FAQs
Photography
What do the photography packages include?
Unlimited photos taken throughout the contracted time.
A website posted in one week. The website is a summary of your wedding. We will contact you in one week with the link to your website.
All the images in color will be on a DVD in high resolution. A selection of 100 duplicate images will be in black & white and 100 in sepia tone.
Do we get all the images taken or just a selection and have to purchase the rest later?
You get all the images taken (no purchasing a remainder later). We do edit and remove excess of the same image in a sequence. Your images will be in high resolution unlocked for you to print as much as you like. If printing outfits require authorization from us, we would be glad to send release forms.
What do we do if we want and album?
We work with Pictage (a company dedicated to album printing and design) we forward images of your event to them, you select the images you want in the album, approve the design and get your album. Family and friends can use Pictage to purchase prints of the wedding. You authorize or send pass codes to whom you want.
What is Vintage Photography?
Old School. It’s your wedding photographed with 1940s medium format cameras. Like your grandma’s wedding photos.
Cinematography (Video)
What is wedding video/movie like?
The El Velo cinematography team will edit your video into a beautiful wedding movie with music of your choice.
What is 16mm film?
16mm is motion picture. Film reels shot with professional movie cameras of the period later developed in California and digitized to a DVD. Many presidents, king & queens had their wedding filmed this way
What is 8mm or “Retro 8”?
Remember the Wonder Years trailer? Your parents & grandparents childhood films? We use the same film or media in an artistic fashion for you wedding. It is developed and digitized in California to include in your wedding movie.
General questions
What if we have a reception when we get back home and want to show our wedding images in Costa Rica?
You have several options. Your wedding day website (included in all photo packages) has a slideshow feature, all you need is a computer, Internet connection (connect to a TV) and you can show a summary of your wedding this day.
You can purchase a DVD Slideshow with option to be ready overnite or in 10 days. There is also the option of rush editing.
What if it rains?
We are not made out of sugar, we will shoot rain or shine. We will go out with umbrellas and get the footage (so long as you are game). We always, always get good images and footage. You can also have the option of a photo session the following morning.
How much experience does El Velo have?
We have over 1500 weddings under our belt in Costa Rica and some abroad. Photographers with up to 20 years experience, university professors and the best upcoming talent in the country.
Other facts:
Travel expenses are included in our packages
50% deposit is required to book services. You will find further info in our contracts.
Turnaround time to receive final product for photo or video is 8 weeks.
Costa Rica Wedding Facts:
Costa Rica does not have daylight savings, so plan your wedding and photo session to have enough light (ceremony ending around 5:20).
Costa Rica summer & rainy season:
Summer starts in Dec and lasts until the end of April. Central Pacific area (Manuel Antonio & Jaco) get rains before Guanacaste (northern province). Rains in Guanacaste arrive in mid May. Have a plan B or a tent just in case. Heed to the advice of your WC. If she suggests a tent, do it.
Windy Season in Guanacaste:
You might want to take into consideration the windy season in Guanacaste. If you have a loose hairdo, your hair will be all over. You might want to check the ceremony site and wind direction to plan your position in the ceremony and have your veil blowing away from you.
Flowers in season:
Check with your wedding coordinator to make sure you know what flowers are in season in case you have your heart set on specific ones.
Check the tides.
Some locations are impossible to have a beach ceremony if the tide is too high. Check and plan: http://www.costaricatides.com/
Elaborate cakes:
Best cake makers are in San Jose, you will have to pay a fee for transport. Expect this.
Grooms:
If you are planning on wearing a Panama Jack, Tommy Bahama or a Guayavera, wear an undershirt so you don’t sweat it through. We want to make sure you look good for the pictures.
Music:
There are a lot of good DJs, steel bands, calypso bands, salsa bands. Most of the seasoned coordinators know reliable ones and hold on to them. Check with them.
Officiates:
WC’s will suggest only a few lawyers, it is because only a handful skip through the dry technical articles & codes and make a beautiful tear- jerking ceremony. Go with their suggestions.
Getting Married in Costa Rica:
Getting married in Costa Rica or planning to elope to Costa Rica is a fairly simple process. Following are the requirements for a civil/legal marriage.
1.Full name: (first, middle and last; no initials)
2.Profession / Occupation
3.Current address (street address)
4.Passport number and nationality
5.Marital status: if divorced, please indicate the date, city and state, name of Court that decreed the divorce, and the full name of ex – spouse, no initials, NOTE: if the bride is divorced, her divorced date must be at least 300 days prior the date of the upcoming wedding, please provide electronic copy of the divorce sealed by the Court.
6.Date and place of birth: (city, state or province, country)
7.Children: In case either fiancée have children from previous marriages please state their name and date of birth.
8.Full name of father and mother and current citizenship: (no initials, mother`s maiden and date of birth)
9.Mailing address: (NO PO box) this is the address where the final documentation will be sent. Courier company requires a street address. Package containing the Certificate of Marriage will require a “received” signature.
Phone Number: Necessary for the courier company (in case they can`t find address
The ceremony need not have any notarized legal documents, all you data will be included in a sworn statement which you both sign day of the wedding. This avoids you having to notarize at the Costa Rican Consulate, and will save you time and money.
If you bring any friends along, they can be witnesses (except relatives to the third degree). If not, let us know so we can make the necessary arrangements. If you would want your guests to be witnesses, sent us the information in ítems 1-5 or 2 people or your Choice (two witnesses are required).
The procedure for a valid marriage in Costa Rica involves the signing of two documents once concluded the ceremony. One is a sworn statement attesting principally to your marital status, thus avoiding any further proof. The other is the marriage document itself. After the ceremony, you cannot recieve a Certificate because first paperwork must be submitted to the Civil Registry of Costa Rica. The whole processing of documents, which includes translation and authentication by the Consulate of your country of residence, may vary but normally takes 10-12 weeks. Once everything is ready, the Marriage Certificate will be sent, along with instructions, to the address you provide on Item 8. Lawyer or wedding coordintaor will keep you updated with paperwork progress, via email, so you know exactly when the documentation is sent.
