Destination Weddings – Erik Kruthoff Photography

Intimate Puerto Rico Wedding Elopement – Cerro Gordo National Park

February 17, 2021/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico /by admin

You, me and the sea. Elopements are all about creating a beautiful, intimate moment. Why not cut out all the noise and distractions of planning a traditional wedding and instead focus on each other? Sounds wonderful, right? Erik Kruthoff Photography offers simple, complete elopement packages customized to fit all your needs. Your dream wedding doesn’t have to bankrupt you, either. Our complete Puerto Rico island elopement packages start at just $999. Each package includes planning, enactment of ceremony with a certified officiant, and of course… the photography! Reserve your date today.

This recent destination elopement with Shawn and Jonathine, we decided on Cerro Gordo National Park as the backdrop. Just outside Dorado, PR the park offers stunning coastal views and beautiful scenery in all directions. David Mariani served as officiant and met with the couple ahead of time to customize their ceremony. Planning and Photography coordinated by Erik Kruthoff.

Here’s some highlights from their amazing Puerto Rico wedding elopement. Congrats to the newlyweds!

Top 10 Reasons To Elope in Puerto Rico

July 6, 2020/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico, Wedding Photography /by admin

Let’s face it, weddings are gonna look a little different now that gathering in large groups is out of the question. That doesn’t mean that love is cancelled, though!

Are you looking for the perfect destination for your elopement wedding? Puerto Rico should be at the top of your list.

Take the opportunity to do something a little adventurous and different, while saving some money in the process. Here are the Top 10 Reasons that make Puerto Rico the ideal location for you elopement or mini-wedding.

10: No Passport required: As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico allows you to have an “exotic” destination wedding without the hassles of passports, visas, customs, and immigration. What is more, there are direct flights from more than 20 U.S. cities, making it an easy hop over.

9: Only the best parts of Latin America and the Caribbean: Puerto Rico culture is the best of both worlds with great music, dancing, food, people, nightlife, and affordability but you can drink the water and the island is clean.

8: World-Class Accommodations that meet U.S. standards: No need to wonder about what a 3-star hotel really means here. Hotels and restaurants adhere to U.S. guidelines. All of the best, familiar brands are here including Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Fairmont, Hyatt, St. Regis, and Vanderbilt as well as Boutique offerings that rival others the world over.

7: No decisions=No headaches: We line up all the best vendors and plan every detail of your big day to be just right for you. The only decision you have to make is to come to PR and we take care of everything else.

6: Weather: With 365 days of sunshine and an average temperature in the 80s, you can get married here any time of year. Even on the rainiest day, precipitation rarely covers all of the island. So put those jackets away, grab a swimsuit, and come enjoy some Vitamin D.

5: Covid-cautious: Puerto Rico has taken extreme precautions since March 2020 to prevent the spread of Corona Virus and Covid-19 and it has worked. Levels of the illness are lower than almost anywhere else in the U.S. Our socially distanced ceremony planning will ensure that the risk is minimal.

4: Whatever you want, we got it: Barefoot beach wedding? First kiss under a waterfall? Newlywed among rainforest ferns? Exchanging rings in the most historical sights the U.S. has to offer? Whatever you desire for your wedding landscape, Puerto Rico has it.

3: Always private, always intimate: Big weddings are OUT. You want a wedding that is all about you. The low population of Puerto Rico and endless list of ceremony locations ensures that you will be the spotlight of your own wedding. No competing with tourists or other weddings for the venue here.

2: Affordable: Did we mention that Puerto Rico is Latin America? As such, the prices of food, accomodations, and entertainment are lower than those of most Caribbean destinations.

and the top reason to elope in PR is…

1: Fun: Above all else, Puerto Ricans know how to have a good time. Our couples are laid-back folks looking for fun, adventure, and memories that will last a lifetime without the stress of planning a wedding. If this sounds like you, a Puerto Rico elopement will not disappoint.

Check out our Elopement Packages offered here

Old San Juan Wedding Proposal and Engagement Shoot

February 11, 2020/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico, Wedding Photography /by admin

Planning secret proposal shoots is so much fun. It’s such a thrill to help plan and then capture such momentous and meaningful moments. It’s a funny story of how this connection even happened in the first place.

My mother-in-law ran into D’Andree’s father at a pickleball tournament in Arizona and got to talking about how his son is going to Puerto Rico on vacation and is going to propose to his girlfriend. She mentioned I am a wedding photographer in Puerto Rico and offer engagement shoots… and the rest is in the books!

D’Andree and I had a lot of contact ahead of time, and even right up to the last munte to find and settle on the perfect spot.

Here’s some highlights from the mini-session,

Celebrating Their 5 Year Wedding Anniversary in Old San Juan – A Travel Photography Session

January 29, 2020/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico, Wedding Photography /by admin

Nicole and Derek found me through Shoot My Travel and we met up in Old San Juan to take some photos, celebrating their 5 year wedding anniversary. This adventurous couple told me they love to get photo sessions when they travel and that afterwards they hardly take any others the rest of the time. They said it’s nice to not be burdened by getting photos and relying on asking strangers to snap a photo to remember their trip by. It gives them more time to soak in the experience and be present in the moment knowing their experience has been captured beautifully.

Book your portrait session today! Packages start at $275

Contact Me Today

Wedding portrait photography in Old San Juan by Erik Kruthoff

a photograph by Erik Kruthoff of a couple dancing in Old San Juan in front of a Puerto Rico flag

a couple posing in an Old San Juan street scene in Puerto Rico

Surprise Wedding Proposal in the Amazing Natural Beauty of Puerto Rico

December 31, 2019/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico, Wedding Photography /by admin

Making images that combine different genres of is one of the ways that I love to explore the craft of photography. I love it when I am able to use elements of Landscape, Portraiture, Documentary, and Wedding Photography simultaneously to create unique and meaningful images.

Steven wanted to propose to his girlfriend Ashley on their vacation to Puerto Rico. He wanted to pop the question in a spectacular way at a beautiful location. We coordinated ahead of time and came up with a game plan. We decided on the location and the exact spot. I arrived early to find my angle and then act like a tourist so that Ashley wouldn’t suspect anything. The resulting engagement photo session…

Epic!

The cliffs and arches of La Cueva del Indio provided for the perfect backdrop to this awe-inspiring moment!

Cheers to Steven and Ashley!

Now booking Puerto Rico weddings for 2020. Check for availability

Cueva del indio arecibo wedding proposal

Puerto Rico Destination Wedding – La Concha Resort – Sally and Luis

November 12, 2019/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Puerto Rico, Wedding Photography /by admin

This incredibly intelligent (and adorable) pair of Neurologists had an elegant beach ceremony at La Concha Resort, followed by a reception at the iconic La Perla in the Condado neighborhood of San Juan. The groom grew up on the island, so it made perfect sense to have their destination wedding in Puerto Rico.

They were looking for the best wedding photographer who could tell the story of the day in a natural, unforced way. I always encourage my couples to just enjoy the day, be present and have fun. Weddings are naturally filled with photogenic moments. There’s no need to devote a ton of time for elaborate portrait production setups. A good documentary photographer will be able to anticipate these moments and be ready to capture them in an artistic way.

I met up earlier in the week with the couple for a short portrait session in Old San Juan and hung out for a beer afterwards. If there’s time permitting, getting to meet each other before the wedding is always a good idea. We were able to capture some of the architecture, history, and ‘feel’ of Puerto Rico by adding on this mini-session.

See more wedding photography by Erik

Wedding Planner: Merylin Andino

Flowers: Lorraine’s Flowers

Band: Cuenta Regresiva

Old San Juan Wedding Photography Session

November 11, 2019/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings, Wedding Photography /by admin

I met up with Sally and Luis the week before their destination wedding at La Concha Resort for a portrait session in Old San Juan. They considered having the ceremony in the plaza next to Castillo San Cristobal but ultimately opted for a beach ceremony. Because of that, I am especially glad we had the opportunity to get some images that capture the history and feel of the area.

One of my favorite quotes is “Life happens when you’re busy making plans”. We went into the session with a rough plan of where we wanted to go but the best images were made spontaneously and unscripted along the way. That’s the thrill of being a documentary style photographer; you never know what exactly you are walking into and what will present itself. Each session is really a collaborative creative endeavor and I’m not just shooting down a list. Of course you prepare and make sure you cover your basics, but when the magic happens, you gotta be ready to throw it all out the window and change gears. Be observant. Try. Fail. Keep trying. Peel the onion.

Here are some of my favorite ‘moments of magic’ from the session:

Got to feature some cats if you’re shooting in Old San Juan!

This is good luck, not bad luck.

Baha Mar Bahamas Destination Wedding

August 19, 2019/0 Comments/in Bahamas, Destination Weddings, Wedding Photography /by admin

It was a pleasure meeting and working with Tina and Danijel for their island destination wedding at Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. The ceremony was in Baha Mar’s beautiful Wedding Chapel with reception held at the Palms Terrace.

A laid back couple and a fun group of guests is a winning recipe to capture some fun and meaningful moments. Thanks Tina and Danijel! Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.

Destination Wedding Eleuthera – Abby & Shaun – Cocodimama

May 2, 2019/0 Comments/in Destination Weddings /by admin

Abby and Shaun hosted their closest friends and families at Cocodimama Resort in Governors Harbour, Eleuthera for their intimate Bahamas beach wedding escape. I love to shoot these smaller destination weddings because I usually have the chance to meet and chat with everyone before the day is over. These guys were tons of fun and invited me to stay after I was done and sample some of the amazing wines they had brought. The groom is a professional Sommelier so they were amazing! Here’s what they had to say about the photos:

“So in love with these photos!!… Your photographs are beautiful! What a special time… take me back!! I have only spent a few minutes looking at them and I am already in love! Thank you so much for your time and beautiful work.”

Here is a selection of some of my favorite wedding photographs from the day, Enjoy!

Hyatt Baha Mar Beach Destination Wedding – Ashley & Derek

February 12, 2019/0 Comments/in Bahamas, Destination Weddings, Wedding Photography /by admin

One of the newest resorts in the Caribbean, Hyatt Baha Mar, is truly a spectacle to behold. It’s the perfect venue for a beach destination wedding. It helps that my house is so close to the resort I can walk there. I love walking to work if I can.

Ashley and Derek’s wedding ceremony was on the beach and the reception was held on the 25th floor balcony. I really enjoyed photographing their wedding. With around 30 guests attending, I had a chance to meet everyone and really gel with the crowd.

I was able to shoot the entire wedding without using any flashes and only using ambient light the entire. To me this is ideal. It’s definitely more challenging doing it this way (I had flashes in my bag ready to go still), but I just think the results look so much more natural and give the viewer a truer sense of the atmosphere and general vibe. Years of shooting Junkanoo has made me a low-light, fast movement ninja. Nothing scares me anymore. Here are some of my favorites from the day: