Costa Rica · Country guide

Costa Rica destination wedding guide

Explore beach venues in Guanacaste and Manuel Antonio, or look inland around Arenal. Compare guest travel, accommodation, and the requirements for your chosen ceremony.

Walt LafkyCo-founder · AisleUpdated October 9, 2026

For a Pacific-coast wedding, explore Guanacaste in the northwest and Manuel Antonio on the central coast. For an inland setting, look around Arenal. Compare the venue, accommodation, and transfer times for each location.

Compare villas, boutique resorts, and larger resort packages. Ask which suppliers the venue provides and which you need to book separately. Include time for any wildlife trips, hiking, or surfing you want to share with guests.

Before booking a legal ceremony, ask the Civil Registry or your local officiant for the documents and deadlines that apply to you. Another option is to complete the legal marriage at home and hold a symbolic celebration in Costa Rica.

Regions of Costa Rica

Each region has its own logistics, costs, and best months. Open a region for the full guide.

Wedding costs in Costa Rica

For 80 guests, Aisle’s model estimates a whole wedding in Costa Rica at about US$94,000, with most landing between US$76,000 and US$112,000. That covers the venue, food and drink, a welcome dinner, the suppliers and any bedrooms a venue asks you to commit to. It leaves out flights, guests’ own rooms and attire. Use it to check a proposal, then replace it with written quotes.
Modelled whole wedding · 80 guests

About US$94,000

Most land between US$76,000 and US$112,000. The four lines below add up to it, to the nearest thousand. This is an estimate across Costa Rica, not a quote from any venue.

Venue, food and drink

About US$24,900

What the venue charges to hold the wedding, plus food and drink on the day at about US$205 a guest with the bar, service and tax in. Most land between US$22,400 and US$27,500.

Bedrooms to commit to

About US$18,500

What a venue asks the couple to guarantee for rooms or exclusive use. Guests usually pay this back, and many venues ask for none.

Welcome dinner

About US$6,800

Food and drink for 80 guests the night before.

Suppliers

About US$44,000

A planner, photography and video, flowers and styling, music, guest transport, hair, makeup and stationery. Most land between US$34,500 and US$54,000.

Cost assumptions

  • Model basis: October 8, 2026; 47 Costa Rica venues with an estimate each; modelled figures, not recorded wedding bills, in US dollars at European Central Bank reference rates of that date.
  • The modelled total leaves out flights and travel, guests’ own rooms where the venue requires none, attire, rings, gifts and a honeymoon. Ask suppliers to itemise taxes, service, overtime and any minimum spend.

When to get married in Costa Rica

November through April is the dry season, peak wedding months on the Pacific coast (Guanacaste, Manuel Antonio). May through November is the green season with afternoon rain typical; outdoor ceremonies should be staged before 3pm or under cover. Late November and early December avoid both peak pricing and rain.

Legal requirements

Confirm ceremony and registration requirements before booking travel. Ask who will complete each step and how you will receive your marriage certificate.

  • Ask the Civil Registry or your officiant which identity and marital-status documents you need, and whether they require translation or authentication.
  • Confirm the submission deadline, witness requirements, and who registers the completed marriage.
  • For a religious ceremony, ask the relevant religious authority about preparation and civil registration.
  • Check current entry requirements for each guest’s passport and itinerary before travel.

Verify with the source

Frequently asked questions

Is a wedding in Costa Rica legally recognized in the United States?
Recognition depends on the laws where the marriage will be used. For U.S. recognition and documentation requirements, the State Department directs couples to the attorney general’s office in their state of residence.
Guanacaste vs Manuel Antonio for a wedding?
Guanacaste (Pacific northwest, dry season Nov–April) is best for beach weddings, drier weather, more sunshine hours, lower humidity. Manuel Antonio (central Pacific) is best for jungle-meets-beach aesthetics with rainforest backdrops, though more humid year-round. Guanacaste has more direct international flights via Liberia (LIR); Manuel Antonio requires a connection through San José (SJO).
How much does a wedding in Costa Rica cost?
For 80 guests, Aisle’s model estimates a whole wedding in Costa Rica at about US$94,000, with most landing between US$76,000 and US$112,000. That covers the venue, food and drink, a welcome dinner, the suppliers and any bedrooms a venue asks you to commit to. It leaves out flights, guests’ own rooms and attire. It is a modelled estimate, not a booked-wedding average or a venue quote. Request a complete proposal for your guest count, dates and room plan.
When should we get married in Costa Rica?
Late November through April for the Pacific coast, dry season. May through October is the green season with afternoon rain, lower prices, and lush greenery (good for jungle ceremonies). Avoid October specifically, peak rain.
Do guests need vaccinations for Costa Rica?
Check current entry rules for your full itinerary and discuss travel vaccinations with a qualified health professional. Share your route, planned activities, and travel dates so the advice fits your trip.

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