We’re tying We tied the knot in New Orleans and taking took the after party to Costa Rica.
Our Story
On a cold January night in 2014, Garrett and Stephanie met in the disco of F&M Patio Bar. Just three weeks later they were officially a couple and on April 3, 2015 Garrett popped the question and Stephanie said “yes!” at the Paradise Springs Winery in Virginia. Garrett had planned to propose in front of the Supreme Court, but got too excited and let his plan slip to Stephanie.
Since their engagement, Garrett and Stephanie have been through many life changes. In the summer of 2015, they left New Orleans [for what they thought would be for good] and traveled across the country for six weeks camping, hiking, and visiting friends. In August of 2015, Stephanie got into Tulane Law and the couple moved from DC back to New Orleans. This very exciting but unexpected life event put the wedding planning on hold, while Garrett worked hard supporting Stephanie through her 1L year. On March 25, 2017 they will finally say “I do!”
Our Wedding Party
Makenzie Kozojet
Makenzie and Stephanie met the day the Beta Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma unanimously accepted Makenzie as a transfer member from TCU. Since that day, the two have been inseparable. Stephanie adopted Makenzie as her “unofficial” Kappa little sister and the two went to every date party and mixer together, especially while living in a shotgun house on Calhoun during Steph’s senior year and Mak’s sophomore year. Since then, these best friends have remained close and get together to catch up several times each month, if not every week or more. Makenzie’s favorite pastimes are baking delicious treats for her friends, creating one-of-a-kind works of art and jewelry, and dancing her way through the streets of NOLA as a member of Candy Girls every Mardi Gras. After graduating Cum Laude from Tulane in 2013, Makenzie began working for her former alma mater and is now pursuing her Masters of Liberal Arts.
Callie Moore
Callie has been a part of Stephanie’s life from the day she was born, because she is her sister and had no choice in the matter. Growing up, Callie and Stephanie spent nearly all of their time together and grew to become not just sisters, but best friends. During the summers of their pre-teen years, the sisters kept a strict lunch schedule that centered around the 12:00 p.m. showing of Tia and Tamara and 12:30 showing of LL Cool J’s In The House. Stephanie is incredibly excited, and honored, to have Callie play an important role in her big day. You can see Callie’s graphic design skills displayed in the Save the Dates and Invitations – which she designed herself! Callie’s favorite past times include making it a hobby of finding new hobbies, dive bar karaoke, and frequenting all of the hipster festivals Seattle has to offer. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Savannah College of Art and Design, Callie is an accomplished Graphic Designer who currently works for South by Sea College.
April Hartman
April and Stephanie met the same night Garrett met Stephanie. Despite April being Makenzie’s roommate for a year, Stephanie had somehow never crossed paths with Garrett or April. Since that night, April and Stephanie have grown very close and Stephanie is very excited to have April as a sister-in-law! April attended many, if not all, of Garrett and Stephanie’s Sunday night dinner and board game parties where Stephanie got to know her well. Throughout the duration of her brother’s relationship, April has been incredibly supportive and it has been a blessing for Stephanie to get to know her. April’s favorite pastimes are annoying Garrett, shopping at Costco, and falling asleep in her car outside of F&M (next to Stephanie). April recently completed her Masters in Public Health at Tulane and moved back to the DC area where she works for MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Emily Page
Emily and Stephanie met way back when they were both awkwardly traversing the trials of puberty in a town called Liberty, Missouri. During high school, Emily and Stephanie enjoyed riding around in Em’s ’99 Honda Accord and Steph’s ’01 Grand Prix GTP “ThUgBeAtZ” (car naming credit goes to Emily on that one) arguing over whether they’d listen to Emily’s horrible emo tunes or Stephanie’s amazing hardcore gangster rap. Despite living many miles apart through college and beyond, Emily and Stephanie have only grown closer. Emily’s favorite pastimes include drinking coffee, dancing with babies, and belting out country ‘n western classics at the jukeboxes of watering holes around Chicago. Emily has a degree in Spanish from the University of Kansas and currently works in marketing at Razorfish.
Melanie Jensen
Melanie and Stephanie met on bid night 2010 when Melanie became Stephanie’s Kappa little sister! The two grew close over the course of the semester, attending sisterhood events and parties together, as well as frequenting the Boot and Palms. Melanie and Stephanie stayed close even after Stephanie graduated, and the two even served on the KKG Alumnae Association Board together (along with Makenzie!). Stephanie will always remember all the amazing homemade cards and posters Melanie has made for her over the years. Recently, Stephanie and Melanie stay close by having study parties as often as possible. Melanie’s favorite pastimes are running along St. Charles, talking about locally sourced vegetables, and venturing overseas. She graduated from Tulane in 2013 and is now pursuing her Ph.D in Mathematics at the same university where it all began!
Cayla Carosone-Link
Cayla and Stephanie met when Cayla blindly moved into Stephanie’s rental at the suggestion of a mutual friend. While Cayla had significant reservations about her (at the time) very blonde and sorority-minded roommate, the two quickly learned they had much in common and became great friends. Throughout their shared time in New Orleans they enjoyed going to The Saint, costuming and attending festivals, and hosting parties at their shared home. Cayla’s favorite pastimes are chasing cats (especially Gaga), bedazzling things, and walking barefoot places she knows she shouldn’t. Graduating with her undergraduate degree from Tulane in 2009, Cayla now attends George Washington University where she is training to become a PA.
Tommy Carney
Joe King
Alex Hondros
Joe Hanthorn
Thomas Pearson
Tyler Harbison
The Big Day
Palmettos on the Bayou
1901 Bayou Ln., Slidell, LA 70458
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Ceremony: 11:30am
Reception: 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Please join us in celebrating the marriage of Garrett and Stephanie! We will be having an outdoor ceremony followed by a reception style brunch. The average temperature on March 25th is a beautiful 74 degrees. If it rains, the ceremony will begin at the same time but will be moved inside the reception venue.
Dress for the ceremony and reception is brunch formal. For men, anything from a three piece suit to a blazer, khakis, and boat shoes is suitable for the occasion. For women, cocktail length dresses in bright spring colors or Easter pastels are encouraged. A maxi dress is also a great option. Women should avoid stilettos and pumps as the ceremony will be held on the lawn, and the reception will take place on an expansive wooden deck. Instead, wedges or sandals are both ideal options for this venue. Kentucky Derby / Church hats are highly recommended.
The ceremony will be child free. Your partner is welcome to sit with your baby or child at the reception venue during the ceremony. Children are welcome at the reception.
Please refrain from taking photos during the ceremony.
Afterparty at Tchoup Yard
Hosted by Stephen Hartman II & April Hartman
405 Third St., New Orleans, LA 70130
4:00pm – 7:00pm
Garrett’s siblings, Stephen and April, will be hosting our afterparty at Tchoup Yard! Please join us in continuing the celebrations.
Transportation to the Venue
Because our beautiful venue is located 40 minutes from New Orleans, we will be renting buses to transport guests from Tchoup Yard in New Orleans to the venue and back. The buses will leave promptly at 10:30am and return at 3:45pm. There will be parking available at the venue if you prefer to drive.
Accommodations
Please note: we will not be reserving a room block for our wedding. We suggest that you stay in an AirBnB or hotel in New Orleans, we highly recommend you do not stay in Slidell. Please contact either Garrett or Stephanie and we will provide you with any and all recommendations you may need!
Costa Rica
We have booked our flights to Costa Rica!
Depart [Monday, March 27, 2017]: Delta 849 – 6:00am | New Orleans -> Atlanta |
Delta 900 – 9:46am | Atlanta -> San Jose, Costa Rica | Arrive at 11:46am
Return [Saturday, April 1, 2017]: American 1600 – 2:05pm | San Jose, CR -> Miami | American 39 – 10:53pm | Miami -> New Orleans | Arrive at 10:53pm
A private van will pick us up at the airport at approximately 1:00pm and drive us directly to our Airbnb in Puerto Viejo.
“What is this? Are you inviting people on your honeymoon?”
Well, sort of? But not really. Yes, in a traditional sense, a honeymoon follows a wedding. We aren’t exactly traditional people. Originally, we really wanted to have a destination wedding in Costa Rica, but for many reasons, it was just too difficult to do. So we thought – why not just have the after party there?
If you’re invited to the wedding, you’re invited to Costa Rica. Come for the duration of the trip, or come for the amount of time you can manage. On Monday we will fly into San Jose and promptly depart, traveling to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca in the Limón province. We will return to San Jose mid-day Friday and explore the city, have dinner, and check out the nightlife. After spending the night at Hostel Pangea, we will have one last breakfast in Costa Rica before returning to the airport at noon on Saturday.
How do I get to Puerto Viejo if I arrive later than Monday at noon?
Total travel time from San Jose to Puerto Viejo is three to five hours based on type of transportation, traffic, and weather conditions. The public bus is $10pp, the shuttle van service is $50pp, a private shuttle for six is $40pp, and a private charter of more than six is less than $40pp.
You could also rent a car and drive, if you so desire. A word of advice, you will have to travel over the Continental Divide on roads with no guard rails, and the road from Limón to Puerto Viejo is riddled with pot holes. Night time driving is not advised at any time.
Where will I stay in Puerto Viejo?
As of January, we have booked an Airbnb for everyone who confirmed their flight with us. The Airbnb is currently full. We are directly across the street from Hotel Agapi and just down the street from Rockin J’s, so you can stay nearby and come hang if you like.
Accommodations in Puerto Viejo vary quite a bit in price, but the entire area is very affordable. For example, you can spend just $42 total in lodging for the entire trip by staying four nights at Rocking J’s in a hammock for $7/night and one night in San Jose at Hostel Pangea in the dorms for $14.
Or you could stay at one of the nicest hotels or B&Bs in or near Puerto Viejo, such as Hotel Banana Azul, Physis Caribbean B&B, and Hotel Blue Conga, for $70 to $120 on average. At Hotel Blue Conga, you can book a room that sleeps four (one king, two twins) for $115 per night.
What will we do while we’re there?
There is so much to see and do in this area, and we want you to do whatever interests you most. Options for activities include: deep sea fishing, sea kayaking, jungle kayaking, zip-lining, horseback riding, chocolate making, jungle hiking to waterfalls, night hikes through the jungle, visiting the indigenous BriBri for a traditional lunch, surfing, snorkeling, diving, lounging on the beach, white water rafting, and more.
Most of what’s listed above costs between $50 – $60 per activity including transportation and lasts 4+ hours. A Chocolate Tour costs $26. A day at the beach is absolutely free. The best value in Puerto Viejo is the deep sea fishing. The average cost per person is one-third of the cost of a chartered excursion from Louisiana, and a local restaurant will cook up your fresh caught fish for you to enjoy.
If and when you book your flight, let us know, and we will forward you our itinerary. You’re welcome to join us for every activity or none of them at all. Every night we’ll go out to dinner and then party the night away!
How will I get around in Puerto Viejo?
Your best bet is to rent a bike for $5/day. Your bike will take you everywhere you need to go during the day. At night, you will need to take a taxi. Taxis range from $3 – $18, but most trips will cost you between $3 – $7. You should always negotiate the fare once you enter the taxi, before departing to your destination. Taxis are readily available throughout the greater Puerto Viejo area during both the day and night.
What kind of currency will I use?
Colones (CRC) are the local currency. On September 13, 2016 the exchange rate was 1 United States Dollar (USD) to 551.45 colones. Both colones and USD are accepted widely throughout Costa Rica, but in more remote areas, like Puerto Viejo, it can be best to use colones. Carry cash as many businesses are cash only, however most hotels and larger establishments will accept Visa and Mastercard. Many businesses in Puerto Viejo offer discounts if you pay in colones rather than USD.
Do not exchange your USD for colones prior to your arrival in Costa Rica. Once there, you can exchange USD at a local bank or simply withdraw your money from a local ATM using your US debit card. Your money will be distributed in colones at the proper exchange rate for a nominal ATM fee. There are ATMs in Puerto Viejo open from 6:00am – 10:00pm.
How much should I bring for food and drinks?
In general, food and alcohol is much more affordable in Puerto Viejo than it is in the US. You can expect to pay a little less for drinks than you would at a dive bar in New Orleans and a lot less than you would in DC. There are convenience stores in Puerto Viejo that sell libations, and there are many 2 for 1 happy hours, some of which go all night long.
As for food, I’ll let Nomadic Matt break it down:
Local cuisine in a “soda” restaurant (local stand) will typically cost 1,600 CRC [$2.90 USD]. Main courses in most restaurants cost around 5,340 CRC [$9.68 USD]. On the road to the beach is a great pizza place for 2,135 [$3.87] and a little stall that sells the world’s best empanadas for 535 CRC [$.97 USD]. Sit down restaurants in town, especially those that cater to tourists, will cost double that.
As you can see, you can eat for next to nothing, or you can spend a decent amount and eat quite well. The most expensive restaurants in the area, such as La Pecora Nera, cost about $25 USD per entree.
Is tipping customary in Costa Rica?
Yes, but the “rules” are very different from those in the US. Most Ticos tip 10% at restaurants and no more, even if the service was superb. Many restaurants will automatically include the 10% tip on your bill. You can tip more, if you feel so inclined, but it is never expected. When purchasing drinks at a bar, tip between $.50 – $1 per drink.
You should tip service providers such as maids and bell hops $.50, or 200-300 colones. Tip your shuttle bus drivers $1 – $3 USD. Tour guides should receive $10 per group for a half day, or $15 per group for a full day. If you head out on a fishing expedition, you should tip the captain 20% at the beginning of the day.
When taking a taxi a small distance, tipping is not necessary, but a $1 tip is a nice gesture. For long taxi rides, $1 – $5 is standard. Ticos typically prefer USD for tips, especially $2 bills, for whatever reason.
Why Puerto Viejo?
Unlike the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the Caribbean Coast has not been developed into a tourism destination. Traveling to this area is a truly unique experience.
Puerto Viejo is just one town along a 10 mile stretch of coastline near the Panamanian border. During our stay, we will be traveling up and down the coast for different activities, visiting Playa Negra, Cahuita, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva, and Manzanillo.
Garrett & Stephanie 