This journal is a small, deliberate space for studio notes — on the rituals, choices, and quiet details behind a destination wedding in Costa Rica. New entries each month, written by Madelyn Sánchez, for couples doing their own research before reaching out.
After eight years of planning weddings, the same conversations come up again and again. What makes a ceremony feel personal. When to fly in for a venue visit. Why one florist might be right for you and another wrong. What to ask a photographer before you book. This journal is where I share those answers, in writing, for anyone who finds their way here before we have a chance to speak.
The studio is intentionally small. Each wedding is designed exclusively for the couple it belongs to, and that means there is no template I can hand you, no PDF that captures what we actually do. What I can do is write — about decisions, vendors, places, and the small unscripted moments that turn a well-planned day into one your guests still talk about years later.
What you can expect here
One entry each month. Each one specific — a venue, a ritual, a vendor, a question I keep being asked. Not a content calendar. Not lifestyle filler. Studio notes, written so you might find something useful before you decide whether to write to me.
A few of the questions already on the list:
- Where in Costa Rica should we get married? A guide to choosing between Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, Nosara, Tamarindo, and Papagayo.
- The difference between a wedding planner and a coordinator, and why it matters for a destination wedding.
- How a symbolic ceremony actually works in Costa Rica, and why most international couples choose it over a legal one.
- When to fly in for your venue site visit, and what to look for once you're there.
Why now
For years I kept this work in inboxes and consultation rooms. The questions I'm asked most often deserve to be answered somewhere public — for the couple in Toronto who isn't ready to email yet, the bride researching at midnight, the photographer trying to understand how I work before sending a referral. The journal is for them, and for you.
If you have a question you'd like answered first, write to us. The next note is already being drafted.
Frequently asked
Do you offer wedding planning packages?
No. Every wedding at D'Luxe Events is designed individually. We do not sell predefined packages because we believe every couple deserves a celebration designed exclusively for them. After the first consultation, we propose a tailored scope based on your vision and the moments you most want to invest in.
Where in Costa Rica do you plan weddings?
Across the country — Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, Nosara, Tamarindo, the Papagayo Peninsula, the Central Valley, and the Caribbean coast. Each region carries a different atmosphere, and the right one depends on your vision for the day.
What languages do you offer ceremonies in?
English and Spanish. Madelyn Sánchez is a bilingual certified officiant for symbolic ceremonies, and we can coordinate trilingual ceremonies with specialist officiants when needed.
— Madelyn
Internationally Certified Wedding Planner · INIBEP · San José, Costa Rica