Congratulations to Heather and John on their recent nuptials in tropical Costa Rica. We hope you enjoy these gorgeous photos and their wonderful story.

About Heather and John
Occupations: Farmers in Caledon, Ontario
How they met: We both attended Dowling College on Long Island, New York. Our eyes met one day on campus and the rest is history
What attracted John to Heather: Her beautiful smile and long, dark hair
What attracted Heather to John: His beautiful blue eyes and great smile
What was the best advice you received as a couple? Always communicate!
Engagement story: It was February 12, 2012.  After a beautiful day of outdoor activities in Blue Mountain, Collingwood, we had a romantic dinner in the village.  Then we returned to John’s family chalet, where John lit a fire and poured each of us a glass of wine.  He made sure that the music was “just right.” John suddenly dropped down on one knee and proposed.  He presented me with a beautiful box and the most amazing engagement ring I have ever seen!  It was the happiest surprise of my life.

The Wedding Day
Wedding date: January 17, 2014
Number of guests: 70
Wedding colours: Soft pink and light grey
Heather’s most memorable moment: John wrote a letter to me and his sister delivered it on the morning of our wedding day. I opened it just before walking down the aisle.  I will remember and treasure that touching letter for the rest of my life.
John’s most memorable moment: Watching her walk down the aisle to meet me
Their advice to others: Treat each other with respect and have patience – every day!
Favourite wedding detail: The wedding bouquet and the wedding cake
Most unexpected moment: The children at our wedding got together as a group and decided to have their own party.  They collected and threw most of the napkins onto the dance floor.  Then they rearranged all of the chairs.  Apparently, fun was had by all!
Most romantic moment: Watching the fireworks show as husband and wife
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Not really.  We wanted our wedding to be a bit different.
Honeymoon: We will take our honeymoon this coming winter.  We hope to visit Australia and the Fiji Islands.
The day in three words: Nerve-wracking, breath-taking and amazing

Wedding Details
Ceremony location: On the beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Reception location: In the ballroom at the Riu Palace, Costa Rica
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We chose Costa Rica because we wanted everyone to experience something unique and new together
Heather’s gown: Augusta Jones from Kleinfeld’s, New York
Heather’s shoes: Jimmy Choo
John’s outfit: Vera Wang
Type of rings: Tiffany engagement and wedding band for her; Peoples Jewellers wedding band for him
Jewellery: Crystal earrings from Kleinfeld’s.  Engagement Ring and Wedding Bands
Bridesmaid’s dresses: J. Crew
Groomsmen’s attire: Vera Wang
Wedding song: A Thousand Years by Christina Perri
Signature drink: Sea Breeze
Favours: Beach-themed wine stoppers
Music: Mixed genres
Flowers: Tropical flowers from Costa Rica, including ginger lilies and white and pink roses
Photographer: Jenn Kavanagh Photography
Hair: Riu Palace Salon
Makeup: I applied the makeup myself
Stationery/Invitations: Minted.com
Catering: Riu Palace

Fun Stuff
Astrological signs: Cancer (Heather) & Libra (John)
What did you put in gift bags? For my bridal party:  The ladies received silver bracelets and purple silk robes.  The guys received flasks engraved with their initials.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day? We decided to choose a destination wedding, because John is from Canada and I am from New York.  We wanted to be married without having to choose either “home” location. Having a wedding in a warm and exotic place would provide everyone with a wonderful vacation experience during the winter season.  It was perfect.

Tell us about your experience working with LUXE Destination Weddings: The LUXE staff was phenomenal, overall, and supported our ideas in making our wedding day so special and memorable.  An extra “thank you” to Antoinette, who stayed in constant contact with us throughout the planning process and was incredibly helpful – and patient – each step of the way.