more perfect than I had planned! Everything from the orchids in my bouquet to the playlist we threw together to the birds of paradise centerpieces to the buffet and lactose-free cake - it was all perfect! At the end of the night, just about everyone got thrown or jumped in the pool (the groom was thrown in first and broke his glasses). Even my mom and I jumped in, hand in hand and in our dresses.
The ceremony at El Diria in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Walking into the reception as Mr. and Mrs. Benziger
Katie and JoAnn right before jumping in the pool!
The following week was R&R. We were able to lounge around the pools. Waking up and going out our sunset/ocean view porch to feel the Pacific ocean breeze calling our names. We spent the mornings surfing, boogie boarding or just jumping in the waves. Then we'd walk a mile or more along the beach and watch the slugs and crabs in the tide pools while the pelicans would fly up and dart down into the waves to catch their prey. We'd grab lunch at the swim-up poolside bar and then watch European soccer games all afternoon while basking in the sun. The best part was that every where we went, we'd run into our best friends or family! One day (when we were sick of running into our friends and family) we escaped to the Los Alto de Eros Spa for a couple's massage and romantic dinner. It was the best massage ever and much needed after all the stress of planning a vacation for 90 people and a wedding! After our massage, we were left alone to go in the jacuzzi and watch sunset but we were son interrupted by a dozen HUGE frogs and a few Howler monkeys (and we even saw an armadillo on the drive home). It was amazing!
It was hard to go home yesterday to the 10 degrees F and 18+ inches of fresh snow but it will be a trip that we will never forget and I'm sure we'll go back again soon!
Love,
Katie and Seth
P.S. More wedding photos to follow when I get the originals from our photographer! Here are some from my sister, Anne's Picasa album (click on the photo to see all of them):
Click the photo to see A LOT of great wedding photos by Seth's buddy Chris.
Click the photo to see my brother Dan's Picasa photos.
Click the photo below to see lots of photos from my bridal showers and some wedding photos from my mother, JoAnn:
