{"id":37660,"date":"2026-02-03T09:29:43","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T09:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ranchosantana.com\/?post_type=press&p=37660"},"modified":"2026-02-03T09:31:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T09:31:33","slug":"i-accidentally-took-my-boyfriend-to-our-wedding-destination-were-not-even-engaged","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/ranchosantana.com\/es\/press\/i-accidentally-took-my-boyfriend-to-our-wedding-destination-were-not-even-engaged\/","title":{"rendered":"I Accidentally Took My Boyfriend to Our Wedding Destination \u2014 & We\u2019re Not Even Engaged"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Refinery29<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I\u2019m not\u00a0engaged<\/a>. And yet, somehow, I took my boyfriend to what might be our future wedding destination. I had started wedding planning without meaning to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the invitation to visit\u00a0Rancho Santana<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0landed in my inbox, the subject line stopped me in my tracks:\u00a0Nicaragua<\/em>. It wasn\u2019t a place I had ever imagined myself visiting let alone falling in love with, but I\u2019m always down for the ride. So I said yes, packed my bags, and invited my boyfriend along to help photograph the trip.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From the moment we landed, the experience felt elevated. A private car service picked us up and drove us two hours through the countryside of Nicaragua, eventually arriving at a secluded paradise I didn\u2019t even know existed. At Rancho Santana, we were greeted with welcome drinks, cool towels, and the kind of hospitality that instantly makes you exhale. The entrance alone felt cinematic: a hacienda-style courtyard opening up to sweeping ocean views. That was my first thought:\u00a0This place feels heaven-sent.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What I didn\u2019t realize and what my boyfriend found out shortly after we arrived was that the rest of our group consisted entirely of wedding planners and wedding photographers. The side-eye was immediate. I promised him it wasn\u2019t a setup, but once you experience Rancho Santana, the confusion makes sense. This is the wedding venue of your dreams. Whether you\u2019re envisioning a beach ceremony, an intimate chapel moment, or vows exchanged at golden hour, the resort offers every version of romance that is thoughtfully designed and effortlessly executed. Our group included some of California\u2019s most talented wedding and event planners, including\u00a0Jason Rhee<\/a>,\u00a0Charley King<\/a>,\u00a0Jessica Carrillo<\/a>,\u00a0Thomas Bui,<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Nahid Farhoud<\/a>, along with photographers\u00a0Emily Wren<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0The Clane Gessel Studio<\/a>. As the only journalist on the trip, I felt incredibly honored to be with such great talent.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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And then there was the itinerary\u2026 which did not<\/em> help my case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our room had a private terrace (by the way, every room does), mornings started with oceanfront breakfasts while surfers rode the waves below, and evenings were filled with sunset cocktail hours followed by candlelit dinners with gorgeous table decor. Night one felt less like a welcome dinner and more like an engagement dinner, for guests we hadn\u2019t invited.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The next day, we toured the full property, and that\u2019s when everything clicked. In addition to resort rooms, Rancho Santana offers over 20 private residences that can accommodate anywhere from six to eighty guests. It\u2019s an ideal option for weddings or milestone celebrations that feel both intimate and expansive. Guests still receive full access to the resort\u2019s amenities, including butler service, three restaurants, a caf\u00e9, a pool bar with cabanas, and a local market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One night, we attended an all-white themed dinner at one of the restaurants. Between the unreal sunset backdrop and the stunning decor by local designers, you couldn\u2019t convince me it wasn\u2019t a rehearsal dinner. At one point, we were on the dance floor and the entire group cheered us on as the \u201cnewlyweds for the night.\u201d I was nervous about how my boyfriend would react,\u00a0 until I looked over and saw that he was having just as much fun as I was.
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The running joke throughout the trip was that he might as well just marry me right then and there. The planners were ready. The photographers were on site. The venue was flawless. Low-key, I was like, \u201cyesss, let the inspiration marinate!\u201d And while I was joking, I was also quietly taking notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the romance, the resort delivers unforgettable experiences like horseback riding along the beach, bird and monkey nature tours, surf lessons, sandboarding, and a hands-on ceramics class. Each day somehow outdid the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On our final day, they staged a full wedding \u2014 complete with a bride, a chapel ceremony, a saxophone player, cocktail hour, and a reception dinner inside one of the eight-bedroom homes. There was a live band. a private chef, and a level of detail that felt impossible to top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of the trip, we were both joking (but lowkey serious) about living there someday. I\u2019ve always known I wanted a destination wedding. I just didn\u2019t know where. Without realizing it, I spent five days experiencing exactly what that dream could look like, in a country I had never considered visiting. Nicaragua surprised me<\/a> in the best way. Between the people, the culture, and the undeniable magic of Rancho Santana, I\u2019d recommend it for a wedding, a milestone birthday, or simply a luxurious reset. As for my boyfriend? Let\u2019s just say manifestation is real. Now the only thing left to figure out is how I accidentally plan my way onto a private jet next.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Written by Sandy Pierre<\/a> – Courtesy of Eshama John<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full article here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m not\u00a0engaged. 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