Design Ideas | Puerto Rico

Welcome your guests with a basket of local Puerto Rican handicrafts, fruits and flowers. Include a copy of the "Puerto Rican Crafts Route" map you can get from the tourism bureau or include tickets for a tour of one of the two craft markets in Old San Juan when you arrive. Perhaps a woodcarving from Jayuyya, or handmade lace from Mundillo, or a colorful example of local pottery would be nice souvenirs to give your guests in gratitude for their coming to your wedding in Puerto Rico. Don't forget to include a coqui in your basket as it is the Puerto Rican mascot and not to mention, cute as ever. As a matter of fact, you could design your whole wedding around the image of the adorable, little coqui frog.

Incorporate into your ceremony the traditional "Blessing of the Coins". Once the coins have been blessed, the groom gives them to his wife as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. At the reception include a doll, dressed as the bride and covered with charms called "copias" –which are given to each guest during festivities.

Puerto Ricans foods and spices uniquely reveal the African heritage of the island. Include dishes at your reception that feature "sofrita", the delicious condiment used most frequently in native dishes, adobo seasons most meat dishes. Suckling pigs roasted to perfection on a spit are a tradition for special occassions and a neat experience for those who have never seen it done before. Traditional deserts include coconuts, guava, flan, arroz con coco, coconut bread pudding, and besitos de coco. Music is a special source of national price for Puerto Ricans. Dance the "salsa", a fusion of West African percussion, jazz (especially swing and big band) and other rich Latin beats, such as the merengue, flamenco, cha-cha, and rumba.

For more info about Puerto Rican music, or to find musicians, visit: http://www.musicofpuertorico.com/