Franklin Dean
Puerto Rican weddings are a vibrant affair, with a mix of Spanish colonial and indigenous influences. The ceremonies are often Catholic and take place in a church, with the groom arriving first to greet guests. The bride traditionally wears a white gown with lace details, while the groom wears a black suit. The bride's bouquet usually includes local flowers and a hand fan, which can be an heirloom. The reception is an all-night party with Latin music, dancing, and delicious Puerto Rican food and drinks. The newlyweds might drink cafe con leche from coconut cups, and guests can expect a lively celebration that lasts until sunrise!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Attire | Colorful attire, with the bride wearing a dress and a hand fan, and the groom wearing a dark-colored jacket and pantsuit |
| Food and drinks | Beef-fried alcapurrias, roasted pork with rice and beans, chicken soup, rum drinks like mojitos, rum Piña Coladas, schnapps drinks with tropical fruits, coquitos, piraguas, and cafe con leche |
| Music | Spanish guitar, "Ave Maria", and "Panis Angelicus" |
| Seating arrangement | Bride's family on the left side, groom's family on the right side |
| Ceremony exit | Throwing rice at the couple |
| Bouquet | The bride throws her bouquet to the single women at the wedding |
| Toast | Handcrafted cups made from polished coconut |
| Pre-ceremony | Las Arras, La Misa, and El Lazo |
| Wedding ceremony | El Beso, La Boda de la Virgen, and El Vuelo de las Palomas |
| Reception traditions | La Marcha Nupcial, El Baile de los Novios, and Los Juegos de Boda |
| Favors | Capias, ribbons for wedding favors |
| Decorations | Coqui, seashells, and candles |
What You'll Learn
Bridal attire and accessories
When it comes to accessories, the bride may choose to wear a veil, also made of mundillo lace. Statement headpieces, such as couture headbands, combs, hairpins, halos, and circlettes, are also popular choices to elevate the bridal look. Bridal jewellery often includes seashell-themed pieces, reflecting the island's Caribbean setting.
The groom typically wears a classic dark-coloured jacket and pantsuit, paired with a dark-coloured tie and shoes for a formal wedding. For a more casual or beach wedding, he may opt for light-coloured pants with a white guayabera shirt.
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Gifts and favours
Gifts for the Couple
The groom's family traditionally finances the couple's honeymoon, while the bride's family pays for the wedding. In modern times, however, the couple may pay for the wedding themselves, especially if they are earning more than their parents.
During the ceremony, the couple may exchange gifts as a symbol of their commitment to each other. This is known as "Las Arras" and typically involves the exchange of coins. The groom gives the bride a plate of 13 gold coins, which have been blessed by the priest. The coins represent Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples and are meant to bring good luck and prosperity to the couple. The bride keeps the coins for the rest of their lives together.
Favours for the Guests
In Puerto Rico, it is customary for the newlyweds to give favours or "capias" to their guests. Capias are narrow strips of ribbon with the names of the couple on one end and the wedding date on the other. They are attached to the bridal bouquet and may also have pieces of fern called "abeto" attached to them. During the reception, the couple will cut each strip and pin them onto their guests, serving as an opportunity to socialise and interact with their guests.
Another traditional favour is a doll that resembles the bride, wearing a dress identical to the one worn by the bride. This doll is placed on the main table during the reception and is often decorated with charms. The charms are later given to the guests as gifts to thank them for their presence. The doll may also be used as a cake topper or placed on the table where guests can leave their gifts.
Other favours that guests may receive include chocolates, candles, or even jewellery. These small tokens of appreciation are a way for the couple to express their gratitude to their guests for attending the wedding celebration.
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Music and dancing
La Marcha Nupcial is the traditional wedding march played as the newlyweds enter the reception hall for their first dance as husband and wife. This is known as El Baile de los Novios. The dance is usually accompanied by live music or a DJ playing popular Latin music genres such as salsa, merengue, bachata, or reggaeton.
Another unique wedding tradition in Puerto Rico is the lasso ceremony, which involves placing a lasso, or El Lazo, around the newlyweds. The lasso is typically a silver rope, silk cord, or rosary, and it represents the unity and commitment of the couple. This ceremony is often performed by the wedding sponsors, or Padrinos.
During the reception, traditional wedding games, or Los Juegos de Boda, are played, such as el baile del cinturón (the belt dance) and el juego de la silla (the chair game).
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Food and drink
Food
La Cena de Bodas, or the wedding dinner, is a multi-course meal served at weddings. It typically includes dishes like arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), pernil (roast pork), pasteles (meat pies), and ensalada rusa (potato salad).
For appetisers, beef-fried alcapurrias (fritters made of green plantains) are popular, and for a late-night snack, chicken soup is often served for comfort after long hours of drinking and dancing.
Drinks
Rum is the specialty, so drinks like mojitos (in passionfruit, coconut, and watermelon flavours), rum Piña Coladas, and schnapps drinks with tropical fruits are common. During the winter, coquitos (a drink made with rum, milk, and egg) are also served, and during the summer, piraguas (ice cones with rum) are a popular choice.
Cafe con leche (coffee with milk) is also a common drink, served with a slice of wedding cake during the reception.
Cake
The wedding cake, or La Torta Nupcial, is a multi-layered cake that can be decorated with fresh flowers or fondant in various colours and designs.
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Ceremony customs
Las Arras
A traditional exchange of coins between the bride and groom to symbolise their commitment to each other. The priest blesses 13 gold coins (arras) and gives them to the groom, who then presents them to the bride. The coins represent Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles and are a symbol of the husband's promise to care for his wife during their marriage.
La Misa
A Catholic mass is held before the wedding ceremony.
El Lazo
A lasso, usually made of rosary beads, is placed around the couple during the ceremony as a sign of unity. The lasso is also sometimes placed on two small pillows (cojines) held by the couple, which represent the support they should give each other in their marriage.
La Boda de la Virgen
Family members carry a statue of the Virgin Mary from one side of the church to the other to bless the marriage.
El Vuelo de las Palomas
The release of two white doves at the end of the ceremony signifies peace and love for the couple's future together.
El Beso
The official union of the couple is marked with a kiss.
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Frequently asked questions
The attire for a Puerto Rican wedding depends on the location and time of day the wedding takes place. Night weddings are usually formal, with suits and long dresses. Morning weddings are more casual or cocktail attire, with light colours and fabrics. Afternoon events are cocktail or semi-formal, with long-sleeved shirts for men and short but elegant dresses for women.
The couple gives wedding favours to their guests as gifts. Traditionally, these are capias, which are pins with ribbons placed inside a basket or small dolls dressed like the bride. Modern Puerto Rican weddings may also give sugar almonds, coquito bottles and guava cookies.
For a traditional wedding, the guest list is usually between 100 and 200 people, with a starting price of $40,000 to $50,000.
Puerto Rican weddings serve lots of local and cultural dishes. Popular menu items include beef-fried alcapurrias (fritters made of green plantains) and roasted pork with rice and beans. For drinks, rum is the speciality, with mojitos, rum Piña Coladas and schnapps drinks with tropical fruits.
Puerto Rican weddings are long, with celebrations lasting at least six or seven hours.
