Getting Married in Costa Rica

Getting Married in Costa Rica

Couples long ago discovered that Costa Rica's rain forests, volcanoes, beaches, and sunsets make the country a prime honeymoon destination. A growing number are deciding to start that honeymoon early and tie the knot here as well.

First the marriage legalities:

Any two people of the opposite sex at least 18 years old may marry in Costa Rica.

Your passport must have at least six months' remaining validity.

Your witnesses, who may not be your relatives, must meet the same requirements.

You need to demonstrate that any former marriage is no longer in effect by providing a copy of a divorce decree or death certificate of a prior spouse; a Costa Rican consulate in the country where those documents were issued must translate them into Spanish and notarize them.

A woman must wait at least 10 months after the end of a previous marriage or provide a medical statement attesting to not being pregnant (presumably with her ex-husband's child); a man has no waiting period.

Judges, attorneys, and Catholic priests have legal authority to certify a marriage in Costa Rica. While the law provides for complete freedom of religion, it grants the Catholic Church special "state church" status, meaning that if you have an official other than a Catholic priest preside over your service, a lawyer or judge will have to make it legal, either at the ceremony or at his or her office later. The priest (in a Catholic ceremony), a lawyer, or a judge will register the marriage with the Civil Registry and your own embassy. The license takes three months to issue and is sent to your home address. Virtually all Western countries recognize the legality of a Costa Rican marriage.

While the country offers no shortage of impressive backdrops for a ceremony, the Central Pacific coast sees the most tourist weddings, hands down. (May and June are the most popular months.) Manuel Antonio's Makanda by the Sea, La Mariposa, and Sí Como No and Punta Leona's Villa Caletas are among the many lodgings here with events staffs well versed in planning ceremonies and tending to the legalities. You need only say, "I do." Private wedding planner Tropical Occasions (249-0773. www.tropicaloccasions.com) comes highly recommended and has over 450 weddings under its belt. It also has arranged a few same-sex commitment ceremonies, although Costa Rican law does not recognize these as legally binding.