Celebrate love in paradise

Symbolic Ceremony or Vow Renewal

No documentation is required.

Civil/Legal Weddings

This service has an additional cost. The following documentation is required: Scanned copies of the following documents must be emailed to [email protected] at least 15 days prior to the ceremony date: Birth certificates of the couple, passports of the couple (photo pages), divorce decree (if applicable), death certificate (if either partner is widowed), and valid passports of the couple and witnesses. Original passports must be presented on the ceremony day. The apostille fee is 175.00 USD*.

Two witnesses are required for the ceremony. Witnesses must be close relatives of the bride and groom; note that a civil/legal wedding in Costa Rica cannot take place without close witnesses.

NOTE: It is not necessary to translate your original documents into Spanish. Additionally, you do not need to apply for a marriage license in your country or Costa Rica; this will be done before the judge on the day of your ceremony.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR FRENCH CITIZENS

French couples must contact their consulate in Costa Rica to get information about the procedures they must follow, the documents they need to bring, and the steps to legalize their marriage certificate in France.

*IMPORTANT: Because each country has specific requirements, we recommend contacting your local embassy or consulate before traveling to obtain complete and detailed information about the procedure to legalize your marriage certificate in your country of residence upon return. In most cases, an apostille stamp is required if you want your legal marriage certificate to be apostilled. Please note that additional fees may apply, which the judge may request directly at the end of the ceremony; therefore, you must cover the extra costs and handle the process directly with the judge.

The following are standard rules that must be followed without exceptions to hold a wedding at RIU Hotels & Resorts. Please note that failing to comply with any of these policies could result in the wedding cancellation. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

The couple and 80% of their guests must stay at the same resort where the wedding takes place. For weddings at Riu Palace Costa Rica, guests staying at Riu Guanacaste may attend the event by paying a wedding pass of 50.00 USD* per person. For weddings at Riu Guanacaste, guests staying at Riu Palace Costa Rica may attend the semi-private dinner by paying an evening pass of 50.00 USD* per person. Guests staying at a different hotel (not RIU) may attend the event by paying a wedding pass of 100.00 USD* per person for Riu Palace Costa Rica and 90.00 USD* for Riu Guanacaste.

*Prices are subject to change without prior notice.

The couple must arrive at the hotel two (2) full business days prior to the wedding date for a Symbolic Ceremony and three (3) full business days prior to the wedding date for a Civil/Legal Ceremony. Please consider your arrival date. Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays are not considered business days. No weddings are held on Sundays, January 1, December 24, 25, and 31, or any other national holiday. External vendors are allowed to work in RIU resorts as long as the external vendor fee is covered. The vendor fee is 300.00 USD*; each vendor may bring up to two assistants. Valid pricing for 2023-2024.

*Price subject to change without prior notice.

For confirmed weddings canceled less than one month before the ceremony date or upon arrival at the hotel, a cancellation fee of 250.00 USD* will apply. Reception: For events with 41 or more guests, it will be treated as a private event, and additional costs will apply.

*IMPORTANT: Please note that our established rules are mandatory and, therefore, no exceptions are allowed.