Costa Rica wedding venue ideasnine settings to compare.

Picture vows with the sound of waves behind you and sand underfoot. Beach settings run along Costa Rica’s coasts, from Manuel Antonio to Tamarindo, and suit intimate ceremonies and sunset receptions.

Ask first: Where the ceremony will stand at your ceremony time, how guests reach the sand, where dinner moves if it rains, and whether the beach is private or shared.

Rainforest retreats place the wedding among dense greenery and local wildlife. The light under the canopy is softer and darker than on the coast, which shapes the schedule and the photographs.

Ask first: Covered spaces, humidity, how far guests walk between spaces, and the state of the access road in the rainy months.

A garden gives you a flower-lined aisle and a green backdrop in one place. Costa Rica’s tropical climate suits outdoor gardens, and it also means a covered alternative belongs in the plan from the start.

Ask first: The covered alternative, shade at your ceremony time, and who sets up and takes down.

A resort keeps accommodation, dining and event spaces in one place, with the property’s own team coordinating. What a resort includes differs from one property to the next, so compare the exact event spaces and not only the brand. See how to choose between resorts and villas in our 20-venue guide.

Ask first: The named ceremony and reception spaces, the rain plan, outside-vendor terms and what the package does and does not cover.

Hacienda grounds and church courtyards bring heritage architecture to a wedding and suit couples who want a traditional feel. We have not named a specific property here, so ask your planner which historic properties host events.

Ask first: Whether events are allowed on the property, rules for photography inside a church, and the light in interior spaces.

Costa Rica’s highlands offer lodges and viewpoints with mountain backdrops. Cloud and mist can change the view, so choose a setting you like even when the peaks are hidden.

Ask first: Weather at altitude, the road in, and a covered space that still photographs well.

A lakeside wedding trades surf and sand for calm water, with a waterfront gazebo or lakeside pavilion as the usual ceremony spots.

Ask first: Wind on open water, shade, and the walking route between the water and dinner.

A waterfall is a location to investigate, not an automatically bookable private venue. Ask the operator whether your ceremony, photography and setup are permitted, and plan for a route that suits every guest: the La Fortuna Waterfall operator describes approximately 530 steps on its route. Our own guide covers Llanos del Cortés, La Fortuna Waterfall and La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Ask first: Current permission for events and photography, visitor access, footwear, changing space, and a backup location. Do not plan around other visitors being absent.

A bohemian-style wedding in the jungle suits a free-spirited celebration, with rustic eco-lodges or secluded clearings as the setting. These places usually need careful logistics planning.

Ask first: Permission to host an event on the land, power for music and lighting, transport for guests, and kitchen and restroom access.

Guanacaste, on Costa Rica’s northwest Pacific coast, holds many of the beach and resort settings above. Venues on this coast include Hacienda Montemar and the resorts of Peninsula Papagayo. In our 20-venue guide, Papagayo covers Andaz and Prieta and Four Seasons, and Playa Conchal and The Westin has its own entry.

Las Mareas is the resort at Playa El Jobo that is now JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa, All-Inclusive, open and operating. Photographs of weddings there, including those of Eliza and Jason and of Marli and Jesse, were made before the resort opened as JW Marriott Costa Elena. See the Dreams Las Mareas and Costa Elena entry.

Arenal is an inland setting with rainforest around it and, when cloud cover allows, a volcano in the background. Nayara Gardens, The Springs, Los Lagos and Amor Arenal are separate properties, so ask each about the event you want. See the Arenal and La Fortuna entry and Tina and Duke’s Arenal wedding.

Tamarindo sits on the Pacific coast, so sunset over the water is part of the planning for a beach wedding. Sueño del Mar, on Playa Langosta in the Tamarindo area, is one beachfront option. See Jennifer and Todd’s wedding at Sueño del Mar and its entry in our 20-venue guide.