How Many Hours Do You Need For Your Destination Wedding in Puerto Rico?

Tahel in Guánica

     As a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico, I know that one of the key factors to consider is the duration of the event. Whether you prefer a short and intimate gathering or a grand and lavish celebration, the length of your wedding will significantly impact the overall experience for you and your guests. A shorter wedding allows for a more focused and concise affair, while a longer ceremony and reception provide ample time for various activities, entertainment, and special moments to unfold. Ultimately, determining the desired length of your wedding is essential in shaping the atmosphere and setting the tone for your special day in Puerto Rico.

     When deciding whether to have a shorter wedding or an event lasting almost the entire day, several factors come into play. Couples must consider their overall vision for the day, including the desired level of formality and the experience they want to create for themselves and their guests. The venue chosen can also influence the decision, as certain locations may have specific time restrictions or require couples to book a certain length of time. Additionally, the schedule of events, such as the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing, will determine the duration of the celebration. Couples should also take into account their budget, as longer events typically incur higher costs for additional food, drinks, and entertainment. Ultimately, the decision should reflect the couple's preferences and priorities for their special day.

Tahel Kardashian

     When deciding the preferred length of a wedding in Puerto Rico, the first order of business is to determine how many stages a couple wants it to have. Whether it's an intimate elopement with just the couple or a grand celebration spanning several days with pre-wedding events, ceremonies, and receptions, the number of stages will greatly impact the overall duration of the wedding. By establishing the desired stages early on, couples can then proceed to plan each segment meticulously, ensuring a seamless and memorable experience for themselves and their guests.

     Short weddings typically revolve around a close-knit group of friends who prioritize being surrounded by loved ones. These intimate gatherings often feature a quaint reception that is focused on celebrating the couple's love with simplicity and authenticity. With a smaller guest list, the emphasis is on meaningful connections and cherished moments shared with those closest to the couple. The intimate setting allows for a more relaxed and heartfelt celebration, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for all in attendance. As a Puerto Rico wedding photographer I know that these hover around the four hour mark.

Kfir & Tahel walking down the aisle

     When considering the duration of your dream wedding, it's essential to factor in the various stages that make up the event. A wedding typically consists of a ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and any additional activities or events. The length of each stage can vary based on personal preferences and cultural traditions. Couples may opt for a short and sweet ceremony followed by an intimate reception or a more extended celebration with multiple course meals, speeches, dances, and entertainment. By outlining the key components of your wedding day and how you envision each moment unfolding, you can better gauge the timeline needed to bring your dream wedding to life seamlessly.

     Throughout my career as a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico, I have had the opportunity to capture a wide range of wedding celebrations, from intimate two-hour elopements to extravagant two-day Indian weddings. Each event presents its own unique moments and challenges, but I approach them all with the same level of dedication and artistry. Whether it's a simple beach ceremony or a grand multicultural affair, I strive to document the love, joy, and memories that make each wedding day truly special. I know what it’s like to spend two hours on a beach in Old San Juan as well as stay in a hotel in Condado because I’m shooting a two-day Indian wedding. It’s all ultimately going to come down to what you truly want.

     Based on my experience as a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico, the most popular stages of a wedding are the getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception. The getting ready part is filled with anticipation and excitement as the bride, groom, and their respective parties prepare for the big day. Capturing these intimate moments of final touches and nervous smiles is always a highlight. The ceremony itself is a beautiful representation of love and commitment, set against the backdrop of picturesque venues or tropical landscapes. And finally, the reception is a time for celebration, filled with laughter, dancing, and heartfelt speeches that mark the beginning of a new chapter in the couple's lives. These three stages come together to create a cohesive and memorable wedding experience for all involved.

     When planning your wedding, it is important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer when deciding what aspects to incorporate into your special day. Whether you choose to follow traditional customs or opt for a more modern approach, the key is to tailor the celebrations to reflect your unique love story and personal style. From the ceremony and reception to the smallest details, the choices you make should be a reflection of your personality as a couple. Embrace what feels authentic to you both and create a day that is truly one-of-a-kind. I have enough experience shooting destination weddings in Puerto Rico to know that ‘a little bit of this and a little bit of that’ is more than plenty for most couples.

How long is forever? One second.

     As a professional wedding photographer in Puerto Rico, I am no stranger to the more convoluted, lengthier weddings that take place on the island. These elaborate celebrations often require meticulous planning and coordination to ensure every moment is captured flawlessly. From multi-day extravaganzas to intricately choreographed ceremonies, I pride myself on my ability to navigate these complex events with ease and professionalism. Despite the challenges these weddings may present, I approach each one with a commitment to delivering exceptional service and creating stunning, cinematic imagery that will be cherished for a lifetime.

     Longer weddings are typically composed of more stages, as you can imagine. These tend to require me to take pictures of the couple's details, the getting ready, and a possible first look happening before the ceremony even begins. Moreover, this usually also involves special requests such as a photo session of the bride with her bridsmaids as well as the groom with his best man. These stages allow me to capture every precious moment and emotion leading up to the main event, providing the couple with a comprehensive visual narrative of their special day. With meticulous attention to detail and a keen eye for storytelling, I ensure that each stage is beautifully documented, creating a seamless and unforgettable wedding photography experience for the newlyweds.

Ready?

     For couples planning their wedding day timeline, it is crucial to allocate a minimum of half an hour for each short stage they wish to include. Whether it's capturing intricate details such as the dress, shoes, and rings, or documenting the getting-ready process for both partners, allowing ample time ensures a stress-free and seamless experience. Including a first look between the couple before the ceremony? Allotting thirty minutes for this intimate moment guarantees beautiful and lasting photographic memories. By prioritizing these short stages and dedicating thirty minutes to each, couples can relax and fully immerse themselves in the joy of their special day.

     Allocate an entire hour to those stages of the wedding that typically last a little bit longer, such as the ceremony, a nice bride and groom session, and/or the reception itself. By dedicating a full hour to these moments, we ensure that every detail and emotion is captured with precision and artistry. The ceremony is a pivotal part of the day when vows are exchanged and families unite, deserving undivided attention. A bride and groom session allows for stunning portraits that will be cherished for a lifetime, requiring time to create timeless images. The reception, with its speeches, dances, and candid moments, also benefits from a dedicated hour to document the joy and celebration thoroughly. Prioritizing these significant segments showcases our commitment to delivering a comprehensive and luxurious wedding photography experience.

     As a couple planning your wedding, it is crucial to sit down together and calculate the parts involved in your nuptials. By doing this nuptials math, you can determine your priorities when considering services like those offered by a destination wedding photographer like myself. Knowing exactly what you want and what you can afford will help ensure that your wedding day is everything you've dreamed of. Make sure to discuss your photography preferences, style, and any specific must-have shots with your partner to make the most of this important investment in capturing your special day.

My Favorite Venues As A Puerto Rico Wedding Photographer

     Having made the decision to pursue nothing but wedding photography in Puerto Rico has afforded me the opportunity to shoot at some of the most amazing venues on the island. From elegant beachfront resorts to historic colonial haciendas, I have had the privilege of capturing breathtaking moments against stunning backdrops that elevate the essence of love and celebration. Each venue tells a unique story and adds a touch of luxury to the weddings I photograph, allowing me to produce cinematic imagery that showcases the beauty and romance of each couple's special day. My commitment to specializing as Puerto Rico wedding photographer has enabled me to create a portfolio filled with unforgettable moments set in the most idyllic settings across the island.

     Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to explore nearly every hotel lobby in the metro area and visit luxurious AirBnB accommodations throughout the island as a professional photographer in Puerto Rico. This experience has allowed me to discover a myriad of stunning backdrops and settings to capture breathtaking images for my clients. Each location provides a unique ambiance and aesthetic, inspiring me to create cinematic imagery that truly encapsulates the essence of luxury and romance. From the grandeur of hotel rooms to the charm of high-end lodging, I have honed my craft to deliver exquisite visual narratives that exceed expectations and immortalize the beauty of special moments.

     In this article, I will outline my favorite (and highly recommended) venues as a Puerto Rico destination wedding photographer.

Chavon & Dario at Hacienda Siesta Alegre in Río Grande, Puerto Rico

Hacienda Siesta Alegre

     Hacienda Siesta Alegre is a highly sought-after venue for brides and grooms in the heart of Río Grande, Puerto Rico. By being a neighbor to one of the most attractive locations, El Yunque, it presents many of the qualities you would like for a Puerto Rico wedding photographer like myself to capture: lush greenery, a cooler atmosphere in the mountains and an aesthetic reminiscent of a Spanish villa from the 1800s. As if that wasn’t enough reason to book your wedding here: it’s massive in size; I’ve shot cozy, intimate weddings in Puerto Rico at this venue but its incredible reach makes it an ideal destination wedding venue for couples looking for a spacious and lavish event to commemorate their special day.

     One of my favorite reasons why Hacienda Siesta Alegre is on my short list of preferred wedding venues in Puerto Rico is because it can accommodate every single stage of the wedding: from the bride and groom details and their getting ready process to the obligatory ceremony and late-night reception. The rooms are dark and moody which I find pairs extremely well with my editing style as a Puerto Rico destination wedding photographer but they’re distant enough from each other so that, if a first look is requested, gives us plenty of space to work and figure out where the best setting for that can be. Regardless of when inspiration hits me during weddings in Siesta Alegre, I can always count on a lovely backdrop to use for my photography at any given moment. 

Chavon retouching hair and makeup in the Flamboyán room

     If you’re looking for a wedding venue in Puerto Rico that has every little nook and cranny imaginable, look no further. Hacienda Siesta Alegre boasts luscious landscapes everywhere you look, rustic tonality through its robust wooden texture, private rooms for indoor bride and groom sessions, a large pool by the entrance and a wonderful grassy knoll popular for taking family and friends portraits after your wedding ceremony. One of the more iconic settings that I prefer at Hacienda Siesta Alegre is the bridge above the walkway the leads to the back part of the venue itself; it makes for amazing creative portraiture, specially when I take my couples out for a golden hour session paired with strategic flash photography. Something about Siesta Alegre brings out the best of me as a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico.

The Bridge at Hacienda Siesta Alegre

The Look | Hacienda Siesta Alegre Bridge

As if that wasn’t enough, when the Sun goes down Hacienda Siesta Alegre features on of the most ample and inviting dance floors for any wedding venue in Puerto Rico. In the middle of the reception area you can find a gorgeous fountain always flowing with crystal water with your entourage being able to sit on either side either enjoying the view or finishing their dinner so that they can join you in the fun. I typically enjoy placing some robust lights opposite of each other in the corners and, paired with my on-camera flash, thoroughly enjoying getting those wonderful reception pictures towards the end of the night. Picture the DJ playing your favorite music and the thrill of getting married in such a scenic canvas! If you’re considering Puerto Rico as the setting for your nuptials, Hacienda Siesta Alegre is a magnificent choice; take it from me a wedding photographer who has shot have plenty of times.

2. Copamarina Beach Resort

The metro area isn’t the only location harboring amazing wedding venues in this gorgeous paradise. The city of Guánica in the southwest corner of the island is home to one of my most frequented destinations as a Puerto Rico wedding photographer. I will say this: when you land in San Juan make sure you’ve got great gas mileage on your rental because the trip alone will take upwards of two hours just to arrive at the incredible Copamarina Beach Resort. They know me there quite well as I have been requested to shoot numerous elopments as well as lengthy weddings worthy of a spectacular setting. Copamarina features the best of what you’d expect a resort to have as well as one of the most epic sunsets you’ll ever witness as your stand in knee deep water watching as that fiery star in the sky waives goodbye.

The Purple Sunset at Copamarina Beach Resort

     The reason why I hold Copamarina so near and dear to my heart is because not only does the resort boast some of the friendliest staff with whom I’ve ever worked, but it’s literally the best of both worlds: you have your amenities that you’d expect from a visiting tourist seeing a different city while simultaneously taking a few steps south and being surrounded by water, both pool and ocean. Speaking of the latter, the ocean during golden hour (those sixty minutes prior to the sun going down entirely) features some of the most breathtaking views you’ll ever lay eyes on for weddings in Puerto Rico. The picture you see above is, in fact, real: no Photoshop was involved in the making of that image and both Anthony and Joanne enjoyed a lavish purple hue at sunset.

     Copamarina feature an incredibly large parking area which is what you see when you first get there. This makes it the ideal wedding venue for a medium to large wedding which is what I, as a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico, am accustomed to shooting. They recently renewed their facilities making it even more attractive as you make your way into the classy lobby entrance. The plethora of available rooms seems never-ending as your walk to the rooms where the brides and groom are getting ready. It features numerous swimming pools, beach volleyball, kayaking in nearly still water, scuba diving and a pretty solid gym in the event you’re considering making Copamarina your wedding venue. 

The Boardwalk of Dreams

     Wedding photographers in Puerto Rico might agree that ceremonies at Copamarina are some of the most beautiful scenery you’ll experience while tying the knot. As is customary, most ceremonies take place on the left wing of the premises with the amazing salty bay in the background. Chairs are gathered in front of the archway of your choice draped over what’s left of the shadowy canopy from the palm trees up above. The grass is always freshly cut, you can hear the small waves crashing on the shore and it’s just a scene from a movie. One of my preferred ways of documenting wedding ceremonies here is by circling the couple because this gives me the opportunity to showcase their portraits with the varied backdrops Copamarina Beach Resort has to offer.

     Immediately after the ceremony, I typically enjoy taking pictures of the couple’s ‘shot list’: this is the breakdown of the family and friends portraits that they have willfully scheduled because of the fact that the entourage is still very much congregating in the area. Once we’ve efficiently maneuvered through these, I’ll sneak the couple away for my few favorite spots to take a solid bride and groom session. One of them is right on the beach with the sunset in the back. I thoroughly enjoy the flat sand here even though water is consistently flowing through it; there’s an essential shot that I as a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico always enjoy taking by dimming the couple’s background slightly so that I can capture that sunset perfectly while simultaneously using flash photography with a nice diffusion to highlight the couple in a sweet embrace.

Copamarina Beach Resort Wedding

Golden Hour perfection

3. Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde

April & Kyle having a blast at the Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde

As we make our way back into the city, another one of my favorite spots in the greater San Juan area as a Puerto Rico destination wedding photographer is the lovely Courtyard Marriott in Isla Verde. One of the primary reasons is because I’ve shot so many wedding in Puerto Rico here that I know every little corner of this wonderful gem in the metro area. This speaks to how highly requested this venue is for weddings in Puerto Rico. The Courtyard Marriott in Isla Verde is the best of both worlds: a wonderful city escape with a beach backyard worthy of some amazing memories. One minute you’re in the prototypical hotel lobby and a few hundred steps to the north lands you on warm sand where brides and grooms have enjoyed feeling them on their feet. By having the choice of these two options makes my life very versatile as a Puerto Rico wedding photographer.

One that that never flies under the radar for me is how my team and I are treated upon arrival; as I approach the front-desk, there’s always a smile on the attendant’s face and they never say no when I request a key card because that’s how the elevators work on my way up to the bride and groom’s rooms. When I vacate the elevator you’ll immediately see a floor to ceiling window that provides a lovely shot with either partner overlooking the ceremony and beach area. It’s somewhat of a backlit situation but, under the right camera settings, you can get an amazing portrait of the bride and/or groom shortly after they’ve gotten ready to tie the knot with me during a Puerto Rico destination wedding at the Courtyard Marriott in Isla Verde.

One of my must-have shots as a Puerto Rico photographer here is the walking down the aisle photographs as the bride makes her way to the archway that awaits; the shot you see above is the alternate version often used when couples don’t want to deal with the heat that is prevalent during weddings in Puerto Rico as well as inclement weather rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times. For the most part the climate conspires in our favor and having the bride walking on the grass as she holds her bouquet is a fabulous image that really sets the tone for how the ensuing ceremony will transpire. My methodology behind this set of pictures is to use my trusty 28-70mm zoom lens with a very low aperture so that I can combine a nice environmental portrait of the bride as well as encapsulate all of the things that make her exceptionally beautiful.

Similar to the Copamarina setting, the ceremony at the Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde often finds me circling the couple so that I can combine portraiture of them with the beach in the background as well as the small forest that lies to the right of the setting as you face the water. These are shots that as a photographer on the island I love having because the combination of the emotional vows coupled with the luscious landscapes surrounding the couple make for a perfect aesthetic during weddings in Puerto Rico. Shortly thereafter the ceremony we also love going straight into the family and friends portraits right then and there so that we can have the beach in the background. There is a set of tall palm trees that leads up to the ceremony venue that I enjoy using to frame the couple as well during the bride and groom outdoor sessions.

Champagne towers galore

As the party gets started, I’ll move my equipment up to Las Brisas which is the most requested reception venue at the Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde. It is there that the toasts, first dances and dancing takes place underneath my favorite ceiling which is like having blinds carefully letting just enough light to play with as a Puerto Rico wedding photographer. It is here that, regardless of what angle you take, you can achieve amazing portraits with the light that still shines through the wraparound curtains providing a nice diffuse glow to everyone in Las Brisas. When night arrives and everyone is having fun, this reception venue then turns into my nightclub as I whip out some on-camera flash and starting playing around with shutter drag photography, a technique I use to add a little life to an otherwise boring wedding picture.

More venues to be added soon…