We’re Getting Married!

We’re Getting Married!

May 15, 2027

Sara Rodríguez

&

Benjamin McLean

at El Mangroove Hotel, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Not many students from North Carolina end up at Dartmouth College, so it felt meant to be when Sara and Benjamin first met at a local alumni gathering in March 2018.

A year later, biology brought them back together, literally. On the first day of class, Benjamin walked in late (completely on brand) and Sara waved him over to the empty seat beside her. Before long, they became best friends. They bonded over Bojangles biscuits, stories about summer SUP crushes, and dreams of futures in medicine. By the end of freshman year, friendship had turned into something more, and in the fall of 2019 they officially started dating.

Since then, life together has been filled with travel, new cities, medical school adventures, and the addition of Moo, their Boston Terrier. Today, Sara and Benjamin are finishing their final year of medical school, cheering each other on through every exam, rotation, late-night study session, and milestone. While Benjamin pursues a future in Internal Medicine and Sara follows her passion for General Surgery, they continue to support each other through every step of training and life together. Just one week before the wedding, they will officially graduate and become doctors together. One week later, they cannot wait to become husband and wife.

Love Story

Boda Güipipía

Boda is “wedding” in Spanish, and Güipipía is Costa Rica’s cry of joy, happiness, and pride— the perfect reflection of our love and celebration.

Learn to talk like a Tico before the wedding

  • Tico/Tica

    We call ourselves Ticos and Ticas — an affectionate nickname for Costa Ricans that comes from our distinctive way of speaking Spanish. Today, it’s a familiar symbol of Costa Rican identity and pride.

  • Pura Vida

    Pura Vida is Costa Rica’s beloved phrase, meaning “pure life” — a joyful expression of gratitude and love, and the perfect spirit for our wedding.

  • Novia / Novio / Los novios

    La novia means “the bride,” el novio means “the groom,” and together they’re los novios — the bride and groom!

  • ¡Qué chiva!

    ¡Qué chiva! is Costa Rican slang for anything amazing — kind of like saying “so awesome!”

  • ¡A cachete!

    Ticos say ¡a cachete! when things are going really well — it’s our way of saying “couldn’t be better!”

  • ¡Buen provecho!

    We say ¡buen provecho! before a meal—or even when passing someone who’s eating—as a way of saying “enjoy your meal!”

  • Con mucho gusto

    In Costa Rica, instead of saying “you’re welcome,” we say con mucho gusto, which means “with much pleasure.”

  • Diay

    Diay is a little word Ticos use all the time — it doesn’t mean much, but it starts lots of our sentences, like “Well…” or “You know…”

  • Tuanis

    Costa Ricans use tuanis to describe anything fun, positive, or exciting — it’s our way of saying “all good!”

  • Mae

    Mae is the Costa Rican version of “dude” — we say it all the time with friends.

  • A Few Basics

    Just a few phrases to have in your back pocket.

    Hola — Hello
    Buenos días — Good morning
    Buenas noches — Good evening / Good night
    Por favor — Please
    Gracias — Thank you
    ¿Dónde está el baño? — Where is the bathroom?
    La cuenta, por favor. — The check, please.
    ¡Salud! — Cheers!

Let the countdown begin

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

RSVP