There’s no single best time to get married in Costa Rica, and that’s good news: the country rewards almost any date you choose. What changes month to month is the mood. One window gives you guaranteed sunshine and postcard-blue skies; another trades a little rain for lush green scenery, thinner crowds, and better rates. The right choice comes down to what you want your wedding week to feel like.
Here’s how Costa Rica’s seasons work on the Pacific coast, a month-by-month rundown for the Jaco area, and the handful of dates worth avoiding.
Costa Rica’s two seasons
If you’re weighing up the trip more broadly, our guide to understanding Costa Rica’s weather covers when to visit in general. This piece focuses on what the seasons mean for a wedding specifically.
Costa Rica runs on two seasons rather than four. The dry season stretches from roughly mid-December to April and brings the reliably sunny, low-humidity weather most couples picture for a beach wedding. The green season, May to November, brings the rain that keeps the country so vividly alive, usually as afternoon showers rather than all-day downpours, along with lower prices and far fewer tourists.
One important note for the Pacific coast, where Jaco sits: the two coasts run on nearly opposite calendars. When the Pacific is at its rainiest, the Caribbean side is often at its driest. Everything below refers to the central Pacific.
The dry season: December to April
This is peak wedding season, and for good reason. From December through March you can count on clear skies, warm sun, and the country’s most photogenic light, ideal for barefoot ceremonies, open-air receptions, and golden-hour portraits. It’s also the busiest and priciest stretch, so popular dates book 12 to 18 months out.
The main thing to plan around is heat. The driest months are also the hottest, with daytime highs often in the low 90s Fahrenheit. Keep the ceremony itself short and sweet, schedule it for the cooler late afternoon, and make sure guests have shade and water. April is the hot finale of the dry season and a transition month, still largely sunny but building toward the first rains.
The green season: May to November
Don’t overlook the green season. The rain is real, but it’s rarely the washout couples fear, and what you get in return is compelling: emerald landscapes, dramatic skies, active wildlife, uncrowded venues, and rates that can run meaningfully lower than peak season. Many villas and hotels offer group discounts during these months, which makes it especially appealing when you’re traveling with a large party. See our guide on how much a Costa Rica wedding costs for how much you can save.
The rain follows a fairly predictable rhythm on the Pacific. May and June bring sunny mornings with light afternoon showers. July and August turn wetter, though a short dry spell known locally as the veranillo, or “little summer,” often delivers a couple of drier weeks somewhere in this window. September and October are the wettest months of the year here. Through all of it, the smart move is simple: schedule outdoor moments for the morning or early afternoon, before the typical afternoon storms, and always have a covered backup on standby. For the occasional day the rain does settle in, our guide to enjoying Jaco on rainy days is worth keeping handy.
Month by month on the Pacific coast
- January: Peak dry season. Reliably sunny, warm, and low on rain. Extremely popular, so book early.
- February: Often the driest and sunniest month of the year, with highs near 91°F and just a day or two of rain. A prime wedding month.
- March: Warm, dry, and lively, with a spring-break buzz in town. Consistent sunshine and balmy evenings.
- April: The hot, dry finale of the season and a transition toward the rains. Beautiful, but avoid Easter week (see below).
- May: The green season eases in gently, sunny mornings, occasional afternoon showers, lush scenery, and falling prices. One of the best value windows of the year.
- June: Green and vibrant, with clear mornings and afternoon rain. Fewer crowds and easier vendor availability.
- July: Wetter overall, but the veranillo dry spell often brings a stretch of sunnier days. A good green-season gamble for couples who want savings with a decent shot at dry weather.
- August: Warm, humid, and very green, with more frequent rain. Morning ceremonies work well, and you’ll have the place almost to yourselves.
- September: One of the two wettest months here. The trade-off is the lowest prices and the fewest tourists of the year. Plan a solid covered backup.
- October: The other wettest month, lush, quiet, and inexpensive. Best suited to couples who embrace a covered or tented plan.
- November: A standout shoulder month. The rain tapers off through the month, sunsets return in full, and the landscape is still brilliantly green, all before the December price surge.
- December: The dry season returns, sunny and festive. Very popular, so book well ahead and steer clear of the crowded stretch from around the 20th through New Year.
The best months for a Jaco Beach wedding
These months apply just as well to a Jaco Beach wedding specifically, since Jaco sits on the central Pacific coast. If guaranteed sunshine is your top priority, aim for January, February, or March, the most reliable weather of the year. Late November is a close second and often the smart pick: similar conditions with softer pricing and smaller crowds. And if value and lush scenery matter more than a zero-rain guarantee, May and the July veranillo give you the best of the green season. There’s a right answer for every couple; it just depends on which trade-offs you’d happily make.
Dates to avoid
Two windows are worth steering around, whatever the weather. Semana Santa (Holy Week / Easter) is a major local holiday when Costa Ricans travel in force, so beaches, flights, and accommodations fill and prices climb. The same goes for the stretch from roughly December 20 through New Year’s Day, the most crowded and expensive week of the year. Outside those windows, you can enjoy peak-season weather without the peak-season crush, as long as you book ahead.
Timing your ceremony
Costa Rica sits close to the equator, so the sun sets at a remarkably consistent hour year-round, roughly 5:20 to 5:50 PM depending on the month. That predictability is a gift for planning: schedule your ceremony for the late afternoon so your vows land in soft golden-hour light and your reception rolls straight into a Pacific sunset. It’s also the coolest, most comfortable part of the day for you and your guests.
What about hurricanes?
It’s a fair question, and the answer is reassuring. Costa Rica sits south of the main Atlantic and Eastern Pacific hurricane belts, so direct hits are statistically rare, and the Pacific coast in particular is well insulated. Green-season weather here means rain and the occasional storm, not the hurricane risk associated with parts of the Caribbean.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to get married in Costa Rica?
On the Pacific coast, February is often the driest and sunniest month, with January, March, and December close behind during the dry season. For the best balance of good weather and lower prices, late November and May are excellent shoulder-season picks.
Can you get married in Costa Rica during the rainy season?
Yes, and many couples do. The green season (May to November) brings lush scenery, fewer crowds, and lower rates, with rain that usually falls as afternoon showers. Schedule outdoor moments for the morning and keep a covered backup ready, and it can be just as beautiful as the dry season.
What months should you avoid for a Costa Rica wedding?
Try to avoid Semana Santa (Easter / Holy Week) and the stretch from about December 20 through New Year’s Day. Both are peak local travel periods when crowds and prices spike and availability tightens.
Does it rain a lot on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica?
It depends on the season. The dry season from December to April sees very little rain, while September and October are the wettest months. The rest of the green season typically brings sunny mornings and afternoon showers rather than constant rain.
What time of day should a Costa Rica wedding ceremony be?
Late afternoon is ideal. With sunset falling around 5:20 to 5:50 PM year-round, scheduling your ceremony an hour or so beforehand gives you golden-hour light for photos, a sunset backdrop for the celebration, and the coolest part of the day for guests.
Find your perfect date
Whatever look you’re after, from dry-season sunshine to green-season lushness, there’s a window that fits. Once you’ve settled on a season, our complete guide on how to plan a Costa Rica destination wedding walks you through the rest, and our wedding week itinerary shows how the days fit together. You can see the setting for yourself on our Jaco Beach weddings page and explore the homes on our villas page. When you’re ready to check available dates, get in touch with our team at Casa Rio Mar.
