Top 10 Reasons To Elope in Puerto Rico

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.

bride and groom Dorado Beach puerto rico 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.

old san juan engagement photos

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.

old san juan wedding photography by Erik Kruthoff

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.

bride and groom walking on the beach in Puerto Rico

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.

old san juan weedding

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

Palmas del Mar Session – Puerto Rico Family Photographer

I love being a family photographer in Puerto Rico. I get to go to a lot of different places and meet a lot of wonderful people. Each portrait session for me is completely different. I don’t go in with a set shot list or agenda. We had a really fun family portrait photography session with this family of six. After shooting some casual shots around the house, we changed locations and headed to the beach. This family was a lot of fun to work with and I think their fun personalities really shine through in these photos. A good portrait is always a collaboration between the subject and the artist. When my clients are laid back and ready to have fun, we all have a good time and end up creating some great images. I like to have a mix of candid, fun shots along with a few more traditional posed shots.

Palmas del Mar is a beautiful setting for taking family photos. The whole island of Puerto Rico is great in fact! Find more info to help plan your trip to Puerto Rico here.

Whether you are local or if you are just visiting Puerto Rico, book your session with Puerto Rico family photographer Erik Kruthoff today and let’s create some priceless together! Sessions cost $250 and include resulting gallery of downloadable digital images. We serve the entire island of Puerto Rico. We are always up for an adventure.

Click here to contact Erik

 

Family Travel Photos in Old San Juan

I had the pleasure of photographing Ila and her growing family on their recent family vacation to Puerto Rico. We met up in Old San Juan and took some lovely images together.

Here are few of my favorites from the session.  The best thing about being a photographer in Puerto Rico is that there are so many different landscapes and beautiful areas to explore.  Book your photo session today!

family holdding hands in old san juan puerto rico

I love the colors in Old San Juan! I always try to make good use of them.

mother kissing daughter on the cheek

 

family posing for a photo at el morro in old san juan puerto rico

Dorado Beach Engagement Session

I recently met up with Shay and Carlos for a sunrise engagement photo session on the beach in beautiful Dorado, Puerto Rico. I knew the early start time wouldn’t phase them since they both work as flight attendants for Delta. They live in the Us and have family in both Puerto Rico and Mexico, which is where the ceremony will be. It was really important to them that Puerto Rico was incorporated into their wedding story and here are the results!

I love the calmness of shooting in the early morning and how the quality of light changes so much so quickly. It starts and shifts from a dull, subtle blue to glowing hard, warm light. I am pleased we took advantage of the conditions presented to us and created some really nice images together.

Afterwards, we met up in Old San Juan to take a few more shots before they had to jump on a plane back home.

 

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Old San Juan Wedding Proposal and Engagement Shoot

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

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
portrait photography in Old San Juan
a couple posing in an Old San Juan street scene in Puerto Rico
puerto rico wedding photography

Family Photo Shoot in Dorado Beach

We headed out in the golf cart and cruised around the beautiful Dorado Beach for this recent family photography session. As is typical, we had a really fun, laid-back session together. The kids’ personalities really shine through here in these images.

Call today to book your Puerto Rico family photo shoot in 2020 with Erik Kruthoff Photography. We service all of Puerto Rico.

Here are a few highlights from the shoot.

Family portrait of walking on the beach together in Dorado, Puerto Rico
Girl riding in a golf cart on the way to the beach at Ritz-Carlton Dorado Beach
sisters posing together for a family photo at Ritz-Carlton Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico
Family photograph by Erik Kruthoff Photography in Dorado Beach East, Puerto Rico.
Family portrait by Erik Kruthoff of a family sitting on adirondack chairs at Ritz-Carlton Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico
Portrait by Erik Kruthoff of a little girl in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico
Mother and daughter laughing together at Dorado Beach

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Surprise Wedding Proposal in the Amazing Natural Beauty of Puerto Rico

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

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

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