5 Puerto Rican Wedding Traditions You’ll Love, On a Budget!

Affordable wedding inspiration from the island paradise of Puerto Rico

 

Traditional Puerto Rican weddings are known for being epic: Energetic and vibrant family celebrations that last all day long (or for at least several hours!). 

 

The wedding day often includes a formal religious wedding ceremony, followed by a large reception with drinks, dancing, and feasting that lasts well into the early morning hours.

 

These parties are incredibly fun and meaningful. But like any large gathering, the average wedding cost can get surprisingly high in no time at all. According to The Knot, the average destination wedding in Puerto Rico costs between $10,000 and $15,000. On the mainland, a wedding with about 100-150 guests will cost an average of $35,000! 
 

Luckily, there are several Puerto Rican wedding traditions to choose from and options for any wedding budget. We’ve gathered a few of our favorites below.

 

Whether you're getting married in Puerto Rico or celebrating your love Stateside, consider these sweet traditions for your own affordable island style wedding ceremony. 

 

Related: How to Get Married in Puerto Rico - Plan your wedding on the Island of Enchantment

 

 

Traditional Puerto Rican wedding attire for brides is often a white wedding dress made of decorative lace. For grooms, a white shirt and light colored suit pants (works well for a casual wedding. For more formal weddings, a groom might wear dark pants and a dark suit jacket.  (Photo: Pollyana Ventura / iStock)

 

 

5 Affordable Puerto Rican Wedding Traditions

 

1. Arras Coins Blessing (Ceremonia de las Arras)

 

The Arras Coins ceremony is a Catholic wedding tradition that has been embraced in Puerto Rico for many years, as part of the islands’ rich Catholic history. The ‘wedding coins’ tradition is also part of Christian marriage ceremonies in Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines. 

 

During this ceremony, the priest or wedding officiant will bless 13 coins, which are presented by the groom to his bride. The wedding coins symbolize the husband’s promise to provide for his wife and their family during the many years of marriage ahead.

 

Traditionally, the 'unity coins' were made up of 12 gold coins and one platinum coin. But some cultures use 13 silver coins instead, and many modern couples purchase affordable silver-plated or gold-plated coins. (Arras wedding coins can cost anywhere from $5 to several hundred dollars, depending on your preference.)

 

Related: Modern Filipino Wedding Ceremony Script with Unity Veil, Cord, & Coins

 

 

Unity coins or arras coins (earnest money), like the silver coins shown above are part of the traditional Puerto Rican wedding ceremony. (Photo: CorbalanStudio / iStock)

 

 

2. Wedding Capias as Wedding Favors (Capias De Boda)

 

Wedding capias are one of the most common Puerto Rican wedding favors! These small pins are made from a decorative charm and colorful pieces of ribbon, which can be pinned to a jacket lapel or dress strap during the wedding reception. 

 

These decorative pins can be custom-made with your initials and wedding date, or to match your wedding theme – or you can stick with simple pre-made designs (such as hearts, stars, or bride-and-groom figurine charms). These Puerto Rican wedding pins can also be made DIY style, for crafty brides and grooms who want to personalize the experience! (Capias de boda can cost anywhere from $1 each to $100 for a set of 25 and up, depending on your preferences.)

 

Related: These Wedding Planning Books Make Great Gifts

 

 

Puerto Rican wedding capias are an affordable way to spread some love on the wedding day! These wedding favors are made with colorful ribbons and small charms, which can be pinned to a guest's lapel or dress during the celebration. (Photo: Wirestock / iStock)

 

 

3. Father-Daughter Dance (or Family Dance)

 

For Boricua brides, there’s nothing quite like the wedding day’s father-daughter dance. And this sweet tradition can also be modernized for any gender or family type – just ask a beloved family elder or close friend to dance with you during the reception. 

 

The father-daughter dance (or mother-son dance; family dance, etc.) usually takes place right after the newlyweds’ first dance, but you can include this tradition any time you like. Even better? It won’t cost a thing. 

 

Related: Include Dads & Father-Figures in a Wedding Ceremony With These Sweet Ideas

 

 

4. Traditional Puerto Rican Guava Cake (Bizcocho de Queso y Guayaba) & Guava Piragua

 

Puerto Rico is known for a moist sponge cake made with guava (a popular local fruit and flavor) and cream cheese. This local dessert is absolutely delicious and is popular at all kinds of parties, including weddings. 

 

Ask a friend or relative to help you bake a few of these sweet cakes for your dessert table, or order one or two from a local bakery. This simple cake uses common, easy-to-find ingredients and will be more affordable than a traditional western ‘wedding cake’ (one with multiple tiers or extravagant decorations). 

 

As an additional sweet treat, serve Guava Piragua alongside your wedding cake. Guava Piragua is a traditional Puerto Rican shaved ice treat flavored with guava syrup – a fun spin on the ‘cake and ice cream’ party tradition. Kick things up a notch for the grownups by adding pineapple rum to your piragua! 

 

 

What does a Puerto Rican wedding look like? Traditional celebrations are similar to other Catholic-influenced weddings, with an exchange of rings, blessing of unity coins, and marriage vows. But Puerto Rican weddings are unique, with added bursts of color, music, song, and dancing. Amapola flowers are often used in wedding bouquets and decor. (Photo: Federico Rostagno / Adobe Stock)

 

 

5. Amapola Flowers, Hibiscus Tea & Cocktails

 

Amapola flowers are similar to hibiscus and found throughout the islands. They are used in traditional Puerto Rican wedding bouquets and table decor to bring a burst of color to the celebration. 

 

Choose these red and pink flowers for your bouquet, or get creative if your flower budget is tight! If amapola bouquets are out of reach (or out of season), consider adding just one or two amapola blossoms to your cake as a colorful garnish; clip a blossom into your hair or to your lapel for a flash of color; or place a few blooms on a table near the wedding altar. Just one or two blossoms placed somewhere special can remind you of the islands’ tropical shores and sweet scent.

 

If you’re having a small ceremony or elopement without flowers, consider adding a ‘unity toast’ with hibiscus tea to your ceremony; or order a hibiscus-infused cocktail at the afterparty.

 

Related: What to Wear (and Not Wear) as a Wedding Officiant

 

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Ask a Friend to Get Ordained Online to Officiate Your Wedding in Puerto Rico! 

 

Easy Guide to Puerto Rico Wedding Officiant Registration
 

Introducing a step-by-step guide to online ordination and minister registration for wedding officiants in Puerto Rico. It just got easier to perform a wedding in Puerto Rico, with help from American Marriage Ministries (AMM)! Click the link below to get started. 

 

• Read the full article: Easy Guide to Puerto Rico Wedding Officiant Registration
   

 

 

 

Get married on the mainland? A friend can officiate your wedding anywhere in the U.S. with help from AMM!

 

Good things happen when friends and relatives help out at the wedding ceremony! Ask a friend or family member to officiate your wedding with free online ordination through American Marriage Ministries (AMM). 

|* custom-button, "https://theamm.org/ordination-application", "ORDAINED MINISTER ONLINE APPLICATION" *|

Why AMM? American Marriage Ministries is an inclusive nondenominational internet church that ordains and trains ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies. We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit church, and help people from all backgrounds and beliefs become ordained ministers for weddings. Our online ordination is free, accessible, and never expires.

 

Officiating weddings is an incredible honor, and a great way to show your love and support for the people getting married. As a wedding officiant, you will help to create memorable ceremonies and memories that last a lifetime.

AMM Ministers can legally officiate weddings in every state* (it's much harder in Virginia, where we're looking into our options). After getting ordained with AMM, you might need to register your ordination with your local county clerk’s office. Click the link above to get started! 

 

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Explore More Cheap Wedding Ideas for a Sweet & Memorable Wedding Day

 

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• Stripped Down Wedding: Don’t Let Marketers Plan Your Wedding For You
   

 

The secret to a stripped down wedding: Make the wedding ceremony the most important part of your wedding day! Click the article linked above to read more.

 

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