Costa Rica is the most popular destination wedding country in Central America. Voted one of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth by National Geographic Adventure, Costa Rica Rios has spent over 25 years planning unforgettable experiences in this country, including honeymoons and romance itineraries that begin exactly where the wedding ends.

You’re taking the plunge. It’s all set. You and your beloved have decided to get married at one of the many destination wedding locations in Costa Rica. Wooo hoooo! Kudos to you both! This is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting times in your life.

Yet, if you listen to all those who have come before you, they’ll tell you that it also has the potential of being one of the most stressful.

How on earth does one plan a wedding in another country?!

With ease, that’s how!

Here are all the ins and outs of planning a Costa Rica wedding.

The Legalities of a Costa Rica Marriage

Logistics may not be romantic. But get them right and everything else flows.

Costa Rica is a genuinely easy country for foreign couples to marry in. No prior application for a marriage license is required. No waiting periods. Documents do not need to be translated into Spanish before arrival. Plan well and, if the schedule allows, a couple could legally marry on the same day they land.

Here is what the legal process actually requires:

Both partners must present a valid passport. Each partner must also provide an apostilled birth certificate. If the birth certificate is not in Spanish or English, an official Spanish translation is required. 

Each partner must provide an apostilled certificate of civil status, which is proof of being single, divorced, or widowed. This certificate must be issued within one month of the wedding date. Two witnesses are required. Costa Rican law states that witnesses cannot be family members, so close friends take this important role.

A lawyer must officiate any civil wedding that is not held in a Catholic Church. The wedding planner will organize the lawyer on behalf of the couple. After the ceremony, the lawyer submits the marriage certificate to the Costa Rican National Registry. Processing takes four to six weeks. The certificate is then mailed to the couple’s home address and is globally recognized.

What does the legal process cost? Lawyer or judge fees to officiate and handle paperwork run between $200 and $1,200 depending on the firm. Official translation and authentication of the marriage certificate adds another $100 to $200. Total legal costs for the full formal route typically run between $1,500 and $2,000, including all filing fees.

Symbolic vs. Legal: Which Route is Right for You?

Most foreign couples in Costa Rica choose symbolic. That’s not a compromise.

A symbolic wedding ceremony carries full emotional and ceremonial weight. Vows, rings, a celebrant, flowers, a reception, photographs. Everything a couple wants from a wedding day happens exactly as planned. The only difference is that the legal paperwork is completed separately, either in the home country before the trip or after returning home.

This route is popular for three reasons. The documentation requirements are simpler. The planning timeline is more flexible. And the couple can focus entirely on the experience rather than legal logistics. No apostilled documents. No one-month certificate timing windows. No waiting for paperwork to clear.

Many top Costa Rica resorts, including Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo, Andaz Papagayo, and Dreams Las Mareas, are experienced with both symbolic and legal ceremonies and can accommodate either option through their onsite coordination teams.

The right choice depends on what matters most to the couple. For those who want the marriage certificate to originate from Costa Rica, the legal route is the answer. For those who want maximum simplicity and full ceremony, symbolic is the smarter call. Either way, the wedding day looks identical.

What Budget is Necessary?

Forget those astronomically expensive weddings many people have at home! In Costa Rica, your ‘average’ wedding, with about 50 guests, can set you back only about $5,000! This will include  include a celebrant, venue, celebration lunch/dinner, flowers, photographer, entertainment and a delicious cake! Of course, you can certainly splash out on a super luxurious venue and uber-gourmet food, but a Costa Rican wedding need not cost an arm and a leg. The landscape, atmosphere and culture will be the highlights here…not the bling.

Current cost ranges for 2065:

A Costa Rica wedding for 30 to 60 guests now runs between $7,000 and $12,000 on average, depending on the region, venue type, and package level. This figure typically covers ceremony setup, an officiant, florals, a dinner option, and basic decor. Papagayo and Guanacaste venues tend to sit at the higher end of this range. The Caribbean coast and smaller boutique venues often come in lower.

Elopements and micro weddings (two to ten guests) run significantly less. Expect $1,500 to $3,000 for a symbolic ceremony at a private villa, a secluded beach, or a rainforest setting with a celebrant, florals, and a small private dinner.

Luxury resort packages from properties like Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo, Andaz Papagayo, and Secrets Papagayo start at $999 for a base package and scale to $15,000 and above for full multi-day resort buyouts. These packages typically include ceremony coordination, floral arrangements, a wedding cake, décor, and a private dinner.

What drives costs up fast: Guest count is the biggest variable. Food and beverage costs scale directly with headcount. Papagayo en Guanacaste is consistently more expensive than Guanacaste’s less developed areas or the South Pacific coast. High season dates from December through April add 20 to 30 percent to resort pricing compared to green season.

The green season value case: A wedding from May through October at a top resort costs significantly less per night than the same property in dry season. Mornings are typically clear. Rain comes in the afternoon. Outdoor venues with flexible timelines handle the weather well, and the landscape is at its most lush and vivid.

Even at the higher end, a Costa Rica destination wedding costs a fraction of the US average, which runs above $30,000.

Best Time to Exchange Nuptials in Costa Rica?

The dry season answer is only half the story.

Dry season (December through April) is the most popular window for beach weddings on the Pacific coast. Papagayo, Tamarindo, and Manuel Antonio are reliably sunny. Resorts run at full capacity and full pricing. Book venues four to six months ahead for December, January, and Easter week dates.

Green season (May through October) is underrated for weddings. The mornings are clear across most regions. Rain arrives in the afternoon and passes quickly. The rainforest is at peak color and life. Wildlife is active. And resorts offer their best value during this window, often $150 to $400 less per night than peak pricing. For couples whose priority is atmosphere over guaranteed beach weather, green season is genuinely the better call.

November and late April are shoulder months. Less crowded. Weather transitioning. Good availability at top properties. Couples who can be flexible with dates often find the best combination of quality and value here.

Caribbean coast timing: The Caribbean side runs on a reversed weather pattern. February through October is the better window there. September and October are good for sea turtle nesting season alongside clear weather.

Arenal and cloud forest region: Rain is present year-round here but heaviest from September through November. The cloud forest aesthetic works in any season. Hot springs and spa experiences at Arenal properties are not weather-dependent.

The most important rule: choose a venue with an indoor or covered backup plan regardless of the season. Every experienced Costa Rica wedding coordinator will insist on this. The weather is beautiful here, and it is also in the tropics.

Is a Wedding Planner Required… or Can I Go it Alone?

Short answer: not required, but the case for one is strong.

Planning a wedding in another country involves vendors who speak a different language, legal timelines that differ from home, and logistics between regions that are genuinely complex. A local planner or a Costa Rica-based operator who knows the landscape removes most of that friction.

What a planner or experienced local operator handles: venue negotiations, vendor coordination (photographer, florist, caterer, musician), legal paperwork for formal ceremonies, transportation for guests between locations, day-of coordination, and backup planning for weather.

What planning alone looks like in practice: researching vendors from outside the country with no local relationships, navigating Costa Rican legal requirements without an on-the-ground guide, and handling logistics for guest travel without knowing which transfers and routes are reliable.

Costa Rica Rios has planned Costa Rica experiences for over 25 years. That history includes romance and honeymoon itineraries where the wedding trip extends into the country’s best adventures. A wedding inquiry is welcome here, and a custom quote comes back within 24 hours.

How Do You Choose the Right Venue?

Well, this depends on what you like! Destination wedding are big business here in Costa Rica, and you’ll be surprised how many inclusions many of the fantastic resorts will offer, to lure you in. Just to give you an idea, the stellar Alma del Pacifico, a small but luxurious beach side resort right next to the Manuel Antonio National Park (and only a couple of hours’ drive from San Jose Airport) will literally put the whole resort at your and your guests’ disposal when you book your wedding there. That’s the pool, spa, restaurant, breath-taking terrace and absolute waterfront location…all yours…for your wedding.

That’s the stuff dreams are made of! What’s more? It’s only one of many dedicated wedding resorts in Costa Rica. Speak to your wedding coordinator in Costa Rica or – working backwards – contact your dream resort/hotel and ask what kind of wedding packages they have on offer.

What setting feels right? A beach ceremony at sunset, a rainforest clearing, a clifftop terrace, a private villa with ocean views? Costa Rica offers all of them within a relatively small geographic footprint. Each setting has a different character, a different price range, and a different guest experience attached to it.

How many guests are coming? Intimate venues (under 30 guests) and large resort venues (up to 200 guests) are both available, but they are rarely the same property. The guest count should drive the venue search, not the other way around.

What does the surrounding experience look like? Costa Rica’s strongest argument over Mexico or the Caribbean is that the wedding week itself becomes an adventure. Guests can zipline through the canopy, raft whitewater rivers, walk through national parks, watch whales from a catamaran, and soak in geothermal hot springs. All within easy distance of most major wedding venues.

Once those three questions are answered, the venue list gets short quickly.

Best Costa Rica Wedding Venues by Setting

Named venues. Real locations. Honest descriptions.

Beach and Ocean Resort Venues

Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo sits at the top of the luxury range. Located on the tip of the Papagayo Peninsula in Guanacaste, it offers over ten event locations including two private beaches, three pools, four restaurants, and a golf course. Ceremonies for rehearsal dinners, micro weddings, and full receptions are all available here. Ten consecutive Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star ratings. This is the benchmark property.

Andaz Papagayo by Hyatt sits 35 minutes from Liberia Airport on the Papagayo Peninsula. Cocoon-shaped event studios, a Beach House, an open-air restaurant, and an expansive garden create distinct ceremony settings. Architecture draws on local Costa Rican flora and fauna. The resort handles both symbolic and legal ceremonies.

Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica is an adults-only resort on Papagayo Bay with ceremony spaces including a beach, a garden, a pool terrace, and an amphitheater. Wedding packages start at $999 and scale to full custom builds for up to 240 guests at a cocktail reception. Three dining menu options available for reception dinners.

Dreams Las Mareas in El Jobo, Guanacaste is a large all-inclusive beach resort on a palm-lined stretch of Jobo beach. Multiple ceremony spaces from beachfront to reception under tropical trees. Great for couples who want to minimize planning complexity and keep guests entertained on property.

Pangas Beach Club in the heart of Tamarindo offers direct beach and estuary views. The majestic Matapalo tree is the venue’s trademark and provides natural shade and a photogenic backdrop. Relaxed beach town atmosphere. Good for mid-size weddings with a laid-back style.

Private Villa and Estate Venues

Villa Punto de Vista in Manuel Antonio is a private estate perched above the ocean. Two fully staffed wedding villas sleeping 10 to 27 guests. Rented to one party at a time. Complete privacy. Walking distance from the beach. This venue works for intimate celebrations where the couple wants exclusivity over scale.

Hacienda Pinilla on the outskirts of Tamarindo spans 4,500 acres of historic ranch property with three private beaches. An elegant Colonial-style chapel is on site for religious ceremonies. Wedding venue options include a private beach, a beachfront rancho, an exclusive villa, and the JW Marriott hotel on the property. Capacity ranges from small private events to large receptions.

Rainforest and Nature-Forward Venues

El Mangroove at Playa Panama in Guanacaste sits surrounded by forests, beaches, and mangroves. 15 miles from Liberia Airport. The main ballroom seats 120 for a sit-down dinner. The outdoor Garden Plaza holds up to 200 guests. One of the more accessible nature-forward venues in the country.

Villa Caletas in Jaco sits on a clifftop above the Central Pacific coast. Stunning ocean views. A faux-Roman amphitheater, infinity pool, and a Zephyr Palace viewpoint all serve as ceremony backdrops. An onsite wedding coordinator handles planning and day-of needs.

Rancho Pacifico in Uvita is a small luxury boutique property that specializes in elopement weddings and honeymoons. They host no more than four wedding guests. The setting is a pristine tropical rainforest nearly 2,000 feet above the South Pacific coast.

Costa Rica Elopements

Two people. The right setting. Nothing else required.

Costa Rica is well-suited for elopements and has become a popular choice for couples who want a meaningful ceremony without the guest list logistics. Privacy, natural beauty, and boutique venues at every price point make the country a strong option in this category.

• What an elopement in Costa Rica typically looks like: A symbolic ceremony at a private villa, a secluded beach, a rainforest overlook, or a waterfall-adjacent setting. A celebrant, a photographer, and a small private dinner. Two to four guests at most.
• Cost range: $1,500 to $3,000 covers a well-planned symbolic elopement with ceremony, florals, photography, and a private dinner. Legal elopements with full documentation add $1,500 to $2,000 in legal fees on top.
• Best settings for elopements: Rancho Pacifico in Uvita (rainforest, South Pacific views, maximum four guests by design), private villas in Manuel Antonio, secluded beach coves in Guanacaste, and waterfall settings near La Fortuna and Arenal.

The appeal is clear. A couple gets a wedding day in a world-class natural setting, at a fraction of the cost of a resort event, with no large group logistics to manage.

LGBTQ+ Weddings in Costa Rica

Same-sex marriage is fully legal in Costa Rica. Has been since May 26, 2020.

That makes Costa Rica the first country in Central America to legally recognize same-sex unions, and many resorts have responded with dedicated inclusive policies and rainbow wedding packages. Properties including Andaz Papagayo, Dreams Las Mareas, Secrets Papagayo, and multiple boutique ecolodges across the country now actively promote LGBTQ+ ceremonies and host same-sex weddings regularly.

Both symbolic and legal ceremonies are available to same-sex couples under exactly the same conditions as opposite-sex marriages. The legal documentation requirements are identical. Two witnesses, a lawyer officiant, apostilled documents. The process is the same.

Couples planning an LGBTQ+ destination wedding in Costa Rica should confirm inclusive policies directly with their chosen venue. Most top-tier properties in Guanacaste and Manuel Antonio have no restrictions.

What Will Your Wedding Guests Do?

This is where Costa Rica separates itself from every other destination wedding option.

Mexico and the Caribbean offer beaches and resorts. Costa Rica offers those and a full adventure itinerary for every guest who wants one. That difference is real and it changes the entire energy of a wedding week.

Guests can zipline through cloud forest canopy in Monteverde. They can raft Class III and IV rapids on the Pacuare River, one of the top whitewater rivers in the world. They can walk hanging bridges above the Arenal rainforest, spot scarlet macaws and three-toed sloths in Corcovado, and soak in natural geothermal hot springs within driving distance of most major wedding venues.

From Papagayo, whale-watching catamaran trips run from July through March as humpbacks migrate along the coast. Snorkeling, diving, kayaking, surfing, and horseback riding on the beach are available within easy reach of every major wedding venue in Guanacaste.

Guests who want to stay closer to the resort can do exactly that too. Four Seasons, Andaz, and Secrets all have world-class pool areas, spa facilities, restaurants, and watersports on property. Nobody feels obligated to explore. But for guests who want more than a poolside week, Costa Rica delivers it without anyone having to leave the wedding region.

This is the argument no wedding agency that doesn’t also operate adventure tours can make. Costa Rica Rios does both.

What About the Honeymoon?

The wedding is over. Now the real adventure starts.

Costa Rica is built for honeymoons as much as it is for weddings. Many couples extend their stay and use the wedding trip as the first chapter of a longer journey through the country. A week in the rainforest, a few nights on a private beach, a spa stay at Arenal. The combination of nature, luxury, and privacy creates a honeymoon that feels genuinely different from a standard resort week.

Costa Rica Rios designs custom honeymoon itineraries that pick up exactly where the wedding celebration ends. The Pure Luxury and Luxury Relaxation itineraries are both well-suited to couples who want to extend the magic.

Plan Your Costa Rica Honeymoon Today

FAQ: Planning Your Costa Rica Destination Wedding

How much does a destination wedding in Costa Rica cost?

A Costa Rica wedding for 30 to 60 guests runs between $7,000 and $12,000 on average for 2025, depending on venue type, region, and package level. Elopements and micro weddings for two to ten guests start at $1,500 to $3,000. Luxury resort packages at properties like Four Seasons Papagayo scale to $15,000 and above for full custom builds. Even at the top end, Costa Rica costs a fraction of the US average wedding spend, which runs above $30,000.

Is it easy to get married in Costa Rica as a foreigner?

Yes. Costa Rica has no prior license application, no residency requirement, and no waiting period. The legal requirements are straightforward: valid passports, apostilled birth certificates, an apostilled certificate of civil status issued within one month of the wedding date, two non-family witnesses, and a lawyer to officiate. Most couples work through a wedding planner or a local operator who handles the paperwork on their behalf.

What is the difference between a symbolic and a legal wedding in Costa Rica?

A symbolic ceremony carries full ceremonial weight (vows, rings, reception, photographs) but is not legally registered in Costa Rica. The couple legalizes the marriage in their home country before or after the trip. A legal wedding is officiated by a Costa Rican lawyer, registered with the National Registry, and the certificate is mailed to the couple four to six weeks after the ceremony. Most foreign couples choose symbolic for simplicity.

What is the best time of year for a Costa Rica destination wedding?

Dry season from December through April offers the most reliable beach weather on the Pacific coast. Book venues four to six months ahead for peak dates. Green season from May through October offers lower venue pricing, lush landscapes, and clear mornings with afternoon rain. November and late April are good shoulder months with fewer crowds and competitive pricing at top properties.

Is same-sex marriage legal in Costa Rica?

Yes. Same-sex marriage has been fully legal in Costa Rica since May 26, 2020, making it the first country in Central America to recognize same-sex unions. Both symbolic and legal ceremonies are available to same-sex couples under the same conditions as opposite-sex marriages. Many top resorts actively promote LGBTQ+ weddings with dedicated inclusive packages.

Do I need a wedding planner for a Costa Rica destination wedding?

A planner is not legally required, but strongly recommended. Vendor coordination, legal paperwork, guest logistics between regions, and day-of management all add up quickly when planning from outside the country. A local operator or planner with real on-the-ground relationships handles the complexity while the couple focuses on the celebration. Costa Rica Rios has planned Costa Rica experiences for over 25 years and welcomes wedding and honeymoon inquiries. A custom quote is returned within 24 hours.