Inside a Destination Wedding Weekend at Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo

Why Costa Rica’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve is one of the most exciting new settings for a luxury celebration

A short nonstop flight from Miami leads to a deeply private corner of Costa Rica, where the tropical forest meets the Pacific and an entire wedding weekend can unfold within one remarkable resort.

There is a particular thrill in boarding a flight as wedding planners and knowing that, a few hours later, we will be looking at a destination through the eyes of our future couples. This summer, we were honored to be invited by Arney Walker and FORMA Management to experience Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, alongside an intimate group of leading destination wedding planners and creative partners from across the country.

The invitation gave us something that photographs and floor plans never can: the chance to understand how the property actually feels. We arrived as guests, moved through the resort as planners, dined in the event spaces, stayed in the accommodations, and considered every part of the experience from a couple’s first welcome cocktail to the final farewell brunch.

For our South Florida couples, the ease of getting there was one of the first surprises. Liberia, Costa Rica is approximately a two-and-a-half-hour nonstop flight from Miami International Airport. Nekajui is about 35 kilometers from Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport, so the destination feels wonderfully removed without asking guests to devote an entire day to travel.

First Impressions of Nekajui

Nekajui opened in 2025 as the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Central America. The name comes from the Chorotega word for lush garden, and the property seems to emerge from the protected landscape of Peninsula Papagayo rather than sit on top of it. Native woods, local stone, open-air passages, and views toward Playa Pochote and the Pacific give the resort a strong sense of place.

What stayed with us was the balance of privacy and warmth. Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are intentionally rare and highly individual, and Nekajui feels more like an exceptional private estate than a traditional resort. Guests are cared for by dedicated personal hosts, known as Manzus, who assist with everything from dining preferences to activities. For a wedding weekend, that level of attention matters. Guests feel looked after while the couple and planning team remain focused on the celebration.

The resort includes 107 ocean-facing rooms and suites, along with distinctive accommodations such as private multi-bedroom villas and treetop tents. That inventory gives a couple the ability to keep a substantial number of guests together on property while still preserving the intimate atmosphere that makes Nekajui special. The exact room-block strategy should be developed around the guest count and mix of room types, particularly because the villas and residences can accommodate families and groups differently from traditional guest rooms.

The Welcome to Costa Rica

Our first evening began with cocktails and dinner on Casona Lawn. It was the perfect introduction to the property and, immediately, we could picture it as the opening chapter of a wedding weekend. The lawn overlooks Bahia Huevos, and the sunset does much of the work. Long tables, local ingredients, live music, and a bar that feels generous but effortless would be enough to establish the weekend’s tone without revealing everything at once.

After dinner, we moved to Cooper’s for drinks. The intimate bar specializes in creative mixology and can also host a guided experience in which a couple develops a signature cocktail for the wedding. It is exactly the kind of detail that makes a destination celebration feel personal. Instead of filling the schedule for the sake of activity, we look for moments that guests will remember because they connect naturally to the couple and the place.

Designing the Wedding Weekend

A property like Nekajui is best understood as a complete weekend rather than a single wedding venue. The strongest itinerary allows each event to reveal a different part of the resort and gives guests enough freedom to enjoy Costa Rica between celebrations.

Thursday Arrivals and Welcome Cocktails

Guests arrive in Liberia and are transferred to the peninsula, where the first afternoon can remain intentionally unstructured. That evening, we would begin with sunset cocktails and a relaxed dinner on Casona Lawn or in Ceiba Courtyard. Casona Lawn can host approximately 200 guests depending on the design. Ceiba Courtyard, centered around its namesake tree, offers another beautiful open-air setting for cocktails or dinner and can also accommodate approximately 200 for a reception-style event.

Friday Experiences and Rehearsal Dinner

The next morning might begin at Mirador before guests separate into a small selection of optional experiences. During our stay, we toured the suites and took part in an apothecary class at the spa, creating personalized fragrances and wellness blends. For a wedding weekend, the class would be lovely for a bridal party or close family group. Other guests could choose sailing, golf, a guided hike, a coffee tasting, time at the spa, or a quiet afternoon by the pool.

The rehearsal dinner could move to La Capilla Terrace and Lawn, giving the evening a more polished mood while keeping the setting connected to the outdoors. Couples who prefer an indoor dinner can use La Capilla Ballroom, with the terrace and lawn supporting cocktails and arrival. This combination is especially valuable because it provides a graceful weather plan rather than a last-minute compromise.

Saturday Ceremony and Celebration

For the wedding day, the ceremony could take place on Vista Lawn for a more intimate ocean-view setting, or on Casona Lawn for a larger guest count. Golden-hour cocktails might follow in Ceiba Courtyard before dinner and dancing in La Capilla Ballroom or beneath the stars. The property’s primary outdoor spaces can accommodate celebrations of up to approximately 200 guests, but final counts depend on the ceremony layout, stage, dance floor, entertainment, catering format, and weather plan.

We would deliberately create contrast from one evening to the next. If the welcome party is relaxed and rooted in the landscape, the wedding can feel more formal and architectural. Florals, lighting, music, and culinary choices should respond to each space rather than compete with it. Nekajui already has a distinct point of view, so thoughtful design will feel more luxurious than excessive design.

Sunday Farewell

A farewell brunch can be as simple as a beautiful breakfast overlooking the water, followed by a few unhurried hours at the pool or beach. Guests who extend their stay can continue with a sailing excursion, spa ritual, or time exploring Peninsula Papagayo. The final morning should feel easy. After several days of planned moments, the luxury is having nowhere else to be.

What Couples Should Know Before Planning at Nekajui

Nekajui hosts no more than one wedding celebration per week, an important distinction for couples who value privacy and focused service. The property requires a minimum room block of 12 rooms with a minimum-night stay, although a destination weekend of this scale will often call for a broader accommodations plan. Peak wedding season runs from November through April. Celebrations from May through October may offer more flexibility, but the weather strategy needs to be established early.

Couples may work with outside vendors without an additional vendor fee according to the property’s wedding materials, although vendors must provide valid insurance documentation. Wedding planning, floral design, decor, entertainment, and production are contracted separately. Nekajui’s event team manages the resort’s internal operations and works in partnership with the couple’s wedding planner.

That partnership is essential for a destination wedding. The room block, transportation, guest communication, vendor travel, weather backup, and event design all affect one another. When those decisions are made as one plan, the weekend feels relaxed to guests even when the logistics behind it are highly detailed.

Why Nekajui Is Worth the Journey

Nekajui is best suited to couples who want the experience of Costa Rica without sacrificing privacy, service, or design. It offers enough variety to carry a multiday celebration, yet the resort never feels like a convention property. The landscape remains present at every turn, and the wedding weekend can feel both elevated and deeply connected to its setting.

We returned to Miami with more than photographs and venue measurements. We came home understanding how it feels to arrive, where guests will naturally gather, how the light changes over Casona Lawn, which experiences are worth adding to an itinerary, and how the celebration can build across the weekend. That firsthand knowledge is precisely why familiarization trips matter to us as destination wedding planners.

For couples considering a wedding at Nekajui Peninsula Papagayo, Masi Events can help determine the right venue flow, room-block strategy, and guest experience, then plan the complete celebration from the first save-the-date through the final departure.