Dominican Republic weddings

Dominican republic weddings can give you the blue skies, turquoise sea and Caribbean sunsets.

Many major resorts have now been arranging weddings for years and have specialist staff to arrange the whole thing. Most packages will include the judge [registrar], license, flowers, music, cake, champagne and special extras in your room.

The Dominican Republic can offer locations to complete with any other Caribbean weddings. Playa Dorada in the north has many resorts which offer beautiful settings for wedding ceremonies and impressive ballrooms for receptions.

The quiet beaches of Bayahibe and La Romana on the Southeast Coast allow for a very private, romantic ceremony. On the easternmost tip of the country lies the tropical paradise of Punta Cana, in my view a perfect wedding location.

Wedding day ideas

• A pre-wedding breakfast or brunch.
• A casual, morning gathering at the hotel for your party.
• Massage, or spend some time at the hotel spa.
• Beauty salon for manicure and hairstyling.
• If at an all inclusive the drinks tab is usually taken care of.

Pros and Cons of Dominican Republic weddings

1. You can get married on a tropical island, no horrid weather!
2. Going away can be less expensive. Obviously you will splash on hotels and flights etc but not usually large numbers of guests etc.
3. Tie the knot together, celebrate with family and friends when you get home. No risk of those `invitation` issues!
4. The wedding/honeymoon is all in one.

1. Not all your friends and family will be able to see you get married on your big day
2. Many hotels perform more than one ceremony each day. You may share the limelight with other wedding parties.
3. You need to swot up on legalities.
4. Getting married involves transporting everything for your wedding isn't always easy [ie perishables].

All inclusive Dominican republic weddings

Thes are the sorts of services that are normally provided in an all-inclusive wedding:

1. On-site wedding co-ordinator
2. Marriage licence and ceremony
3. Registry fees
4. Brides bouquet
5. Grooms button hole
6. Wedding cake, wine etc

Non all-inclusive weddings

Consider a small private hotel perhaps in a small mountain enclave in Constanza, a guest house in Playa Grande or Las Galeras beach, Samana.

Marrying in the Dominican Roman Catholic Church

Your Archbishop may need to request permission from the Archbishop of the Diocese where you would like to marry in the DR. If you are marrying a Dominican, this will not be necessary as the Dominican spouse has an assigned church depending on his/her home town.

San Estanislao Church (Roman Catholic) at Altos de Chavon (seats about 40) in La Romana is chosen by many foreign couples every year. It is not cheap but arrangements can either be made through Casa de Campo or you can go direct as long as you give the priest all the necessary documents at least two months ahead of time. A donation will be required.

Other possibilities for churches for Dominican Republic weddings:

• San Estanislao Church in Altos de Chavon (La Romana)
• Basilica La Altagracia, Higuey, La Altagracia (Punta Cana)
• Cathedral of Puerto Plata
• Sosua Synagogue (Puerto Plata)
• Santo Domingo Synagogue
• Cathedral of Santo Domingo
• Cathedral of Santiago

Or Dominican country facts

Or Dominican Recipes

Or the fantastic merengue music

Or maps of the Dominican Republic