Best Wedding Venues in
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
– with real Weddings
If you’re looking to create a wedding that feels relaxed and personal, Santa Teresa is a beautiful place to celebrate. The beaches and sunsets here are stunning, and it shows up in the weddings too, barefoot ceremonies, dinners that run late and nothing overly formal. Couples can get married at a boutique hotel, rent a private villa, or keep things simple with a ceremony on the beach.
After photographing weddings here for many years, I’ve gotten to know the venues, the different areas, and the little details that can make each one a great fit for a wedding. Here are some of the venues I’ve photographed, along with a few longtime favorites that are worth knowing about if you’re considering the Santa Teresa area for your destination wedding.
Nekaui
Nekaui is a beautiful option for couples looking for a private setting just steps from the sand. The property has a more residential feel than a traditional resort, with plenty of space to gather, celebrate, and enjoy the lush surroundings.
Weddings here tend to use the beach for the ceremony itself, then move into the property’s natural foliage for dinner and dancing later in the night. It works well whatever you’re picturing, a simple, barefoot ceremony or something a little more designed out.
Real Weddings at Nekaui
Villa Oceana
Villa Oceana is a beautiful beachfront estate in Mal País that works especially well for couples bringing their closest family and friends to Costa Rica. With multiple suites, lush gardens, a Mediterranean-inspired design, and direct access to the beach, there are plenty of different spaces to enjoy throughout the celebration. I also love how much variety the property offers for photos, from the tropical gardens and architecture to a beachfront ceremony with the Pacific as your backdrop.
Real Weddings at Villa Oceana
Blue Mist
Just a few minutes outside Santa Teresa, Blue Mist is tucked into a lush stretch of jungle right along the ocean. It’s a beautiful setting for a beach ceremony, especially as the light changes toward sunset, and the Beach Club gives the celebration a natural place to continue with dinner and dancing under the stars. The whole property feels open to the landscape, so the ocean and jungle remain part of the day rather than just a backdrop.
Real Weddings at Blue Mist
Nantipa
Located right on the beach in Santa Teresa, Nantipa offers the convenience of a boutique resort while keeping the focus on the ocean and the laid-back atmosphere that makes this part of Costa Rica so appealing. For couples who want their guests to be able to stay, relax, and celebrate in one place, it’s a beautiful option, with the Pacific naturally becoming part of the experience from the ceremony through sunset portraits and dinner.
Real Weddings at Nantipa
Batik
Just a few minutes north of Santa Teresa in Playa Hermosa, Batik is a collection of private tropical-luxury villas tucked into lush gardens and jungle. It feels especially well suited for an intimate destination wedding, where everyone can spend more of the trip actually being together: morning coffee, time around the villas, getting ready for the wedding, and celebrating long into the evening. It’s a beautiful way to make the wedding feel like a shared Costa Rican getaway rather than just one day.
Real Weddings at Batik
Ocio Villas
Set into the hillside above Mal País, OCiO Villas is made up of ten private pool villas with sweeping views of the Pacific. The property has a beautiful connection to the landscape, with open-air spaces, tropical surroundings, and plenty of privacy. There are also some incredible spots for celebrating, including the helipad with its panoramic ocean views—a pretty spectacular place to say “I do.” As the sun starts to set over the Pacific, the whole property takes on an especially beautiful glow, making it a memorable setting for an intimate wedding.
Banana Beach
Banana Beach sits right on Playa Santa Teresa, with the beach, ocean breeze, and those incredible sunsets all part of the setting. I’ve photographed weddings here where the ceremony flowed right into dinner and dancing, and I love how easily the space transforms as the day goes on. With accommodations just steps away, it’s also a great option for couples bringing their closest friends and family along for the celebration.
Real Weddings at Banana Beach
Rayo Verde
Just north of Santa Teresa in Playa Hermosa, Rayo Verde is a lush property with six private villas surrounded by tropical gardens and jungle, with the beach just steps away. The size of the property makes it a great option for couples bringing a larger group, giving everyone space to stay together and enjoy the days leading up to the wedding. You can have the celebration at the property, head down to the beach, and still have that feeling of everyone coming back together in one place at the end of the day.
Real Weddings at Rayo Verde
March House
The March House is a private beach house in Mal País, just steps from the beach and surrounded by tropical gardens. The setting lends itself beautifully to an intimate wedding, with ceremonies on the sand and a large yard where everyone can gather for dinner and dancing. It has a relaxed, beach-boho feel that fits Mal País perfectly and gives couples a wedding setting that feels personal and connected to the outdoors.
Real Weddings at the March House
More Private Villas & Intimate Wedding Venues
One of the things I love about weddings in the Santa Teresa and Mal País area is how many options there are beyond traditional hotels and resorts. Private villas and smaller properties can be a wonderful fit for couples who want to bring their closest people to Costa Rica and have more of the celebration happen in one place. Some are right on the beach, while others are tucked into the hills with jungle and ocean views. They each have a different feel, so the best choice really depends on the size of your group, the kind of setting you’re looking for, and how you want your guests to experience the destination.
Real Weddings at Private Villas in the Santa Teresa Area
Kind Words from Santa Teresa Couples
“Megan was an excellent photographer for our wedding in Santa Teresa. She captured all of the best moments! Also she was just easy to be around. We both usually feel very awkward in front of a camera but she helped us get out of our shell. Throughout the entire process, she was great. Would definitely recommend!”
Megan is simply incredible. She photographed our elopement ceremony in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica in July 2024. Megan’s beautiful work speaks for itself – on top of that, she’s kind, prompt, and very helpful. As a Santa Teresa local, Megan went above and beyond to answer our questions about travel, recommend vendors and dinner spots, and help us navigate crazy weather. She is truly the best and we feel very fortunate to have worked with her.”
“Megan shot our wedding in May in Santa Teresa and she was amazing! She was extremely professional, easy to work with, and had great communication leading up to the wedding.
She knew exactly which shots to take leading up to the ceremony, during the ceremony, and after. It was so easy having her around and the photos themselves were absolutely stunning.
If you are getting married in Costa Rica, you should definitely work with Megan. She is the best!”
“Megan shot our wedding in Santa Teresa April of 2024. She was amazing!! We would absolutely recommend her to anyone getting married in Costa Rica!
She was so thoughtful the entire day, and made sure to get all the specific shots we had requested while still making it fun! She was great at helping us feel comfortable and relax in front of the camera. We loved spending the day with her!
She was timely and turned our photos around to us in great time and they absolutely delivered! We can’t stop looking through all the incredible memories she captured for us. Megan is a must if you are getting married in Costa Rica!!”
“Megan did an AMAZING job photographing our wedding in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica!! Having a destination wedding (we are from the states) is no easy task, but she went above and beyond from the get go, responding quickly to us via phone/email, clarifying beforehand our wishes for photos via a questionnaire, but also using her wonderful creativity of bringing our vision to life!!! We loved her energy so much even before meeting her, that we asked her to shoot our welcome party two days prior to the wedding as well. She is a beautiful professional, let alone human being. So thankful for you, Megan!!!”
Planning a Wedding in
The Santa Teresa Area?
Whether you’re drawn to a beachfront resort, a private villa, or something completely different, I’d love to help you create photographs that feel natural, beautiful, and true to the experience you planned.
If you’re considering a destination wedding in the Santa Teresa area, I’d love to hear what you’re envisioning.
