What is the best time of day to get married on the beach in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is such a great place to get married on the beach, but there are a couple of things you you should know if you are planning a beach ceremony.

The tide swing in Costa Rica is 8-10+ feet and the tides change every day. How is this relevant to your beach wedding in Costa Rica? You could plan your wedding on a day when the high tide is in the afternoon during your ceremony. This means that:

A) You will have less beach space for your ceremony (and consequently the potential to have more strangers walking past your ceremony as they have less space to walk on the beach), and

B) You will have less beach options for portraits with your wedding photographer before and/or after the ceremony (and again, the possibility of having strangers walking behind you during your photos).

If you are flexible with dates, I highly recommend picking a wedding date when it is low-to-mid tide during the time when you will be on the beach for your ceremony and/or beach portraits. Trust me, it is totally worth it to be on the beach at low tide with your new hubby and have much more private space! To check the tides for up to a year out, check out Tamarindo Tides.

The next most important thing you should know besides the time of the tides is the time of sunset. Since it is rather hot and the sun is intense during the day (again, Tamarindo is located 10 degrees North of the Equator), beach weddings in Tamarindo are planned around the time of sunset. Plan your ceremony around an hour or two before sunset. A late afternoon ceremony means:

A) It will not be as hot for your and your guests,

B) Your wedding photographer will be able to take advantage of the gorgeous, golden afternoon light during and after your ceremony. #magichour

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me – – I’m happy to help! If you’ve gotten married on the beach in Costa Rica, share your tips by commenting below!

Pura Vida,
Kristen

P.S. Are you looking for a wedding photographer? You landed on the right spot – – check out my wedding photography!

P.P.S. Love these images as much as I do? Pin them to your Pinterest board for inspiration! To Pin, hover over the photo and click the watercolor Pinterest button in the top left hand corner. Happy Pinning! XOXO

P.P.P.S. Want even more insider tips to getting married on the beach in Costa Rica? Sign up for your very own guide below!