A romantic old-world wedding in historic San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Sometimes we’re so entranced by palm trees & crystal blue waters of the Caribbean we forget about how stunningly beautiful its cities can be. Set in the heart of historic San Juan, this bride and groom’s wedding has given us a chance to ooh and ahh over the city’s colonial architecture & old-world vibes.

As meaningful as it was beautiful, the couple married in a 250-year-old church boasting incredible artwork and charm. The church was a special choice, being the very spot where the bride’s own grandparents were married in the 1950s. How sweet is that?!

With the priorities for the bride set, allowing her big family the easy trek to the wedding, the groom (a photographer) sought out the perfect locations not only for their grand reception but also their oh-so-romantic post-ceremony photo session. Cited as one of their favorite moments of the day, photographer Violet Short treated the two to an atmospheric photoshoot showing off the colonial scenes throughout the city.

One more thing not to miss from this day? The uncanny Fujifilm camera cake – so realistic!

Our Love Story

We met while studying in Chicago. We were both employed at the athletics facility on campus and after being assigned to work a shift together, we hit it off right away.

Brennan proposed one summer evening on the beach at Lake Michigan. It was such a special location, right near campus where we first met.

The Dress & Attire

I found my dress while shopping with my mom in Atlanta. I was not initially looking for a strapless dress, but I fell in love with its lace detailing and gold undertones.

For Brennan, we wanted a look that would complement the traditional look and warmth of my dress, so we went with a classic navy blue suit.

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The Venues

We got married in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico at the nearly 250-year-old church where my grandparents were married in the 1950s. It was a beautiful, intimate setting that held so much meaning for my family.

The reception was held a few blocks away at the stunning Casa de España, a historic cultural center featuring Spanish Moorish Architecture. Because our locations were already so visually impressive, we decided to take a more minimalist approach for our florals and decorations.

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Favorite Moments

One of our favorite parts of the day was our post-nuptial photo shoot with Violet Short at the Castillo San Cristobal, an old Spanish fortress.

Our favorite part of the reception was a surprise “parranda,” a Puerto Rican musical holiday tradition. There were dozens of local instruments like maracas and güiros for all the guests, and the performers got everyone out on the dance floor singing, dancing, and playing along.

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The Important Details

For us, the most important aspect of the wedding was the location. My priority was choosing somewhere that was both accessible and meaningful to my large, Puerto Rican family.

As a photographer, Brennan’s priority was finding a location that was unique and visually stunning. Luckily, we found it easy to combine these desires in the vibrant and historic neighborhood of Old San Juan.