The journal / Real weddings / Guanacaste

Nicole & Cameron’s Guanacaste wedding.WEDDING INSPIRATION FOR JW MARRIOTT COSTA ELENA

A tropical destination wedding from 2020: a gift and first look with her father, a first look and letter, a relaxed ceremony, coastal portraits and sparklers.2020 · GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA
Nicole and Cameron dance through a tunnel of guests holding sparklers at night
NICOLE & CAMERON · GUANACASTEPHOTOGRAPHY BY ADRI & LUCAS

JW MARRIOTT COSTA ELENA WEDDING INSPIRATION · REAL WEDDING

Nicole and Cameron’s tropical destination wedding was one of our first weddings of 2020. We share it here as JW Marriott Costa Elena wedding inspiration: the gallery follows the day from getting ready to a sparkler-filled night, and it was photographed before the resort opened as JW Marriott Costa Elena.

Photography by Adri & Lucas

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

Historical context: This 2020 wedding was photographed before the resort opened as JW Marriott Costa Elena, which is now open in Guanacaste. These are not photographs of a wedding held under the JW Marriott name. We share them as visual inspiration for couples considering the resort, and this story uses neutral Guanacaste wording for the 2020 venue. For current spaces and wedding services, see Marriott’s official wedding page and resort overview.

Nicole and Cameron’s wedding at a glance

THE COUPLENicole & Cameron
THE YEAR2020
THE PLACEGuanacaste, Costa Rica
THE STYLETropical styling, beach portraits

Photographed by Adri & Lucas · The wedding date and the 2020 venue name are not part of this story.

THE STORY IN ORDER

From a gift
to the sparklers.

The moments of Nicole and Cameron’s day, in the order we tell them below.

A 2020 GUANACASTE WEDDING

One day, five moments.

From a gift for Nicole to a night of sparklers.

  1. 01Before the ceremony

    A gift

    With her father

    An emotional gift and first look between Nicole and her father.

  2. 02Before the ceremony

    A first look

    With Cameron

    A first look and a letter.

  3. 03The ceremony

    A relaxed ceremony

    Beneath a beach arch

    Nicole and Cameron held hands under the arch.

  4. 04After the ceremony

    Coastal portraits

    On the beach and rocks

    Portraits along the shore, with bridesmaids and at sunset.

  5. 05The evening

    The celebration

    Sparklers and torches

    Dancing, fireworks, sparklers and guests with torches.

This shows the order of moments in the story, not clock times.

A tropical wedding with Pura Vida in it

Nicole wanted a tropical destination wedding in Costa Rica, one where every guest would feel the Pura Vida spirit.

The day included an emotional gift and first look with her father, then a first look and a letter with Cameron. The ceremony was relaxed, and the night that followed was full of sparklers.

In the photographs, the relationships matter as much as the styling and the landscape.

Nicole walking along the beach holding her bouquet in Guanacaste
Nicole on the beach with her bouquet.
Nicole and Cameron smile cheek to cheek in a close portrait on the sand
A quiet moment on the rocks.
Nicole and Cameron share an almost-kiss at the water's edge beside rocks at sunset
Sunset on the rocks.
Nicole and Cameron dancing together on the beach
Dancing on the beach.
Nicole posing with her bridesmaids on a Guanacaste beach
Nicole with her bridesmaids.

Beneath the arch, then along the beach

After the relaxed ceremony, Nicole and Cameron walked the coast for portraits: along the sand, on the rocks and into the sunset light.

Nicole and Cameron holding hands beneath a beach ceremony arch
Holding hands beneath the ceremony arch.
Nicole and Cameron walking on the beach at sunset
Walking the beach at sunset.
Nicole and Cameron photographed in front of wedding fireworks on the beach
Fireworks behind the couple.

An energetic night

The celebration moved into the evening with sparklers, fireworks and guests holding torches along the beach.

Nicole and Cameron embrace from behind as they watch fireworks, her arm raised
Sparklers lighting the beach.
Nicole and Cameron laugh among fire performers holding flaming torches at night
Guests with torches.
Cameron lifts Nicole in a hug at the reception under string lights as guests cheer
Nicole and Cameron on their wedding day.
Long reception table with tropical flower centerpieces overlooking hills at dusk
A long table set for the wedding party.
Wedding reception decorated with orange and green details
Orange and green reception details.
Nicole holding her bouquet on a Costa Rica beach
Nicole with her bouquet.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING A JW MARRIOTT COSTA ELENA WEDDING

JW Marriott Costa Elena wedding inspiration: how to use this gallery.

Ideas drawn from this wedding. They are not a statement about the resort’s spaces or services.

  1. Look at the whole sequence.

    This gallery runs from the family moments to coastal portraits, reception details and a low-light night. When you compare photographers, ask to see a complete gallery from a similar day, not only a short selection.

  2. Make room for the quiet moments.

    A gift and first look with a parent, and a letter with your partner, need time and calm. Put them in the plan before the portraits and the party.

  3. Plan the night with your venue.

    Sparklers, fireworks and torches shaped the evening here. If you want anything similar, ask your venue early what is allowed and who handles it.

  4. Confirm the real spaces with Marriott.

    This 2020 story does not show the resort’s event spaces. Confirm spaces, access and a weather backup with Marriott for your own date before you build a photography plan.

USEFUL ANSWERS

Questions about this wedding

Answers from this real wedding. Confirm the details for your own day with your venue and planner.

Is this a JW Marriott Costa Elena wedding?

No. Nicole and Cameron married in 2020, before the resort opened as JW Marriott Costa Elena. We keep the page as visual inspiration for couples considering the resort.

Is JW Marriott Costa Elena open now?

Yes, it is open and operating. Marriott lists its address as Playa El Jobo, La Cruz, Guanacaste. Marriott is the source for current spaces and wedding services.

What can couples learn from this gallery?

It shows how a destination wedding can connect family moments, tropical styling, coastal portraits, reception design and a night celebration into one story.

Who photographed this wedding?

Adri and Lucas photographed it. Both have photographed and filmed weddings since 2013.

Where can I find more about photography at JW Marriott Costa Elena?

Start with our JW Marriott Costa Elena planning guide and the visual-reference page, then contact us with your date.

What should we ask the resort?

Ask about the spaces for your date, guest access, a rain plan and any limits on sparklers, torches or fireworks.

Resort details come from Marriott’s official wedding page. Packages, fees and policies are not part of this story.

THE PEOPLE & PLACES

Couple · Nicole and Cameron
Year · 2020
Location · Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Photography · Adri & Lucas

A NOTE ON THIS STORY

Story by Adri and Lucas.
Featured multiple times by Junebug Weddings and featured by Green Wedding Shoes.
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.

Check your date on WhatsApp ↗Or send your date through our contact page

More from the journal: JW Marriott Costa Elena planning guide · beach wedding photography in Costa Rica · Costa Rica wedding stories and guides