Pro tips from a Wedding Photographer in Puerto Rico

Beach weddings in Puerto Rico are epic and stunning. Of course if you don’t believe us, check out our portfolio! However, with photography in mind, we have a few recommendations.

Our Top Tips for Beach Weddings in Puerto Rico

From timing to items – these tips will make your wedding ceremony go off without a hitch!

Tip 1: Invest in hand fans or sun parasols.

A beach wedding is beautiful. But in Puerto Rico the sun can be overpowering especially in the summer months! Depending on what time your ceremony is, your guests could be under the sun for a while. Therefore, investing in hand fans or parasols will help keep your guests comfortable. After all, you want them to focus on the ceremony and less on the weather.

Tip 2: Groom Tip – Bring a handkerchief!

Gentlemen! Be prepared to sweat! Think about it, on our beautiful island of Puerto Rico it get’s hot! Just like any beach anywhere else, the sun will be shining and radiating down onto you. For your wedding, do you really want to be sweating all over? Regardless of if you are wearing a button down or a jacket, be prepared to sweat. For that reason, we recommend being proactive about it. To prevent surprising interruptions, bring a handkerchief that you can use instead of sweating bullets! All things considered, tissues and paper napkins should be avoided since it will stick to your face. Let’s keep your beach wedding beautiful and sweat free.

Tip 3: Have a refreshment drink that guests can drink during the ceremony.

Whether it’s water, soda, beer, champagne, provide a refreshment. By all means embrace the island lifestyle and have a coconut guy serve fresh coconuts right before the ceremony! In Puerto Rico, our island drinks are Mojitos, Pina Coladas, and Coconut Water! You wouldn’t go to the beach without drinks right? So given these points, why at your beach wedding would you have your guests without refreshment?

Tip 4: Have a sound system and microphone for the ceremony.

You may think your best friend who is acting as the officiant is loud. However between the waves and the wind, it is not uncommon to struggle to hear anything! From time to time, we have shot a wedding where the guests mid ceremony yell to speak up. For this reason, we recommend hiring a DJ to set up two speakers and a microphone system. Ideally, we want everyone who flew to Puerto Rico to hear you! Unsurprisingly, part of keeping a classy beach wedding in Puerto Rico is to be prepared. Ensuring everyone can hear you will undoubtedly make your wedding day go a lot smoother.

Tip 5: Have a back up plan!

Sometimes, the weather on our island just doesn’t hold up. It could rain on the beach that you are on, and five minutes down the road – it isn’t even raining! That’s just Puerto Rico for you. Be prepared with umbrellas (travel umbrellas make a great gift your guests can take home with you). If the weather doesn’t cooperate, make sure to have a back up plan. For example, have the ceremony under the reception tent or in your villa. Whatever you do, don’t panic. Unsurprisingly, having a beach wedding is absolutely beautiful, but always have a plan b. We recommend asking your closest friends and family to help find alternatives and through teamwork, everything will work itself out.

Tip 6: Think about the timing!

Are you looking to have your ceremony in the middle of the day? At sunset? What does your venue look like at different parts of the day? In Puerto Rico, the sun is something we think a lot about. For photography and videography, it matters. It’s part of the reason we recommend hiring local. First thing to remember is plan for the sun. A beach wedding should be at a time that is comfortable for you and your guests. Keep in mind for photography we have Photoshop to help edit sweat stains. However, if you have a videographer, there is no removing anything! Not sure if you are going to have a videographer yet? Read this post about why you should consider it.

Looking for items we may have mentioned in this article? Here are some good references!

1. Sun Parasols – Found on Etsy
2. Hand Fans! – Found on Amazon
3. Grooms + Groomsmen Handkerchiefs – Found on Etsy
4. Travel Umbrellas – Found on Amazon