Destination weddings in three regions

Costa Rica Wedding Venues: Mountain, Beach or Rainforest

Three private resorts in three different parts of Costa Rica: a mountaintop with valley views for up to 100 guests, a beach venue on the Pacific for up to 70, and a rainforest lodge below Arenal Volcano for up to 50. Your closest people sleep where the party is.

Mountain · Bella Vista · 100 guests Beach · Johnny's · 70 guests Rainforest · Majestic Lodge · 50 guests

Our Costa Rica wedding venues at a glance

Venues
3 private resorts, each rented whole: one wedding at a time
Settings
Mountain views in central Costa Rica · Beach on Playa Avellanas, Guanacaste · Rainforest at Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna
Wedding guests
Bella Vista up to 100 on 2.5 gated acres · Johnny's Beach Bungalow up to 70 · The Majestic Lodge up to 50
Guests sleeping on site
28 at Bella Vista · 28 at Johnny's · 33 at the Majestic Lodge
Rain cover
Covered reception patio (Bella Vista) · covered pavilion (Johnny's) · covered ceremony deck (Majestic)
Airports
Bella Vista 1 hr 20 min from San José (SJO) · Johnny's 1 hr 30 min from Liberia (LIR) · Majestic About 3 hrs from SJO or LIR
Lodging from
$1,250/night (Bella Vista; $950 in May, Sept & Oct) · $1,360 (Johnny's) · $1,350 (Majestic)
Three resorts, three regions

Three places to get married in Costa Rica

We specialize in weddings in different corners of the country, so the first question isn't which venue is nicest. It's what you want behind you when you say your vows: mountains, the ocean or the rainforest.

Mountain wedding ceremony set up on the south lawn at Bella Vista Private Resort, Costa Rica, with the valley behind
Wedding party at sunset on the mountaintop at Bella Vista, a Costa Rica wedding venue
Couple exchanging vows under an arch with mountain views at Bella Vista Private Resort
Mountain wedding venue · Central Costa Rica

Mountaintop weddings at Bella Vista Private Resort

100guests on property
2.5acres, gated
28guests sleep on site

Bella Vista is the largest of our Costa Rica wedding venues: four private homes on a gated 2.5-acre mountaintop in the cooler central region, 1 hr 20 min from San José (SJO). The view runs across green valleys to layered ridges, and on clear evenings the sun sets toward the Pacific.

The family has hosted more than 50 weddings here, and couples can be legally married on site, not only symbolically.

  • Room for everyone: up to 100 guests on the property, 28 sleeping in the four houses, others in hotels 15–25 minutes away.
  • Ceremony and reception: vows on the open south lawn facing the valley, dinner on the columned back patio a few steps away.
  • Rain plan: the reception patio is roofed.
  • Hosts: Patricia & Felix live on site and introduce local planners, caterers, florists and photographers.
  • Nearby: an infinity pool, four lit pickleball courts, Pacific beaches 35 minutes away.

Best for: the biggest guest lists and a sunset mountain wedding in Costa Rica, close to San José.

See weddings at Bella Vista →Check dates
Beach wedding arch on the bluff above the Pacific at Johnny's Beach Bungalow, Playa Avellanas, Costa Rica
Evening wedding reception under string lights in the courtyard at Johnny's Beach Bungalow
Reception tables with turquoise sashes set among palms at Johnny's Beach Bungalow in Guanacaste
Beach wedding venue · Guanacaste

Beach weddings at Johnny's Beach Bungalow

70guests outdoors
3 minwalk to the sand
28guests sleep on site

For a beach wedding in Costa Rica, Johnny's Beach Bungalow puts the ceremony on the sand at Playa Avellanas, a three-minute walk from the gate and usually close to empty. Or marry on the bluff above the surf, with the arch framing the Pacific.

Sunset here lands between about 5:15 and 6:00 PM all year, so the day follows it: vows at golden hour, photos on the beach, then back inside the gate for dinner under string lights. Nobody gets in a car.

  • Capacity: up to 70 outdoors across the courtyard, garden, lawn and covered pavilion; 30 indoors.
  • Lodging: 28 sleep in six en-suite rooms; others stay in Tamarindo (30 minutes) or Hacienda Pinilla (10).
  • Vendors: Alberto & Karla live on site and coordinate flowers, DJ, dinner, cake, décor, photographer, hair and makeup and officiant, in Spanish.
  • Transport: two 12-passenger vans for Liberia runs and shuttles.
  • Rain plan: December to April is safest; a green-season wedding over 30 is planned as an outdoor one.

Best for: barefoot ceremonies, ocean sunsets and guests flying into Liberia.

See weddings at Johnny's →Check dates
Rainforest wedding ceremony on the covered deck at The Majestic Lodge near Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Wedding reception on the lodge deck and pool terrace surrounded by rainforest at The Majestic Lodge, La Fortuna
Couple marrying at the base of the La Fortuna Waterfall in the rain, guests holding clear umbrellas
Rainforest wedding venue · Arenal Volcano

Rainforest weddings at The Majestic Lodge

50wedding guests
33guests sleep on site
25 minto La Fortuna Waterfall

For a rainforest wedding in Costa Rica, The Majestic Lodge is the place: El Castillo, near La Fortuna, with Arenal Volcano and the lake in view and forest on every side. It's the most intimate of the three, capped at 50 guests.

Vows happen on a big covered deck open to the rainforest on three sides, and the reception spills out around the pool as the lights come on. Here the roof is the rain plan: a shower passes overhead and nobody moves.

  • One roof: 33 guests sleep in 10 en-suite bedrooms; others stay in La Fortuna, about 20 minutes away.
  • Getting ready: the top floor, with two sitting areas and a massage room, works as the bridal suite.
  • Waterfall vows: parties under 30 can marry at the La Fortuna Waterfall (about 25 minutes, roughly 500 steps each way) and return to the deck for dinner.
  • Simple pricing: no wedding surcharge, breakfast included for 16, your own caterer welcome.
  • Nearby: zip lines 6 minutes away, hot springs under 30.

Best for: intimate weddings and elopements, rainy-month dates, and a full adventure week.

See weddings at the Majestic Lodge →Check dates
Side by side

Mountain, beach or rainforest wedding: the venues compared

Same family, same way of hosting, three different backdrops. Here's how they line up on the questions couples ask first.

Bella VistaMountain · Central mountains, near San RamónJohnny'sBeach · Playa Avellanas, GuanacasteMajestic LodgeRainforest · La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano
SettingGated 2.5-acre mountaintop, valley and mountain views, Pacific sunsetsCeremony on Playa Avellanas, 3 minutes from the gateRainforest facing Arenal Volcano, a short walk from Lake Arenal
Wedding guestsUp to 100Up to 70Up to 50
Sleep on site28 · 10 bedrooms28 · 6 bedrooms33 · 10 bedrooms
CeremonySouth lawn facing the valleyOn the sand, or the bluff above the surfCovered deck, or La Fortuna Waterfall (under 30)
ReceptionCovered, columned back patioCourtyard, garden and covered pavilion under string lightsThe deck and pool terrace
Rain planRoofed reception spaceUp to 30 indoors; plan larger green-season weddings outdoorsCeremony and reception both covered
BreakfastCooked on requestIncluded for 16Included for 16
Lodging from$1,250/night · $950 May, Sept & Oct$1,360/night · +$20/guest above 16$1,350/night · +$20/guest above 16
Nearest airport1 hr 20 min from San José (SJO)1 hr 30 min from Liberia (LIR)About 3 hrs from SJO or LIR
Hosts on sitePatricia & FelixAlberto & KarlaBeto & Leidy
Bella Vista weddings →Johnny's weddings →Majestic Lodge weddings →

Lodging rates are whole-property nightly rates published on each estate's own site, before cleaning, catering and wedding vendors.

How to choose your destination wedding venue in Costa Rica

Most venues sell you an afternoon. Ours you rent whole for several nights, so the wedding happens at home and the morning after happens where the night before did. Since we own all three, we can tell you honestly which fits. Four questions settle it.

1. How many guests, and how many need a bed?

Over 70 guests, Bella Vista is the only fit. 51 to 70, Bella Vista or Johnny's. 50 or fewer, any of the three. To sleep the most of your inner circle on site, the Majestic Lodge holds 33; the others hold 28.

2. Which airport will most guests use?

Bella Vista is 80 minutes from San José (SJO), the airport with the most flights. Johnny's is 90 minutes from Liberia (LIR). The Majestic Lodge is about three hours from either, so it suits guests making a full week of it.

3. What do you want in the photos?

Mountains and a valley at sunset (Bella Vista), the Pacific (Johnny's), or rainforest with a volcano behind (Majestic). Arenal often hides in cloud; February usually gives the clearest views.

4. What month?

Weather differs by region, as the table below shows.

Wedding weather by month: mountain vs beach vs rainforest

Typical relative rainfall on a 0–10 scale (0 = dry, 10 = wettest). A typical year, not a forecast.

MonthMountain (Bella Vista)Beach (Johnny's)Rainforest (Majestic)
Jan114
Feb102
Mar102
Apr312
May756
Jun766
Jul655
Aug766
Sep988
Oct998
Nov547
Dec215
  • December to April is the safest window for an open-air ceremony, and peak season: book 6–9 months out, holidays a year ahead.
  • July brings a mid-year dry spell on the Pacific, a good second choice for the beach.
  • May to November is green season: sunny mornings, afternoon showers, lower rates. Keep the reception under a roof.
  • September and October are wettest on the coast and at Arenal; the Majestic Lodge's covered deck is the most rain-proof choice.

The full month-by-month picture is in our best time to visit Costa Rica guide.

What lodging costs for a Costa Rica destination wedding

Lodging is the one budget line you can know exactly on day one. A typical wedding booking is four nights, priced here at published rates with every bed filled:

4 nights, every bed fullGuests sleepingLodging + cleaningPer guest, 4 nights
Bella Vista (high season)284 × $1,250 + $475 = $5,475about $196
Bella Vista (May, Sept, Oct)284 × $950 + $475 = $4,275about $153
Johnny's Beach Bungalow284 × ($1,360 + 12 × $20) = $6,400about $229, breakfast included
The Majestic Lodge334 × ($1,350 + 17 × $20) + $350 = $7,110about $215, breakfast included

Catering, flowers, photography, music and the officiant sit on top. Bella Vista's team breaks those down in what a Costa Rica destination wedding costs; for flights and transfers, see our group trip cost guide.

Sample wedding week

Mountaintop wedding, beach honeymoon

Marry at one estate, then take whoever isn't ready to go home to the beach. Fly into San José, home from Liberia.

  1. 1Bella Vista

    Arrivals and a welcome dinner

    Guests land at SJO and reach the mountaintop 80 minutes later. Welcome dinner for everyone.

  2. 2Bella Vista

    A free day and the rehearsal

    Beach, courts or pool, then the rehearsal while vendors set up.

  3. 3Bella Vista

    The wedding

    Getting ready in your own house, vows on the lawn timed to the sunset, then dinner and dancing for up to 100.

  4. 4Bella Vista

    Late brunch, then goodbyes

    SJO is 80 minutes away, so even midday flights work.

  5. 5Johnny's Beach Bungalow

    Mountains to the beach

    The couple and remaining crew drive about 3 hrs 15 min to Playa Avellanas.

    Van transfer arranged with your booking
  6. 6–8Johnny's Beach Bungalow

    Honeymoon days

    Surf lessons, Karla's breakfasts and a beach bonfire on the last night.

  7. 9Liberia

    Home from LIR

    90 minutes to the airport.

Prefer the rainforest? Marry on the Majestic Lodge's covered deck and move to Johnny's afterward (about 3 hrs 50 min). See every route on our group itinerary page, or price your own combination in the trip builder.

Planning help, paperwork and the next step

Our hosts handle what's hardest from another country: the estate, the beds, meals, the vans and introductions to local vendors they trust. Many couples also bring a planner. Read how to plan a Costa Rica destination wedding, getting legally married in Costa Rica, and one couple's La Fortuna waterfall wedding, rain and all.

Still deciding? Take the 60-second trip match or compare all three estates. Vow renewal or milestone? See group trips and family reunions.

From couples and celebrations

“The privacy is unmatched.”

★★★★★
“We hosted our wedding here with 30 guests, 21 of whom stayed on the property, and it felt intimate, special, and truly unique. The setting is magical, the privacy is unmatched.”
Morgan Alford · GoogleBella Vista · Wedding
★★★★★
“I highly recommend opting for the Presidential Package — our group loved everything about it. From being picked up at the airport, to the delicious home-cooked meals, to the activity planning, we all felt, well, presidential.”
Andrew Keller · GoogleJohnny's · Presidential Package
★★★★★
“Wonderful accommodation, perfect for a large group of 25 people, and we never felt cramped. The rooms and beds are very comfortable, and the terrace for dining is spectacular.”
Gabriel Carriquiry · GoogleMajestic Lodge · Group of 25
★★★★★
“We traveled all 16 of us, from age 3 to 75, for our renewal of vows, and we were blown away as Karla and her family hosted our event so beautifully. They even hosted a chess tournament and a bonfire for us at the beach.”
Aimee Camano · GoogleJohnny's · Vow renewal
Questions

Costa Rica wedding venue FAQ

How many guests can each of your Costa Rica wedding venues hold?

Bella Vista Private Resort, on a gated 2.5-acre mountaintop, hosts up to 100 guests. Johnny's Beach Bungalow on Playa Avellanas hosts up to 70 for a beach wedding (30 indoors). The Majestic Lodge, in the rainforest at Arenal Volcano, hosts up to 50.

Can all of our wedding guests stay at the venue?

28 guests sleep on site at Bella Vista, 28 at Johnny's and 33 at the Majestic Lodge. Most couples house the wedding party and close family on the property; other guests stay at nearby hotels.

Where can we have a beach wedding in Costa Rica?

At Johnny's Beach Bungalow in Guanacaste, the ceremony happens on Playa Avellanas, three minutes from the gate, or on the bluff above the surf, and the reception returns to the property for up to 70. Liberia airport is 90 minutes away.

Can we have a rainforest wedding in Costa Rica?

Yes. The Majestic Lodge near La Fortuna holds ceremonies and receptions on a covered deck open to the rainforest, with Arenal Volcano beyond, for up to 50 guests. Small parties can marry at the La Fortuna Waterfall and hold the reception at the lodge.

What happens if it rains on our wedding day?

At the Majestic Lodge the ceremony and reception are both covered. Bella Vista's reception patio is roofed, and Johnny's has a covered pavilion plus room for 30 indoors. In green season, plan a late-afternoon ceremony.

Can we get married at one estate and honeymoon at another?

Yes. A popular plan is a wedding at Bella Vista, then beach days at Johnny's, about 3 hours 15 minutes by van, flying home from Liberia. We hold both sets of dates and arrange the transfer.

How far ahead should we book a destination wedding in Costa Rica?

For December to April, 6 to 9 months out, and a year ahead for holidays. Green-season weddings can come together faster. Lock the venue first so guests can plan flights.

Check your date

Tell us your date and guest count. We'll check all three venues.

Karen handles bookings for every estate. She'll come back with availability, the lodging total and an honest view of which venue fits the wedding you're picturing.

Call or text +1 (602) 430-2232Email hello@bellavistacostarica.com

Karen replies personally, usually within a few hours. No spam, ever.

Mountain, beach or rainforest

Marry at one. Finish the week at another.

Build a wedding week across two estates and see the lodging cost per guest before you call.

Plan my wedding trip →Open the trip builder
WhatsApp Plan my trip