Planning your Costa Rica weddingand the decisions that shape the day.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Planning your Costa Rica wedding comes down to five linked decisions: where you want to celebrate, which season suits you, which paperwork route you will use, who your local team is, and how your guests get there. Settle the first two early, because they shape everything else.
In the order we would take them.
Begin with how the day should feel.
Costa Rica reaches from the Pacific to the Caribbean, with beaches, rainforest and volcano country inside one country, so the setting can follow your plans instead of the other way around.
We are photographers and filmmakers based in Tamarindo, and we work throughout Costa Rica. The notes below are the planning questions couples ask us often. They are general guidance: your planner and your venue know your date well.
Planning your Costa Rica wedding: the legal side.
From Costa Rica’s civil registry (TSE), checked October 2026. Requirements and timing change, so confirm what applies to your date.
Foreign couples can marry here.
TSE publishes the documents that foreign nationals provide for a civil marriage, so couples from abroad can marry in Costa Rica.
Expect apostilled documents.
For a civil marriage before the Registro Civil, TSE asks foreign nationals for a valid identity document, an apostilled birth certificate and an apostilled civil status certificate. The civil status certificate is expected to be issued within the last month unless it states its own validity. Documents not in Spanish need an official translation.
Name two witnesses.
You give the full names and ID numbers of two witnesses when you apply. They attend the ceremony with valid identification and are sworn in during it.
Allow time.
TSE gives an average of 4 to 6 months for the Registro Civil route, once the application, the requirements and the published notice are complete. Ask your planner which route fits your date.
Recognition at home is a separate question.
Whether your home country recognizes the marriage is something to check with its own authorities. We are photographers, not legal advisors. For a step-by-step order of tasks, see our guide to planning a destination wedding in Costa Rica.
Choosing the kind of place.
Costa Rica offers forest, coast and mountain settings. Think about the feel first, then compare venues. Our guide to wedding venues in Costa Rica goes place by place.
Rainforest retreats
Green, private settings where the forest is the backdrop. Ask how guests arrive and what the rain plan is.
Resorts
Resorts often keep ceremony space, rooms and catering in one place. Ask what is included and who coordinates the day.
Beachfront venues
Sand, waves and open sky. Ask about access, tide and shade, and what the venue requires for a ceremony on its stretch of beach.
Season and weather by region.
Costa Rica’s regions do not share one weather calendar. Our guide to the months to get married in Costa Rica adds the monthly detail.
| Region | Pattern | What it means for planning |
|---|---|---|
| North Pacific (Guanacaste) | Dry season December to March, April as a transition month, rains from May, a second rainy period from September to November. | Dry months suit open-air ceremonies. In the green season, plan a covered back-up. |
| Central Pacific | Dry season January to March, April as a transition month, rains from early May, December as a transition month. | A shorter dry window. Confirm shade and cover with the venue. |
| Northern zone (Arenal area) | One rainy period from May to December or January; a Caribbean-type regime with a relative decrease in rain. | Plan for rain at any time of year and choose a venue with cover. |
| Caribbean | Two rainy periods, with relative lulls in September and October and in February and March. | No single dry season, so a covered plan matters in every month. |
Climate averages from IMN regional studies; any single day can differ. Always check a forecast close to your date.
If you choose the rainy season
Plan for it instead of hoping around it. Ask the venue about a covered ceremony space, keep a few umbrellas for guests, and talk to your photographer about where we would work if the rain arrives. A rain plan you have already agreed on keeps the day calm.
A local team around you.
Your vendors shape how the day runs. Ask each one to show real work and to explain how they work with your venue.
Photography and film
A photographer who knows the light and the logistics of a Costa Rica venue plans the day with you. Our guide to choosing a Costa Rica wedding photographer and videographer has a checklist of what to ask.
Food
Ask your caterer about local ingredients and dishes if you want the menu to feel rooted in the place. Confirm what the venue allows.
Flowers
A florist who works locally can tell you which blooms and greenery suit the climate and season of your date.
Details that make it feel like you.
- Local touches. Music, dance or local traditions can be part of the ceremony or the reception. Ask your planner or venue how to include them well.
- Decor from the setting. Tropical flowers, greenery and natural materials fit the landscape. Ask your florist which are in season.
- Time for adventure. If you enjoy it, plan a zip-line or waterfall outing around the wedding, not on the day itself.
- A quiet stretch of coast. Smaller beaches can feel private, but ask about access and local rules before you choose one.
- Time to slow down. A spa afternoon or a relaxed rehearsal dinner by the ocean gives everyone a calm start.
Getting guests there and settled.
Travel and lodging are where plans from abroad often need extra time.
How guests reach the venue
Some venues need a boat, a shuttle or an off-road vehicle. Ask the venue how guests arrive, and share that with them early.
Local transport
Look at private car services and shuttles for the days that matter, so nobody drives unfamiliar roads after dark.
Places to stay
Costa Rica has everything from resorts to eco-lodges. Give guests a short list with a range of options, and ask hotels near your venue whether they offer a group rate.
Plan the day for photographs, too.
A few choices help every picture: a ceremony time that gives soft light, a venue with some shade, and a realistic schedule. On Costa Rica’s Pacific coast the sun sets over the water, so an early evening ceremony can end in warm light. Tell us your venue and date and we will say what we would plan around.
If you would like portraits somewhere other than the venue, such as a forest, a waterfall or a quiet beach, plan that outing before or after the wedding day and ask about access and any rules first.
Planning from abroad?
Short answers, with the source behind each one.
Can foreigners get married in Costa Rica?
Yes. TSE, Costa Rica’s civil registry, publishes the documents foreign nationals provide for a civil marriage. The exact route depends on who celebrates the marriage, so confirm with your planner.
Which documents do foreign nationals need?
For a civil marriage before the Registro Civil, TSE lists a valid identity document, an apostilled birth certificate and an apostilled civil status certificate, with an official translation if they are not in Spanish. You also name two witnesses. See the TSE procedure sheet.
How long does the paperwork take?
TSE gives an average of 4 to 6 months for the Registro Civil route, depending on agenda availability once everything is complete. Start early and ask your planner which route applies.
When is the dry season?
It depends on the region. On the North Pacific, IMN describes the dry season as December to March, and on the Central Pacific as January to March. The northern zone and the Caribbean coast do not have the same dry season. See the table above.
Do we need a local planner?
We recommend one, especially for couples marrying from abroad. A planner who knows the area can explain the paperwork route, coordinate vendors and manage the rain plan.
How do guests get to remote venues?
Ask the venue. Some need a shuttle, a boat or an off-road vehicle, and the venue can tell you the safest way to arrive and how long it takes.
Do beaches and parks have rules for ceremonies?
They can. Venues, parks and reserves set their own rules for gatherings, photography and drones, so ask your planner or the venue before you choose a spot.
Where do you photograph weddings?
We are based in Tamarindo, Guanacaste, and work throughout Costa Rica, and we also take selected destinations. Tell us your plans and we will say honestly whether we are a fit.
- TSE, Celebración de matrimonio civil: identity documents, apostilled certificates, witnesses, notice and average timing for the Registro Civil route.
- IMN regional climate study, Pacífico Norte: dry and rainy season months.
- IMN regional climate study, Pacífico Central: dry and rainy season months.
- IMN regional climate study, Zona Norte: rainfall pattern of the northern zone.
- IMN regional climate study, Vertiente Caribe: rainy periods and relative lulls on the Caribbean side.
Photography · Adri & Lucas
Film · Lucas weddings
Written by Adri and Lucas. This guide is general planning information, not legal advice. Official requirements and timing change, so confirm them with your planner, your officiant or TSE for your own date.
Ready to start
planning?
Tell us where you are thinking of celebrating and who is coming, and we will tell you what we would look at first. We answer in English or Spanish.
Check your date on WhatsApp ↗Or write to us on the contact page