The journal / Styled shoots / Las Catalinas

Camila & Piero’s minimalist tropical styled shoot.A STYLED SHOOT AT LAS CATALINAS, COSTA RICA

Soft tones, structured florals and old-world charm, designed so a real couple could recreate it for their own wedding.LAS CATALINAS · HOTEL SANTARENA
Camila and Piero raising wine glasses at a styled table, she kisses his cheek, Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
CAMILA & PIERO · LAS CATALINASPHOTOGRAPHY BY ADRI MENDEZ

MINIMALIST TROPICAL WEDDING IN COSTA RICA · STYLED SHOOT

This is a minimalist tropical wedding in Costa Rica, designed and photographed as a styled shoot, not a wedding day. We made it with Camila and Piero at Las Catalinas and Hotel Santarena, with soft tones, structured florals and a clean style. We also covered the couple’s real wedding and engagement session.

Story by Adri & Lucas · Photography by Adri & Lucas Weddings · Published by Junebug Weddings

Planning a wedding in Costa Rica? Check our availability for your date. Based in Tamarindo, Guanacaste, and working throughout Costa Rica.

Camila and Piero’s styled shoot at a glance

THE FORMATA styled shoot
THE PLACELas Catalinas and Hotel Santarena
THE DESIGNSoft tones, structured florals
THE COUPLECamila & Piero

A styled shoot is a planned editorial session, not a single wedding day. Photographed by Adri & Lucas Weddings.

THE DESIGN IN FOUR IDEAS

Minimal, romantic,
and possible to recreate.

What we set out to do with the design, in the words of the original story.

A MINIMALIST TROPICAL WEDDING DESIGN

Four ideas behind the shoot.

Each one can be translated to a real wedding.

  1. 01The palette

    Soft tones

    Structured florals

    A clean, minimalist style that stays romantic.

  2. 02The mood

    Tropical, not showy

    Young, vibrant, fun

    A tropical feeling without excess.

  3. 03The setting

    Old-world charm

    Las Catalinas, Hotel Santarena

    Cobblestone streets, plazas and fountains with Mediterranean accents.

  4. 04The test

    Accurate

    Possible for a real event

    A shoot any couple could experience firsthand if the design speaks to them.

This summarizes the design notes from our original story. It is not a schedule.

A minimalist tropical wedding in Costa Rica, designed to be real

With this design, we wanted to embrace Costa Rica while blending minimalist and romantic styles. We focused on soft tones, structured floral selections and a clean, minimalist look. It speaks to modern brides who love a tropical feeling without excess.

We wanted the design to feel young, vibrant, fun and tropical, and, above all, accurate. Shoots often have a strong look but are unrealistic to repeat at an actual event. This one was meant to be possible for any couple to experience firsthand if the design speaks to them.

Couple kissing in front of a round gold arch with tropical plants in a courtyard below a balconied building
Couple walking through a brick courtyard with their arms raised, laughing, a turquoise wall behind them

Las Catalinas and Hotel Santarena

Las Catalinas and Hotel Santarena were the setting for this shoot, with old-world charm and Mediterranean accents. That also flowed with the couple’s story: Piero’s Italian background and Camila’s home in Costa Rica.

The cobblestone streets, plazas and fountains of this coastal town make a varied setting for a destination wedding.

Place setting with a menu card, black cutlery and a tropical flower and palm leaf arrangement on a wooden table
Couple laughing and clinking wine glasses at a table with a bright flower arrangement
Couple seated on a lounge sofa behind a low wooden table with leather poufs in a courtyard with a fountain
Bride holding a yellow and orange bouquet as the groom nuzzles her hair, both in soft focus foliage

Three celebrations

Camila and Piero brought plenty of energy to the shoot. Their love, happiness and laughter were the right ingredients for a styled session.

They had already married in Italy and in Costa Rica, and this shoot became a third celebration. We covered their wedding and engagement session as well. Their story also includes a photo session in Milan, Italy, with Piero’s twin brother: see Italy’s art and beauty couple’s session.

Couple walking along a stone alley lined with ivy, the groom holding the bride's hand and her skirt
Whitewashed colonial-style building with arched windows beside a curving road and trees
Wedding dress hanging on a wooden screen among bamboo and plants outside a green-framed doorway
Courtyard lounge with a sofa, low table set for two and leather poufs beside a stone fountain
Couple embracing in front of a round gold arch with plants, the groom kissing the bride's forehead
IF YOU ARE PLANNING A SIMILAR WEDDING

Borrow the ideas,
not the props.

What this shoot suggests for a real wedding. Confirm every detail with your planner and venue.

  1. Start with a short palette.

    Soft tones and a few structured florals keep a design clean. Ask your florist what holds up in Costa Rica’s heat and humidity.

  2. Let the place do some work.

    Cobblestone streets, plazas and fountains already give a setting character, so you can style less. Ask your planner which spaces are open for your date.

  3. Tell a personal story.

    Piero’s Italian roots and Camila’s home in Costa Rica shaped the look. Choose one or two details that are true to you.

  4. Ask what is repeatable.

    This shoot was designed to be possible at a real event. Ask your planner which pieces are, and what each would involve for your own date.

USEFUL ANSWERS

Questions about this styled shoot

Answers from this shoot. A styled shoot is planned in advance, so details may differ at a real wedding.

Is this a real wedding?

No. It is a styled shoot with Camila and Piero. They had already married in Italy and in Costa Rica, and we covered their wedding and engagement session as well.

Where was it photographed?

At Las Catalinas and Hotel Santarena, a coastal town with cobblestone streets, plazas and fountains.

What is the design?

A minimalist tropical design: soft tones, structured floral selections and a clean style that stays romantic.

Can a real couple recreate it?

That was the aim. We designed it to be accurate and possible for a real event, so any couple could experience it firsthand if the design speaks to them.

Where else was it published?

It also appeared on Junebug Weddings.

Where can I read more about Las Catalinas?

See our Las Catalinas wedding guide, then send us your date and venue.

This story comes from our own photographs and notes. Venue availability, packages and policies are not part of this story; ask the venue for current information.

THE PEOPLE & PLACES

Published in · Junebug Weddings
Photography · Adri & Lucas Weddings
Wedding coordination · Mil Besos
Videography · Lucas Weddings
Venue · Las Catalinas
Cake · Victoria Zoch
Florals and rentals · Eventos Artesanos
Printed materials · Papeterie Studio
Wedding dress design · Elky Suarez
Bridal accessories · Madre Perla
Groom’s attire and shoes · Sastrería Triana

A NOTE ON THIS STORY

Story by Adri and Lucas.
Also from this couple: a photo session in Milan, Italy, with Piero’s twin brother (read the story).
Based in Tamarindo, Guanacaste, and working throughout Costa Rica.

YOUR DAY, YOUR PEOPLE

Planning a wedding
in Costa Rica?

Tell us your date, your venue and the kind of celebration you are planning, and we will tell you if we are available.

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More from the journal: Las Catalinas wedding guide · Mil Besos wedding planner · Italy’s art and beauty couple’s session