Directed by Colin Theys, the Hallmark movie A Costa Rican Wedding is a romantic comedy that revolves around Emily, who gets the opportunity to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. Emily is excited to be an integral part of the wedding festivities, but when something unexpected happens at the ceremony, she becomes awkward. Much to her surprise, her charming nemesis Ryan is also present, but it works to her advantage as she gets help from him. Since much of the story takes place in Costa Rica, where the wedding takes place, viewers are left with questions about the authenticity of the locations.
Where was a wedding filmed in Costa Rica?
To maintain the authenticity of the locations, the production team of “A Costa Rican Wedding” shot the film in different parts of Costa Rica, including Puntarenas, San José and many more. Principal photography apparently began in March 2024 and was completed the same month, after a few weeks. Marysela Zamora of the National Film Commission told Tico Times, “Normally, Hallmark movies are not shot outside the United States, but the director fell in love with our country.” About 60 Costa Ricans were reportedly hired as service professionals for tasks such as camera work, accommodation, wardrobe, transportation and catering.
Costa Rica
The crew of A Costa Rican Wedding shot a large portion of the film in the Costa Rican province of Puntarenas. More specifically, they took advantage of the natural landscape of Punta Leona to film several beach and jungle scenes. Director Colin Theys reportedly scouted locations for the jungle scenes by hiking alone through the forest. In addition, a district called Jacó was turned into a film set, specifically to film restaurant and surfing scenes. The crew encountered a real-life lancehead viper on set, allowing them to include it in at least one of the shots.
Speaking about the filming, Rhiannon Fish told TV Fanatics: “The trip to Costa Rica was magical and made filming this movie so immersive. We used real animals, like a real spider, a real tarantula and a real snake.” She also claimed that the waterfalls and the scenic landscape in the background were also real. The actress loved the location so much that she said: “I would love to get married in Costa Rica. I found it beautiful while filming. I can’t say enough good things about the people and culture of Costa Rica. It’s just absolutely magical.”
Other places in Costa Rica
For filming, the production team of A Costa Rican Wedding also traveled to other locations in Costa Rica, apparently to the city of San José. While the volcano view scenes were apparently filmed at the Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa, the volcano and airport scenes were reportedly shot in the small town of La Fortuna. To film the waterfall and bridge scenes, the cast and crew set up camp in the canton of Sarapiqui.
Although the earlier river scenes were shot on a tidal bank of the Tarcoles River, the director and his crew had to find another location to complete the scene as the area was covered quicker than expected. The film unit had to hike down a trail and cross a river on a raft to reach the location where the wedding scenes were to be shot.
A Costa Rican wedding cast
Rhiannon Fish, known for her work on The 100, plays the role of Emily in the Hallmark production. Her face may look familiar, as she has appeared in a number of other Hallmark projects, including When Love Springs, Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths, A Picture of Her, and You’re Bacon Me Crazy. She also stars in The Christmas Retreat and A Royal in Paradise. Christopher Russell, on the other hand, takes on the role of her crush Ryan in A Costa Rican Wedding. During his long and successful acting career, Christopher has made guest and recurring appearances on various television shows, such as Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Murdoch Mysteries, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, and Beauty and the Beast.
He has also appeared in numerous films such as “Gone Tomorrow,” “George Romero’s Land of the Dead,” “The Boy Next Door,” and “Catch a Christmas Star.” The romantic film also features other talented actors in supporting roles, including Brittany Carel as Phoebe, CJ Hammond as Jamal, Kourtney George as Tyesha, Maureen Kedes as Sue Clark, Gregory M. Mitchell as Harold, Jon Briddell as Bruce, Jodi Beck as Bonnie, and Pedro Jose Sanchez Rovira as Esteban. While Juliana Wimbles portrays Camille, Fernando Bolaños plays the role of Shane.
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