Destination Weddings

Costa Rica

6 Venues
At a glance

Marrying in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is for couples who want rainforest, volcanoes and Pacific sunsets in one trip. Eco lodges and boutique beach hotels keep things intimate, and guests get a genuine adventure holiday too.

See the venues
Best timeDec to Apr

The dry season on the Pacific coast

Flight time11 hours

Direct from Heathrow with British Airways in winter

VisaNo visa

UK visitors, stays up to 180 days at the officer's discretion

Legal weddingLegally binding

Usually before a notary, with passports, apostilled birth certificates and a single status declaration, translated into Spanish

Top tipCheck registration

Make sure your notary registers the marriage with the Civil Registry. It is not legally binding until then

Checked against official UK government and embassy guidance. Rules can change, so confirm paperwork with the registry before you book.

Explore Costa Rica by area

Guanacaste4 venues · Bohemian, BoutiqueExplore the area →

6 venues in Costa Rica

Hand-picked from 324 venues in 31 countries and 59 areas

When to book

Your Costa Rica wedding, month by month

Marrying abroad runs to a longer clock than at home. The best venues book a year or more ahead, and the legal paperwork has its own timings. Here is the order that works.

  1. 12 to 18 months
  2. 12 months
    • Book your venue and planner
    • Check the legal route and who confirms it
    • Hold a block of rooms for guests
  3. 9 months
    • Send save the dates
    • Share flight options with guests
    • Lock in your best month and time of day
  4. 6 months
    • Book photographer, florist and music
    • Plan a menu tasting or site visit
    • Arrange travel insurance
  5. 3 months
    • Start the legal paperwork, sooner if your route asks
    • Confirm final guest numbers
    • Plan the welcome and farewell events
  6. 1 month
    • Final payments and timings
    • Pack documents in your hand luggage
    • Hand the day over to your planner