The ceremony was at sunset on the beach in Junquillal. Twenty-two guests. The tide rising slowly while the priest spoke. A string quartet that had flown in from San José that morning.
That was the first wedding at Odisea. Intimate, precise, no excess — exactly as the couple had asked when they reached out to the team four months before the date.
Why marry at a private estate instead of a wedding venue?
The big wedding venues in Costa Rica share one thing: they're designed for weddings. They have the pergola, the floral arch, the banquet hall. And, inevitably, another wedding the same weekend, the standard catering, and logistics repeated fifty times a year.
Odisea isn't designed for weddings. It's designed to be lived in. And that, paradoxically, is its greatest advantage as a wedding venue.
The estate has the ocean backdrop no decorator can fabricate. It has Valérie's gardens — designed over years without weddings in mind, and therefore more photogenic than any custom floral arch. And it has a wide terrace facing the Pacific that, set with tables and candles, becomes the most elegant open-air dining room in Guanacaste.
What does the Odisea team coordinate?
Gaby, the online concierge, starts working with the couple or wedding planner four to six months before the date. Coordination covers:
- Group accommodation (villa assignment by preference and family privacy)
- Private chef: tasting menu, rehearsal dinner and weekend breakfasts
- Transfers to and from Liberia (LIR) for guests
- Coordination with local vendors: florists, photographers, music, civil or religious ceremony
- Pre- and post-wedding activities: surf, snorkeling, horseback riding, spa
Luca runs the operation on site, from the first guest's arrival to the last airport transfer.
What does the wedding weekend look like?
Most weddings at Odisea follow the same three-night structure:
Night 1 — Arrival. Informal welcome dinner on the terrace of Villa Hermes.
Night 2 — The wedding. Ceremony on the beach at sunset, cocktails on the pool terrace at Diosa del Mar, and a formal dinner with a menu designed by the chef.
Night 3 — Farewell. Brunch in the gardens, a free afternoon, and staggered airport transfers.
How many guests fit, and how exclusive is it?
The full estate sleeps up to 24 guests comfortably across its ten bedrooms (maximum 27).
And most importantly: Odisea doesn't host weddings two weekends in a row. Between events, the estate rests. It's house policy — and the reason every wedding feels like the only one.
The villas
Odisea is two beachfront villas booked together for the event:
- Villa Hermes — architectural beachfront villa →
- Villa Diosa del Mar — beachfront art retreat →
- Book the whole estate for your wedding — talk to a concierge →
Frequently asked questions
Can you get married on the beach at Odisea?
Yes. The ceremony takes place at sunset on the beach in Junquillal, in front of the estate. The team coordinates the civil or religious ceremony and all local vendors — florists, photographers and music.
How many guests does a wedding at Odisea allow?
The estate sleeps up to 27 guests across its ten bedrooms.
How far in advance should you book?
Coordination ideally starts four to six months before the date. Odisea hosts only one event per weekend, so high-season dates book up early.
Does it include a chef and accommodation?
Yes. A wedding at the full estate includes accommodation in both villas and a private chef who handles everything from the rehearsal dinner to breakfasts and the formal dinner.
Where is Odisea and how do guests get there?
In Playa Junquillal, Guanacaste, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Liberia airport (LIR). The team coordinates round-trip group transfers.
