How to Officiate a Wedding in San Juan, Puerto Rico

If you’re considering a destination wedding, but don’t want to tangle with other another country’s marital processes for foreigners, San Juan is the perfect compromise. Since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, no passport is required to visit and U.S. ministers are allowed to ordain ceremonies on the island.

However, getting married in Puerto Rico isn’t as easy throwing a bikini and a wedding dress in a suitcase and jumping on a direct flight. There are a few requirements that the couple and the officiant will need to attend to in order to obtain a marriage license once you get there. We have all the need-to-know info about the legalities of getting married in San Juan, plus some tips from other mainlanders who have tied the knot on island that you’ll want to jot down.

But first, let’s start with getting your chosen minister’s responsibilities taken care of.

STEP 1: Get ordained with American Marriage Ministries

If you’ve been asked to officiate a wedding, but you aren’t a licensed minister, you can get ordained with AMM to be able to legally ordain weddings in your home state in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The process to sign up is free and takes just a few minutes!

If this is your first time officiating a wedding in Puerto Rico, you will need to bring a copy of your ministerial credentials to register with San Juan’s government offices first. Once you finish signing up with AMM, we can provide you with a copy of your credentials for a small fee.

Once you’re in San Juan, you’ll need to present them to the Demographic Registry Office. The most conveniant location is Plaza Las Américas Mall 525 Avenida Franklin Delano Roosevelt, San Juan, 00918. You should be able to take care of this in one trip to the office. If you have questions about the process, give them a call at +1 787-765-2929.

STEP 2: Prepare for the Ceremony in San Juan

We can also help you prepare for the wedding ceremony itself. Being asked to officiate a ceremony is an incredible honor and an opportunity to be a part of your friends’ love story in a way they will always remember. But we know, it can feel like a lot of pressure, especially if it’s your first time.

To help you become the best officiant you can be, check out our wedding training pages, which are a library of information to help you prepare for your first ceremony and ensure that it goes smoothly. Here you can find everything from sample wedding ceremony scripts, to brainstorming prompts, tips for preparation, and more.

STEP 3: Officiate the Wedding and Complete the Marriage License

As the officiating minister, you have one final super important job: to return the completed marriage license. In San Juan, this is your duty as the officiant (not the couple’s.) The completed marriage license must be returned to the Demographic Registry of the municipality where the ceremony took place within 10 days after the marriage.

Now let’s turn our attention to the couple’s responsibilities. It’s a longer list of to-dos than you would have if you strolled down to your local courthouse, but don’t be intimidated. Getting married in Puerto Rico is easy for U.S. citizens. But before you book your flight, make sure to have all the required documents that you’ll need to take with you, which might take a few weeks to gather.

Before you go:

You can find a PDF for the marriage license form via this link. It’s a good idea to print it out to have a copy on hand, but wait to fill it out until you’re at the office in San Juan.

• Valid government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver's license or passport).
• Birth certificate copies (the names of the parties will be recorded as they appear on the certificate).
• Divorce or death decree documents of prior spouses (if applicable).
• A note from your doctor stating that a medical exam is not required to be married in your state.

Once you get there:

• Internal Revenue Stamp from the Puerto Rican government ($150). 
• Affidavit: Individuals that are not residents of Puerto Rico must present an affidavit or sworn statement certifying:

1. That he/she is not a resident of Puerto Rico,
2. That the purpose of their visit to the Island of Puerto Rico is to get married, and
3. If a foreign citizen, will not stay in Puerto Rico for more than what is specified in the permission documents to enter U.S. territory granted by the appropriate federal agency. (Most people choose to have this drawn up by a lawyer in San Juan because it’s easy to do, but you can take care of this before you go by a lawyer in your hometown as long as it is dated no more than 10 days before the ceremony. Here’s a link to a template of a sworn affidavit you can print off and take with you to your appointment.)

Also note, anyone getting married under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a parent.

If you have other questions, you can call the Department of Health at (787) 728-7980.

The Basics

It’s smart to hire a local wedding planner even if you’re just planning a small ceremony. There are a ton of planners that work with English-speaking clients frequently on the island, offering all-inclusive packages (venues, lodging, flowers, photos) and can often hook you up with discounts. You can look for independent wedding planners on Yelp, but keep in mind many hotels/resorts have event planning staff to help you, so inquire with them about those services.

Some of the most popular is the San Juan Marriott Resort and La Concha. The popular resorts are experienced in hosting weddings, so you’re guaranteed everything will go over smoothly. Plus, they’re a short drive from the airport, so they’re conveniently accessible to your guests coming from the mainland U.S.

Another incredible option is the 350-year-old Hotel El Convento. It’s just a little farther drive from the airport on the westernmost side of the peninsula, located in the historic Old San Juan. Its stunning indoor banquet halls and ceremony areas evoke a ‘Great Gatsby party set in the Caribbean kind of vibe, which sets it apart from the other resorts in the area.

But if you want to stray away from the hotel wedding mold, check out Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal, which have the best views of the bay in San Juan. The structures were built 400 years ago to protect the city from enemy attacks, but today, they’re popular tourist attractions and amazing wedding locations. You just have to obtain a permit from the national park service, which is easy -- just follow this link, which has all the info.

If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can even say “I do” under the magical rainforest’s canopy of El Yunque. It’s the only tropical rainforest that's part of the U.S. Park Service and is only a 40-minute drive from San Juan. Info and permits are available on the USDA’s El Yunque webpage. You can absolutely arrange this yourself, but there are also wedding coordinators that specialize in El Yunque weddings like WedAffair.

Transportation

Renting a car near the airport is a sinch, and a good option if you are intent on exploring the island. But if you’re not planning to venture far outside of San Juan, navigating the city on foot and grabbing a cab here and there is the best way to go, as the city is super walkable. If you want to get a little fancier, it's easy to arrange transportation with private services like Adames Luxury Transportation -- they’re bi-lingual and reasonably priced, and they will pretty much take you anywhere you need to go.

Weather

Peak tourist season in San Juan is from December to April when the 80-degree days attract flocks of freezing mainlanders. However, it stays warm the rest of the year in Puerto Rico, and you’ll be able to find better prices on everything from hotels to catering if you choose a wedding date outside of these popular travel months. The downside is that June to November is considered hurricane season, but the most precarious months are August and September, so if you avoid those months, you’re probably safe.