THE WORLD’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE LUSH AND BEAUTIFUL LAND OF COSTA RICA JUST CONTINUES TO GROW! AS DOES THE WORLD OF LUXURY WEDDINGS!

Weddings Costa Rica was born out of founder Larissa Banting’s experience planning her own wedding in Costa Rica. Encountering numerous challenges in creating her own dream wedding celebration over a decade ago, and despite living in the tropical paradise and marrying a local, Larissa recognized the need for a dedicated destination wedding design and planning firm in the region.  Since its inception in 2003, Weddings Costa Rica has planned over 400 weddings of every size, style and design. Their incredible reputation for resourcefulness and creative design has garnered international acclaim.

When it comes to mastering the destination wedding, we couldn’t wait to get some time to speak with Larissa Banting:

{THE BRIDAL CIRCLE}:  WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME AN EVENT PLANNER?

{LARISSA BANTING}:  You could say it’s in my blood. My parents were event producers , creating the largest Canada Day celebrations outside of the nation’s capital and I grew up in this creative environment of controlled-chaos, eventually assisting with the four-day festival as my summer job.

I’d been a dancer since I could walk and I majored in Dance at York University in Toronto then danced professionally. My original plan was to move into academia after I retired from the stage but decided just before I started my Masters that it wasn’t the path my heart wanted to follow. Not surprisingly, I found my way back to events, working as the publicist/event producer for Alberta Ballet, Arden Theatre and Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival. Since the theatre was dark during the summer, I was able to work as a film publicist during Albert’s short summer shooting season and my involvement with the industry extended to working on events such as film festivals, awards shows and film premieres. I won a national competition for emerging filmmakers and produced a well-received 35mm short film, sparking my foray into producing commercials.

Working on a movie of the week filming in Costa Rica changed everything – I met and fell in love with one of the local actors. After wrapping production back in Canada, I hopped a plane for Costa Rica a few days later, taking a huge risk but trusting love would show the way. Sure enough, it did – we married a year later on the beach where we met (and ten years later, we’re still deliriously in love).  Shortly afterwards, I was approached to be the wedding planner for one of the country’s largest travel agencies and thus Weddings Costa Rica was born. We are now the oldest and largest planning and design firm fully located in Costa Rica.

WHAT EXPERIENCE CAN A BRIDE EXPECT WHEN WORKING WITH YOU?

A calm, collaborative, creative experience. My goal is to ensure our clients are relaxed, as planning any wedding can be stressful, let alone a wedding thousands of miles away. Clear communication is key and we try to provide a wealth of information, such as daily ‘Wedding Words of Wisdom’, filled with tips and ideas. While we’ll provide clients with imaginative ideas, it’s ultimately the clients’ wedding and their vision we’re realizing. Our goal is to have guests walk into the event space and know instantly it’s the couples’ as we’ve captured their essence.

Also, expect a lot of pop culture references and quick repartee as I like to keep things fun.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 5 QUESTIONS A BRIDE OR COUPLE, SHOULD ASK DURING HER/THEIR RESEARCH FOR THE PERFECT PLANNER?

a)     What is your planning process, from idea to inception? (this is to give you an idea of how they work and if it’s a good fit for you)

b)     Who will be my main point of contact throughout the planning? Will it be the same person on the day of the wedding?

c)     What is your turn around time for correspondence? Is there a preferred method (email, phone)?

d)     How would you describe your decorating style? (again, to see if they are a good fit with you).

e)     What sets you apart from the competition?

AS A PLANNER, WHAT’S YOUR BACK UP PLAN FOR AN EVENT THAT GOES WRONG?

Having done this for 10 years in the tropics, I’ve run across challenges from earthquakes to floods and everything in between – and (touch wood), nothing has stopped our events. While I’m a positive person, I keep a ‘glass half full’ mentality when I approach events, looking at what could go wrong and walking through all the various scenarios ahead of time and what steps we need to take to implement Plan B, C or D. It’s a running joke in our office that our motto is  “we’re not problem focused, we’re solution oriented’. While clichéd, it sums up our approach. We take stock of the situation, make the call how to rectify and carry on calmly. Also, I seem to have the luck of the Irish working on my side…

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDINGS?

Don’t lose yourself in the minutia. Keep in mind the big picture of the day being a celebration of your marriage and have fun. If you’re having a destination wedding, make a point of sneaking away for an hour a day, just for the two of you – have lunch, a long walk, a massage – so you can reconnect amidst all the craziness.

ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO BRIDES OUTSIDE OF COSTA RICA?

Absolutely!  I love to travel and immerse myself in other cultures. My parents were heads of various folk arts/multicultural groups  which meant my childhood was spent attending Serbian kolos, dinners at the Filipino cultural center, dancing at the Ukrainian hall, etc. so I have a wide knowledge of various traditions. I strive to infuse events with cultural touches whenever appropriate.

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU COMING ACROSS WITH BRIDES GETTING MARRIED IN 2013?

I’m seeing more metallic, such as mercury, antique golds and silvers in a return to understated luxury. Interesting lighting is a must for many of our clients, who see it not only as a form of illumination but as a décor element that can really ‘wow’.  And custom signage, from the ceremony space to bar to the couple’s chairs, is very popular this year.

HOW DO YOU SELECT THE EVENT PARTNERS (VENDORS) YOU WORK WITH?

Central America doesn’t possess the same sense of urgency found in North America – there is no such thing as a New York minute here.  Also, Costa Ricans never want to lose face and have a very hard time telling you ‘no’ so getting a straight answer is not always easy. The partners I work with understand the importance of being upfront and getting information to me in a timely manner. They are professional, show up on time, do what they promise and have excellent services or products. Most importantly, they are team players and go above and beyond to ensure the event is fabulous.

Creating excellent relationships is a two-way street and I am always respectful to my team, being conscious of their culture. I never yell or lose my cool, no matter how stressed I may be, as doing so to a Costa Rican gets you absolutely nowhere. Asking for their help nicely, however, will get you the keys to the kingdom.

I can be a bit of a wild artist with ideas and I’ve surrounded myself with talented professionals who ‘get’ me and aren’t afraid to rise to the challenge.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS?

Inspiration comes from everywhere – a building, a shop window, fashion, a painting, a lamp, my daughter’s drawings, the outdoors. Luckily, I live in the most bio-diverse place on Earth so Mother Nature’s stunning palette is everywhere I turn, cranking the creative volume to 11.  And music. As a dancer, I ‘see’ music as much as I hear it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ELEMENT DURING THE WEDDING?

The moment when the couple has just finished exiting the ceremony and can finally relax before everyone arrives to congratulate them. It’s an unabashedly happy moment and it happens without fail, every single wedding.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WEDDING MOVIE, AND WHY?

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – coming from a Ukrainian family, there was a lot I could relate to. Plus Andrea Martin as the aunt is hilarious.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE WEDDING MOMENT?

Getting the bride down the aisle on time, 14 hours after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake, with everything intact.  The entire experience is worthy of a novel.

WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEWLY ENGAGED BRIDE?

Take your time, have fun, play with ideas and don’t lose sight of what this is all really about – the marriage. The wedding is just the big party.

WHAT BRIDAL TRENDS CAN BRIDES EXPECT TO SEE FROM YOU?

There are a number of our ideas from over the years that have become popular for weddings in Costa Rica – aisle runner of leaves, banana leaf cones filled with rose petals, swagged lighting at Zephyr Palace, strings of lights with hanging crystal strands, water bar at the ceremony.  You’ll continue to see us use local products and handcrafted items in unexpected ways in what I’ve coined as ‘jungle luxe’.

Currently, I’m loving table runners made from custom fabrics which the clients keep to use in their own homes afterwards. We’re creating custom pillows for lounges, featuring design elements from the invitations or wedding décor. We’re always playing with lighting and finding new ways to decorate with them. I feel like there is more whimsy coming into play – the last wedding we had featured ribbon backdrops, huge paper flowers and custom-painted oxcart wheels.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” (Anais Nin)

My other is from my father…“if you can’t go First Class, don’t go at all.”

WHAT IS IN THE PIPELINE FOR WEDDINGS COSTA RICA?

I’m always going at Mach 2 with my hair on fire and have no intention of slowing down.  I’m working on my second book, The Lazy Bride’s Guide (my first book was Costa Rica – The Bradt Guide). I’ve been spearheading the creation of the Association of Destination Wedding Professionals in Costa Rica (ABICR) and am happy to report we are off and running and I’ve been elected President. Getting an association off the ground requires an intensive amount of work but it’s so gratifying to see the industry here rallying together. Other projects include: building the stationery portion of our business, as we are the exclusive distributors for Vera Wang and William Arthur paper products for Costa Rica; creating a Weddings Costa Rica product line; planning events in other countries; and continuing to develop our team to offer clients exception events and experiences.

IF NOT IN YOUR EXISTING PROFESSION, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

Given my background in television and film, I would likely be a producer and writer.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER GUESS.

I competed in improv comedy as part of the Hamilton (Ontario) Theatre sports team. My dream was always to be part of the ensemble on Saturday Night Live.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL?

Is there anywhere more magical than France? The food, the wine, the culture, the art, the history and the people! I’ve always had a wonderful experience there and have met some really lovely folks in my travels.

WHAT IS YOUR ONE FAVORITE INDULGENCE?

A glass (or two) of wine at dinner. My husband and I are oenophiles and some of our most memorable trips have been to wine country. Life is too short to drink bad wine!

YOU’RE SO RIGHT, LARISSA! THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL INTERVIEW!

For more information on Larissa Banting and Weddings Costa Rica, visit her website or give her a call!