✦ You’re invited ✦
Planning a Costa Rica destination wedding
Barefoot on a white sand beach, or next to a jungle waterfall? We got married in Costa Rica ourselves, so here’s everything we learned (including what we’d do differently).
By Sarah & Thomas, married in Tamarindo
Book with confidence
Plan the trip around the wedding
For your guests
Adobe Rent a Car
Send guests our link for 10% off and a free extra driver.
Villas and rentals
Vrbo
Our pick for villas where your whole group can stay together.
Travel insurance
Heymondo
Protect the trip. 5% off through our link (not for U.S. travelers).
Our story
We got married in Tamarindo
We had our wedding at a villa in Tamarindo. Guests flew into Liberia, it was a short drive, and everyone could enjoy the beach before and after.
Honestly, it took us about two months just to decide we wanted a villa. We planned everything ourselves, found our own vendors, and learned a lot along the way. Here’s the real version.
Snapshots from our wedding day
The big question
Should you get married in Costa Rica?
We think getting married here is amazing, but it isn’t right for everyone. Here’s how we’d think about it.
Why it’s amazing
You’ll love it if…
Things to weigh
It might be tough if…
The legal part
Can you legally get married here?
Yes, but it can be difficult and expensive. For a legal ceremony, you’ll need to hire a lawyer to officiate and file all the paperwork for your home country.
That’s why most couples get legally married at home first and then have a symbolic ceremony in Costa Rica. Then anyone can officiate, even one of your guests. 🙂
Where to get married
Our top wedding locations
Think about how close you are to an international airport, how easy it is for guests to explore after, and how easy it’ll be to find vendors.
💍 Where we got married
Tamarindo
Beachfront restaurants, all-inclusive resorts, and private villas on white sand. Guests fly into Liberia and have a short drive.
With guests: a sunset catamaran, deep sea fishing, or ATV tours.
Easy and popular
Manuel Antonio
About four hours from San José airport, with lots of resorts and villas, and no problem finding vendors. Beachfront and cliff-view weddings are popular.
With guests: a sunset catamaran and Manuel Antonio National Park.
Luxury
Papagayo Peninsula
Home to some of the nicest resorts and villas in the country, close to Liberia airport. Just be warned, it’s pricier than other areas.
Jungle vibes
La Fortuna
Prefer jungle to beach? Reachable from Liberia or San José, with hot spring resorts and adventure activities for your guests.
Venues
Choosing your venue
What we chose
Villa
Complete control over everything, and you pick every vendor. We had to rent chairs, tables, plates, silverware, and a tent (luckily it didn’t rain).
Less stress
Resort
Resorts often have a wedding planner and packages, which takes a lot off your plate.
Laid-back
Restaurant or beach bar
Lots of restaurants and beach bars make a great spot for a smaller celebration.
Something unique
Other ideas
Coffee plantations, animal sanctuaries, and waterfall parks like La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
Planning
Should you hire a wedding planner?
Honestly, guys, planning a destination wedding is a lot. We were living in the country and it was still stressful. We highly suggest hiring a wedding planner, or going with a resort or venue that has a planner on site. They’ll save you so much stress.
If a full planner isn’t in the budget, there’s a middle option: a day-of coordinator, hired just for the wedding day to make sure everything runs smoothly.
💬 What we’d do differently
We planned everything ourselves to save money, without a planner or even a day-of coordinator, and I really wish we had hired one. It would have taken so much stress off us and let us actually enjoy the day as bride and groom.
Your vendor checklist
💬 Sarah & Thomas tip
There are big markups on anything labeled “wedding.” If you can handle some things yourself and book locally, do it. You can save a lot of money.
🍽️
Caterer
There are catering companies here, but you can often have a restaurant cater instead.
🎶
DJ
We hired a DJ for the reception, and it was such a good decision.
💐
Florist
The wedding florist quoted us a crazy price. We asked our local florist instead, and they quoted about a third of that. The flowers were amazing.
🎤
Officiant
Ask your venue for a recommendation, or have a friend do it. It’s the most affordable and personal option.
🪑
Rentals
Ask your venue exactly what they have and what you’ll need to rent.
Your guests
Helping guests plan their trip
Costa Rica is probably new to a lot of your guests, and they’ll have lots of questions.
💬 Plan for the heat
Keep the season, heat, and humidity in mind, and prepare your guests. At our wedding, so many people were overheated. Thomas and I were fine because we live here and are used to it, but we didn’t think about how hot everyone else would get. Think shade, fans, cold drinks, and a ceremony time later in the day.
💬 What worked for us
We sent everyone straight to our website. We linked to it from our free wedding website on The Knot, and it worked out perfectly.
Feel free to send your guests here too. They’ll probably like our destination guides, our step-by-step planning guide, and our 10% rental car discount.
After the wedding
Stay for the honeymoon
Costa Rica isn’t just a great wedding destination, it’s a great honeymoon spot too. Stay at an adults-only resort, or hop around the country to see the sights.
Free planning checklist
Feeling overwhelmed? We’ll break it down
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FAQ
Costa Rica wedding FAQ: your questions
Can you legally get married in Costa Rica?
Yes, but it can be difficult and expensive. You’ll need a lawyer to officiate and file paperwork for your home country. Most couples marry legally at home first and have a symbolic ceremony in Costa Rica.
Where is a good place for a destination wedding in Costa Rica?
We got married in Tamarindo, which is a short drive from Liberia airport. Manuel Antonio, the Papagayo Peninsula, and La Fortuna (for jungle vibes) are also popular choices.
Do I need a wedding planner for a Costa Rica wedding?
We highly suggest it. We planned ours ourselves while living here, and it was still stressful. A planner, or a resort with an on-site planner, will save you a lot of stress. Just handle smaller things like flowers locally if you can, since wedding markups add up.
How do I find wedding vendors in Costa Rica?
Ask your venue for recommendations first. In our experience, contacting local vendors directly, like a florist in the town you’re marrying in, can be much cheaper than wedding-specific services.
Every wedding guide
