3 O’Clock Wedding

Although the American dollar is falling against some other world currencies, it still commands respect in many warm, friendly South American countries like Cost Rica. Many American couples consider going on a special trip for their special day where the scenery is not only beautiful but getting there and back is affordable. However, before you and your partner start looking forword to a wedding in Costa Rica, you need to know some Costa Rica marriage customs.

Very Familiar

Costa Rica is a very conservative country where the Church has a large influence. That means that Costa Rica marriage customs completely exclude homosexual marriages. Also, according to Costa Rica marriage customs, no proxy marriages are allowed. Both of you have to show up in person to get married.

In addition, you must be over eighteen to get married in Costa Rica. However, marriage customs do state that those under eighteen but over fifteen need parental consent in order to get married. This is more the local custom and very hard to prove if you are not a native. Theoretically, it can be done but you need to fly your parents down to the wedding and have them be able to prove that they are your parents.

Not Your First Time?

Costa Rican marriage customs still view one marriage per life as normal even though divorce is allowed in Costa Rica. A remarriage is only allowed if you are old enough to clearly be a widow or widower. If you are still in child-bearing years then Costa Rica marriage customs make it very difficult for you to remarry.

According to Costa Rica marriage customs, a woman must wait 300 days from the death of her husband or the date of her divorce decree before she is allowed to remarry. Some, but not all, areas of Cost Rica demand that the woman take a pregnancy test and it must be negative before she is allowed to wed. There are no tests or waiting periods for men.

Papers

Both you and your partner will need a stack of paperwork in order to be legally wed in Costa Rica. If you are an American, you need a valid US passport, a copy of your birth certificate, a certificate of single status and police clearing. You need all of this to apply for the marriage license which has to be done at least a month before the wedding.

I think that’s all you need to know about the marriage customs in Costa Rica.