Weddings in Costa Rica
Written by Nicole, Costa Rica
Travel News
If you are thinking about
planning a wedding in Costa
Rica, there are some things you
should know. I am from the
States and my husband is from
Costa Rica. We are having a
wedding in Tamarindo Beach at
the Diria in January so I know
have a lot of experience with
the wedding planning here in the
country.
I want to give you some tips if
you are considering having a
wedding in Costa Rica.
1. It takes a long time to
receive your marriage
certificate. I actually had my
civil ceremony 8 months ago,
because this makes the process
smoother. We got married 8
months ago because we knew it
would be a slow process and
there is no way I wanted to be
planning the wedding for an
entire year and then waiting,
waiting, and waiting for the
certificate after the wedding.
With the slow legal processes
here in Costa Rica, it took 5
months to get our wedding papers
back. Not only do you have to
wait to get your certificate
back from Costa Rica in Spanish,
but then it needs to be
translated by an official
translator in English, and then
you need to take it back to the
States and have it filed in your
county.
2. Weddings here are not cheap.
After seeing my brother spend
$15,000 on his wedding in the
States last year, for nothing
luxury, I was excited to save a
few dollars here! Now that I am
actually having to pay for
things, I’m realizing we are not
saving much other than having
fewer guests because of the
distance and commitment it takes
to travel. Our wedding for 80
guests is costing about $8,000.
When I compare that to my
brother’s wedding, he had 250
guests for $15,000. He almost
got the better deal! I feel like
I am getting some deals on
flower arrangements and set up
costs, and the food and open bar
is outrageous! Even the
all-inclusive hotels in Costa
Rica charge $40/person for a
private dinner for your guests
when everyone should be eating
for free!!
3. Loss of control over details.
Even though I am living here, it
is hard to plan a wedding in a
foreign country. Most things are
up to the events planners at the
hotel because they are the ones
with the contacts and control.
You just need to hope that they
are listening and taking note of
what you want and that it turns
out right. Because it is not
easy trying to book your own
details in Spanish and doing it
the Tico way. I would say, to
have a wedding here you need to
be open to the details and and
not worry if things don’t turn
out your way.
4. No one will have a more
beautiful wedding than you! Here
is the most positive point, the
country is beautiful. Can you
imagine having the most gorgeous
bouquet of flowers, chairs set
up with white covers and bows,
in a lush garden overlooking the
ocean. Your guests are not only
going to the most beautiful
wedding, but you are giving the
ones who could make it an entire
life experience and something
they will never forget!
5. Only get married here if you
are willing to give up on the
details and looking for an
incredible experience. And do
the legal stuff before you come
and have a symbolic ceremony on
the beach! |
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