Naman Shrestha
The Colin Theys directorial, Hallmark’s ‘A Costa Rican Wedding,’ is a romantic comedy film that revolves around Emily, who is given the opportunity of being the maid of honor at her best friend’s destination wedding. Excited for being an integral part of the wedding celebrations, Emily’s clumsiness kicks in when something unexpected occurs at the ceremony. Much to her surprise, her charming nemesis, Ryan, is also in attendance, but it works for her as she gets help from him. Since a majority of the story takes place in Costa Rica, where the wedding takes place, questions about the authenticity of the locations arise in the minds of the viewers.
Where Was A Costa Rican Wedding Filmed?
In order to maintain authenticity when it comes to 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. The principal photography seemingly began in March 2024 and got wrapped up within the same month, after a few weeks. Marysela Zamora of the National Film Commission told Tico Times, “Typically, Hallmark movies are not filmed outside the United States, but the director fell in love with our country.” As per reports, approximately 60 Costa Ricans were hired as service professionals in roles like camera work, accommodations, wardrobe, transportation, and catering,
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
The filming unit of ‘A Costa Rican Wedding’ lensed a significant chunk of the film in the Costa Rican province of Puntarenas. To be specific, they utilized the natural landscape of Punta Leona to tape several beach and jungle scenes. According to reports, director Colin Theys scouted the location for the jungle portions by hiking through the forest alone. Furthermore, a district called Jacó was turned into a film set, particularly to shoot restaurant and surfing scenes. The crew came across a real fer-de-lance viper on set, allowing them to include it in at least one of the shots.
Talking about the shooting process, Rhiannon Fish told TV Fanatics, “Going to Costa Rica was magical, and it made so much of shooting the film so immersive. We used real animals like a real spider, a real tarantula, and a real snake.” She also claimed that the waterfalls and picturesque scenery in the backdrop were also real. The actor loved the place so much that she said, “I would love to get married in Costa Rica. I thought it was beautiful while shooting the movie. I don’t have enough nice things to say about the people and the culture of Costa Rica. It’s just absolutely magical.”
Other Locations in Costa Rica
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘A Costa Rican Wedding’ also traveled to other sites across Costa Rica, seemingly the city of San José. While the volcano view camp portions were seemingly recorded in Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa, the volcano and airport scenes were reportedly shot in the small town of La Fortuna. In order to shoot the waterfall and bridge portions, the cast and crew members set up camp in the canton of Sarapiqui.
Although the earlier river scenes were captured on a tidal bank on River Tarcoles, the director and his team were forced to find another spot to complete the scene as the area was covered faster than they had expected. The filming unit had to hike down a trail and cross a river in a raft to reach the location where the wedding scenes had to be shot.
A Costa Rican Wedding Cast
‘The 100’ fame Rhiannon Fish essays the role of Emily in the Hallmark production. You might find her face familiar as she has been featured 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.’ On the other hand, Christopher Russell dons the garb of her love interest, Ryan, in ‘A Costa Rican Wedding.’ Over the course of his long and successful acting career, Christopher has appeared as guest or recurring roles in various TV shows like ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,’ ‘Murdoch Mysteries,’ ‘Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce,’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast.’
He also has numerous movies to his credit, such as ‘Gone Tomorrow,’ ‘George Romero’s Land of the Dead,’ ‘The Boy Next Door,’ and ‘Catch A Christmas Star.’ The romantic movie 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. Moreover, while Juliana Wimbles portrays Camille, Fernando Bolaños plays the role of Shane.
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