Today’s exquisite, destination wedding in Puerto Rico was truly a family affair with the bride’s grandmother planning the event and helping to craft, the gorgeous invitations, party favors, linens and the bride’s head piece! On top of that, the flower girl’s tutu was made by the bride’s mother and her aunt made the wedding cake. By the end of it all, an elegant celebration emerged, sprinkled with lovely cultural touches and documented to perfection by Amanda K Photography!
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From the bride: We always wanted to have a destination wedding, and since my family is from Puerto Rico, it was our first pick (notwithstanding the beautiful cities and beaches and the fact that a passport wasn’t necessary!). Seeing the Hacienda was love at first sight. The scenery was perfect; the cozy bed and breakfast had an old Spanish feel, and it was located in the mountains in the rain-forest. It was everything I wanted to evoke on our day. Also, having a venue that could host both the ceremony and reception was important to us, since many of our family members were traveling from abroad.
Our vision was soft, romantic and relaxed, with a touch of simplicity and elegance. We kept it simple and did not have a bridal party other than the flower girls. We had a first look, didn’t smash cake in each other’s faces, kept our first dance at 30 seconds (we’re not good dancers, haha), and did away with the garter dance, along with all the other traditions which were just that, traditions. Our reception wasn’t based on a schedule, but rather a night where we could enjoy the moment.
We had a live band- a Batucada- during the reception, unlike anything I have ever experienced. They played traditional music with drums and trumpets and they got the guests involved by teaching them typical dances. It was the highlight to our evening. We also incorporated traditional food and piraguas- a shaved ice desert.
