Costa Rica Weddings
Costa Rica is quickly gaining in popularity as a tourist destination and a destination wedding location, and it’s easy to see why. A country filled with warm people, beautiful beaches, and lush tropical forests, Costa Rica offers something for everyone. A short 20 years ago, few vacationers or wedding couples had Costa Rica on their list. However, as more luxury hotels moved in and more direct flights were offered, Costa Rica has blossomed into a luxury tourist and wedding destination. It offers all the allure of a Mexico wedding, with all the adventure of Central America.
Why Costa Rica is the perfect place for your destination wedding
Think back to your last vacation. Were you content to sit on the beach all day under the sun? Or, were you looking to go explore and try new activities? If you said explore, than Costa Rica might be your perfect destination wedding location. While you can certainly relax on one of Costa Rica’s thousands of sandy beaches, you’d be missing Costa Rica’s best assets. Due to its unique location and terrain, Costa Rica wedding couples and wedding guests can visit a tropical rain forest, ride a horse through mountain trails, and experience some of the best deep sea fishing on earth. It’s impossible for your wedding guests to be bored attending a Costa Rican wedding. Couple this with a host of luxury resort or villa options for wedding accommodations, and Costa Rica feels like paradise. Mild temperatures and few hurricanes make Costa Rica a safe bet for your destination wedding.
Why you might want to pass on Costa Rica for your destination wedding
If you want as many guests as possible to attend your destination wedding and plan to spend every minute with them, then Costa Rica might not be for you. Many people still consider Costa Rica a bit exotic for a vacation (let alone a destination wedding), especially those with small kids or the elderly, even though it’s very safe. Also, Costa Rica doesn’t offer many all-inclusive resort options, and the ones that do exist are not as luxurious or well-designed as some others (especially compared to those in Mexico). So, you will most likely want to work with a traditional hotel or rent a group of villas to accommodate your wedding guests. Once there, your wedding guests will likely want to explore all the wonderful activities available in Costa Rica. So, if you would rather spend days at the swim-up bar with your wedding guests, Costa Rica probably isn’t the best choice for your beach destination wedding.
Feeling adventurous?
Costa Rica is The Perfect Caribbean Wedding Location for Adventurous Couples
Still dreaming of a Costa Rica wedding? Here’s some information to help you plan:
Map of the Caribbean Islands & Costa Rica:
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Quick facts:
Country Population: About 4 million
Capital: San Jose
Size: 19,700 square miles
Language: Spanish
Religion: Roman Catholic
Official Currency: Costa Rica colon
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (UTC-6)
Transportation:
Most visitors fly into San Jose (SJO), since this tends to be the fastest and least expensive option. From there, you can take a short flight or a bit longer drive to the main resort areas, which are mostly located on the coasts. Most new resort areas are springing up on the Pacific Coast, and so the restaurants and hotels are fresh and exciting. If you are heading to the northwest resorts, such as the Four Seasons, there is an airport much closer, Liberia International Airport (LIR). It is starting to have more direct flights from the U.S. So, if you want to stay in that area and can get a good rate flying direct, take it.
Marriage requirements:
Costa Rica has a relatively straight-forward marriage process. There is no waiting period or blood tests required, but you will need to hire a Costa Rican lawyer to help file the necessary marriage paperwork. Most local wedding planners and resort wedding departments can help you find one (and a list of lawyers is available on the U.S. Embassy website). You will also need valid passports and certified copies of your birth certificates. If you’ve been married before, you will need additional information proving the dissolution of your marriage.
For the most up-to-date Costa Rica marriage requirement information, visit: http://usembassy.or.cr/consfaq.html
When’s the best time to get married in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica enjoys a year round average temperature that varies little, somewhere around the low 80’s F. What is unique is that it experiences two main seasons, the gold season and the green season. The gold season experiences very little rain and runs from December – April. Gold refers to the crisp trees and terrain due to a lack of rain. Not surprisingly, this is also the height of the tourist and wedding season, especially when you consider those months tend to be cold for most northern countries.
The green season, or rainy season, is from May to mid-November. During this time, the forests and flowers become very lush. Most mornings tend to be dry, with the afternoons experiencing rain as the humidity builds in the air throughout the day. So, if you are planning a sunset Costa Rican wedding in June, you should plan a backup indoor option or get a tent just in case.
Websites with additional information:
Costa Rica’s official tourism website: http://www.visitcostarica.com |
