A beachfront wedding in Jaco, Costa Rica.
Vows on the sand, your whole party under one roof, and a private estate that holds the week rather than a single afternoon.
The difference between a destination wedding that feels like a holiday and one that feels like an event you had to manage usually comes down to one decision: whether the people you love most are staying where you are getting married.
Why the venue and the villa should be the same address
A resort wedding puts your ceremony on a schedule that belongs to someone else, and it scatters your family across floors and buildings. A private estate does the opposite. The wedding party wakes up together, gets ready together, walks downstairs to the ceremony, and stays until the music stops. There is no transport plan and no last coach back.
Casa Las Palmas sits roughly one hundred feet from the Pacific with fifteen ensuite bedrooms, twenty-one beds and room for thirty-plus guests. Ceremony on the beachfront lawn, cocktails at the beachfront bar, dinner on the terrace, after-party on the rooftop.
A four-day wedding week that works
Guests land at SJO through the afternoon and shuttle ninety minutes to the coast. Welcome drinks at the beachfront bar, a relaxed family-style dinner, early night for the people who flew red-eye.
Morning surf lesson or spa treatments at the villa. Rehearsal on the lawn late afternoon while the light is good, then the rehearsal dinner on the rooftop as the sun goes into the Pacific.
Getting-ready rooms upstairs with space for hair and makeup, ceremony on the beachfront lawn around an hour before sunset, cocktails on the terrace, dinner and dancing on the property. No transfers, no coaches, no curfew imposed by a resort.
A long brunch by the pool, a catamaran afternoon for whoever is staying on, and staggered departures back to SJO.
Vendors and the concierge
Every stay includes concierge service, and for weddings that means coordinating with your planner on florals, rentals, sound, the officiant, private chefs, in-villa spa treatments and airport transfers for guests arriving on different flights. If you do not have a planner yet, we will introduce you to planners who work in Jaco every season.
Tell us your dates and your guest count and we will come back with availability, a rate for the week, and an honest view of what your wedding would look like here.
Costa Rica weddings: common questions
- Can you get married on the beach in Costa Rica?
- Yes. Beaches in Costa Rica are public, and beach ceremonies are common and straightforward. Most couples hold the ceremony on the sand or on private lawn directly above it, then move to a private property for the reception so the celebration is not open to passers-by.
- Is a Costa Rican wedding legally recognised abroad?
- A civil marriage performed in Costa Rica by an authorised notary is legally valid and can be registered at home, though the paperwork takes time. Many couples handle the legal marriage in their home country and hold a symbolic ceremony in Costa Rica, which removes the residency and documentation requirements entirely. Confirm the current rules with your planner and your own country's authorities.
- How much does a destination wedding in Costa Rica cost?
- Costs vary widely with guest count and style, but Costa Rica generally comes in below comparable beach destinations in the Caribbean or Mexico for the same level of service. The largest single line item for most couples is accommodation, which is why renting one estate that houses the wedding party — rather than a resort block plus a separate venue fee — usually reduces the total.
- How many guests can a private villa wedding hold?
- Casa Las Palmas sleeps 30+ guests across 15 ensuite bedrooms and can host a larger ceremony and reception on the beachfront lawn, with guests beyond the wedding party staying nearby in Jaco. The rooftop deck and beachfront bar handle welcome drinks and the farewell brunch.
- What is the best month for a wedding in Jaco?
- December to April is the dry season and the most reliable choice for an outdoor ceremony. Late November and early May are shoulder months with lower rates and usually excellent weather. Green season weddings do happen and can be beautiful, but plan a covered backup for the ceremony hour.
- Do we need a wedding planner in Costa Rica?
- For anything beyond a small symbolic ceremony, yes. A local planner manages vendors, permits, the rental inventory, and the language and timing differences that catch international couples out. Our concierge coordinates with your planner or introduces you to planners who work in Jaco regularly.