Q: When’s the best time to get married in Puerto Rico?
A: The best time to get married in Puerto Rico is year-round! Winters are warm and beautiful. Even in the summer months, we have lovely tradewinds. It’s more pleasant than many of the southern states we’ve lived in, assuming you avoid the midday sun.
The rainy season is officially summertime, May-November, though our island weather can be unpredictable. In general, we recommend NOT planning around the weather. This year, for instance, we’ve had more rain in January and February than we’ve had in May and June. Even during Puerto Rico’s rainy season, it rarely rains all day; 99.9% of the time, we can wait it out. And, we’ve found that on rainy days Mother Nature often rewards our patience with truly deserted beaches, stunning cloud formations, and even rainbows.
Summer Vs. Winter
Here are some differences between the rainy summer season and the supposedly drier winter season:
| Summer (May-October) | Winter (November-April) |
| Ocean is flatter, and colors are more blue and Caribbean-esque | Ocean is more dramatic, with big waves for surfing and splashing water |
| Higher likelihood of afternoon thunderstorms, which happen often but are usually short-lived | Higher likelihood of all-day cold fronts (temperature dropping into the low seventies), which happen 1-2 times per year |
| Temperatures 80-90 degrees | Temperatures 75-85 degrees |
| Longer days: we offer morning weddings at 9 am and sunset weddings at 5-5.30 pm | Shorter days: we offer morning weddings at 10 am and sunset weddings at 4-4.30 pm |
| Puerto Rican tourists travel around the island to enjoy the beaches, especially May-October | Tourists from the U.S. travel to the island to enjoy everything! |
Hurricane Season
But what about hurricane season? Traditionally, the hurricanes that affect Puerto Rico most are the Cape Verde storms that originate off the coast of Africa during September and October. These storms are not common. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Hurricane Georges in 1998 was the only memorable and mentioned storm for a very long time. We’ve lived in Puerto Rico for ten hurricane seasons now, and except for the infamous season of 2017, not a single season has had any impact on us or our lives. We feel comfortable recommending wedding dates during hurricane season, and we’re of course flexible with any changes in dates.
Recommendations
Our recommendation? Choose a date that makes sense for your lifestyle and travel logistics. The rest will work itself out, and Puerto Rico will provide a beautiful backdrop regardless of the season. And, leave any plan B’s to us … we’re avid weather-watchers and will advise you on options and possibilities if necessary. In hundreds of weddings, we’ve never had a ceremony in the rain!
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Photo: AJR Photo Studio