Choosing your Dream Wedding Cake

As if planning a wedding is not hard enough… selecting the wedding cake will join your endless list! Not to worry. We want to provide you with an extra hand and a couple of ideas when choosing your wedding cake!

Here are 5 great tips:

1.       Budget: Set your initial and very realistic budget before you start planning; this will avoid going through a lot of ideas that due to the money factor you will not be able to reach. This is a very common mistake and we mention it in most of our articles.  Present your ideas and expectations to your wedding planner or Pastry Chef so that they can plan according to your expectations and possibilities. A great money-saving tip: serve the wedding cake as dessert on your reception dinner.

2.       Flavor: no matter how beautiful, tall or colorful your wedding cake is, its main role is to taste great. Do not overlook this aspect when you’re being dazzled by cake designs. Make sure you arrange a cake tasting before you make your final decision.  Even all-time favorites like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry will taste different depending on the preparation, pastry chef and even how long the cake has been sitting out prior to cutting and eating it. Don’t make assumptions. It’s very likely that you know exactly what you want your cake to look, taste and smell like, so try it out first and scratch that concern off your list.

3.       Theme:  the wedding theme will be all over the ceremony and reception: flowers, color of tables and linens, and of course, your wedding cake. Making sure it will match with your dress color, your bridesmaids dresses and the atmosphere overall it’s a big trend this season. Some little tips for selecting the shape: round is traditional, square is modern and fun, but an oval-shaped cake draws a lot of attention and allows the pastry chef more room upon which to create a masterpiece.

4.       Weather and Temperature: keep the temperature and location of your wedding in mind so you can make a good call on your cakes frosting; whether it’s a classic icing, fondant or butter cream you need to keep in mind if your reception will be indoors or outdoors, if the temperature will be cold or hot, windy, sunny, humid, etc. For example: if you’re having your wedding in a  tropical destination you can expect heat and humidity, so fondant is the best way to go to keep your cake looking great until it’s time to dig in.

5.       The Don’ts:

a.       Wait until the last minute to starting working on your cake’s details. Most bakeries work their agendas and calendars with weeks in advance.

b.      Ask your entire wedding party what they want the cake to look or taste like. Just as you should with the menu, location and honeymoon destination, choose your wedding cake with your and you future spouse’s preference in mind… after all, it’s you two who’ll be standing on top!

We truly hope that this will help you during the crazy but magical wedding planning chapter of your life. Don’t hesitate to contact our team at Hilton Papagayo for more information.

Warm Regards!

Menu Selection for your Wedding

During our last post we provided you with a list of key points to consider as you begin planning your wedding. Although all the details and steps are important to make this a perfect day, the menu selection is definitely a brainteaser… trying to decide on items that you and your future spouse, your parents, your family and your guests will love is almost impossible, so start off by deciding to prioritize who’s taste buds are most relevant.

Our most common tip to our couples is to focus first and foremost on what they like. This unforgettable day should be ALL about you: the location, music, decoration, timing and specially food and beverage selection must fulfill your expectations. Work on what will make you and your bride or groom happy, and trust that seeing you enjoy your day will also please your guests.

Find support in your Wedding Planner and caterer or Chef for selecting appetizers, entrées and desserts that match the venue and destination, explore the possibilities of new local products for a unique menu selection. Whoever you’ve selected to be the creative mastermind of your menu, consult with them prior to making any final decisions and ask all the questions you can think of regarding how your menu and the food services will be affected by the location, weather , distance from kitchen to reception, time of the day, etc. Also, be aware of any food allergies, dietary needs and preferences of your guests so that you can plan ahead and avoid emergencies or one of your guests being hungry during the reception or waiting too long for their meal. Finally, talk to your planner to get guidance on the timing and service flow of your reception. How long will people spend eating, dancing, toasting and any other activities you may envision for that day? If you’re planning an overnight celebration, have you considered the midnight snacks? Maybe even breakfast? Share your ideas with the experts you trust to plan your day and allow them to assist you in organizing the timing of food and drinks so that your guests are energized during the entire event. 

And, as a little treat, we’d like to share some tropical ideas from our Wedding Menu at Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa, by Executive Chef, Nicolas Piatti (Check out his photo album)

A refreshing and light appetizer: Trout Salad with Seasonal Artichokes.

Absolutely delicious Grilled Lobster Tail with Costa Rican Vegetables

Passion Fruit Parfait

Chef Piatti is recommending a nice, balanced and tropical selection, to match our atmosphere. We encourage you to use all the information from your research and your suppliers to create your own menu, one that reflects you and your significant other’s personalities and history. Overall, feel free to let your imagination run wild, after all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion and you deserve to have it all.  

As always, more to come….

Warm Regards from Sunny Papagayo, Costa Rica.

You’re engaged, congratulations! Now what?

It’s very common for us to get contacted by couples who just got engaged and are eager to start planning the big day; so what’s the next step?. Whether you want a small and intimate wedding or a large-scale celebration, there are several key aspects to cover before you can start looking into the little details.

Wondering where to begin? The most effective way to star planning your wedding is by having a checklist including all the necessary items you must cover in order to design your ideal wedding day!

Sit down with your future spouse and write down your responses to the following questions. Then, let your answers guide you through the planning process, from deciding on a venue to choosing a unique wedding favor.

DSTINATION / VENUE: name, address and website (we all know this decision will be extremely easy once you check out our beautiful, Hilton Papagayo Resort & Spa… wink, wink!)

CONTACT: name, phone and email

VENDORS – have you selected a…:

1.     Lawyer (officiant), contact. Are the documents and vows complete?

2.     Florist, contact, package select, additional flowers?

3.     Photographer: contact, package, schedule?

DATE & PAYMENT:

1.     Is our preferred day available?

2.     How many other weddings or events will be booked that day?

3.     Are there any planned constructions or renovation at the venue or surrounding areas that may affect your event?

4.     What are the site’s fees, deposits and payment schedules?

5.     Do costs vary by day or time (Saturday, Sunday / afternoon, evening)?

6.     Are there any surcharges? Service charges and gratuities, cleaning fees, overtime rates, cake cutting, space rental fee, MC service.

7.     What’s the cancellation policy? Is the deposit refundable?

FOOD, DRINK, DANCING & DÉCOR:

1.     Can we use an outside caterer or weeding planner?

2.     Does the site have a liquor license?

3.     Can we bring in our own toast liquor? If so, how is it charged?

4.     Is there room for a band, DJ and/or dance floor? Cost?

5.     Can we modify the existing décor options in any way?

6.     Are candles, sky lanterns, fireworks and/or confetti permitted?

RULES & REGULATIONS:

1.       Who on staff will be our point person throughout the event?

2.       Does the venue have insurance or do we need to get it?

3.       Do we need any permits?

4.       What are the restrictions? Minimum and maximum capacity, handicap accessibility, noise/timing, photography/flash/video.

5.    What time can our vendors start setting up? What time do they need to leave?

This list is just a beginning to start building your perfect day. We will elaborate more on how to select the perfect venue and destination for your wedding on our next blog, so stay tuned!  

Don’t forget you can always count on the professional, efficient and friendly hand that you will get from our wedding coordinator here at Hilton Papagayo.

To be continued…

Warm Regards!!!

The Perfect Timing!

Have you been wondering – how should the flow go to make the most of your special day?

It is very common for us to get questions like: what time should we start, how long will the ceremony take, and many others regarding the best timing for your wedding day.

This is something that we customize according to each couple’s expectations and wishes, but we are pleased to guide you along way as to what works well. For the early birds, the perfect option could from a morning ceremony with bright sun and a refreshing morning sea breeze, and followed by one of our delicious brunch buffets accompanied with a station of mimosas, bloody Marys and smoothies!  

Or go with the most popular Sunset Ceremony which will usually take place at 4:30pm, the ceremony will last about 20 minutes, allowing just over an hour for the post ceremony photo session with the breathtaking sunset to complement all of your pictures! This will usually go from 5:00pm to 6:00pm, in the mean time your guests can start enjoying your choice of signature cocktail and open bar, with a lounge set up right at the beach, with its private and intimate atmosphere, or at one of our open air locations, specially accommodated for private functions. By that time the music would start getting your guests into the “perfect night feeling” to celebrate your special union – music can be provided by a romantic latin trio, spun by a private DJ, or simply by your IPod with your selected play list according to your tastes.  Now it’s time to really get in the spirit of the event with the Dinner Reception, there are many, details to cover with this such as menu, set up, decoration, entertainment, etc (that we will extend in another posts in our Blog, so stay tuned!!! ). We recommend that the Dinner Reception start by 6:00 or 6:30pm and last 3 or 4 hours, depending on your additional activities, like words by couple, best man and others… first dances, music, entertainment. The great thing is you can decide how much “tradition” you would like to incorporate into your special evening – everyting and anything goes!  So don’t worry about whether you do or don’t do the garter toss, be free to enjoy as you wish!  Then, your perfect and long dreamed of night could end with “the cherry on top” by having a Fireworks show, releasing wish lanterns or perhaps by having our classic beach bonfires at the beach, imagine?! You, your family and friends, under the stars, with the relaxing and harmonic sound of the sea, all this perfectly complemented with a sweet and smores station, marshmallows, chocolate covered fruit kebabs, caramel, “dulce de leche”, chocolate sauce and many others to be roasted on the bonfire…  what could be more special????

Here at Hilton Papagayo while planning the timing of your special celebration we will ensure to provide you with all necessary tools, assistance and ideas looking to create the perfect wedding, what you have been dreaming of all your life!

Warm Regards!

Relive the Moment Contest!

We would like to congratulate the winners and all participants who submitted pictures for our "Relive the Moment" contest. We asked all couples who got married at our property, to post their favorite picture taken on their special day. Sheli & Marc Plenge who got married on our Spa Beach on September 10, 2011, will be enjoying our Junior Suite w/ plunge pool during their complimentary 4 day, 3 night stay at our property for their anniversary in 2013!

Please check out our facebook page for our 2nd and 3rd place winners: facebook.com/hiltonpapagayo