The New Dominican Republic - Beach Wedding Article
Article By Sonya Alvino
There's a new era of luxury hitting the Dominican Republic and its all happening in the East Coast region of Punta Cana. Private butlers, pillow menus boasting over 5 different scents, in-room jacuzzi's with ocean views and rose petal bath tubs are proving that Punta Cana has that "wow" factor when it comes to personal service and romantic pampering.
Traditionally thought of as the 'Costa Del Caribbean' - for those outside of Europe think 'cheap' - the Dominican Republic is throwing off its former reputation as a budget travel destination and strutting its stuff in avante garde circles - Oscar de la Renta, Julio Inglesis, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and many more celebrities all have second homes here.
We took a tour of the area to see what they had on offer for Brides and Grooms and to get a sense of their luxury offerings. I have to admit that my preconceived notions of the Dominican Republic were not great. Armed in the knowledge that Punta Cana receives 60 flights per day to supply 25,000 hotel rooms, I was choked by the thought of tourists on mass, pasty European bodies grappling over deck chairs, and fried food spitting out of every all inclusive joint - not at all appealing to me. I was pleasantly surprised. This is not what I found at all.
Punta Cana is a mecca for the all-inclusive traveller. Although boutique resorts do exist they are shadowed by the many all-inclusive chains who have made their home here, mainly European. Put aside thoughts of bland food and cramped quarters, these all-inclusives are offering an upscale spin that knocks the socks off of many boutique hotels; turn down services, world class spa treatments, gourmet dining experiences and internationally renowned golf courses are the norm.
This is not the place for the adventurous, resorts are located behind gates in stand alone complexes complete with activities, shopping, dining, nightlife, sports and spa - no travel necessary. The reason for this is quite simple, there is very little surrounding Punta Cana and the only city, Higuey, is 40 miles away with little of interest apart from the Basilica, a large modern cathedral honouring the Virgen de la Altagracia, patron saint of the Dominican Republic. As such, each resort steps up to the responsibility of keeping visitors entertained in every way imaginable by spreading out over rambling estates and offering a variety of choices that appeal to most tastes.
For the most part they've done a good job and make no bones about the fact that the Eastern Coast is for relaxation, a place to get away from it all, play a few rounds of golf on some of the best fairways in the hemisphere, or plunge into the crystal clear waters brimming the 32 miles of uninterrupted sandy beaches. The development of this area continues with the injection of foreign investment at Roco Ki and Cap Cana which promise luxury marina's, golf, hotels, residences and absolutely stunning backdrops for dreamy weddings by the ocean edge.
The wedding market is competitive and most all-inclusives offer free weddings with Royal Service room sales. I never once got the feeling of conveyor belt weddings so often reported from all-inclusives elsewhere and some of the chains actually limit their weddings to one per day.
Judges, it would seem, are in short supply in the Dominican Republic and as such "symbolic weddings" rule whereby the couple say their vows in front of an officiate, and have their certificate signed at a later date by the official judge. The process to receive your official marriage certification can take up to 12 weeks, so you might want to head to the registry office before your symbolic wedding in Punta Cana. Alternately, book early to ensure a ceremony performed by the official judge, and be flexible about the time of your wedding as they are notoriously late.
If your thinking of Punta Cana as a wedding destination then you might be interested in our reviews of luxury resorts in the region. Here you'll get the inside scoop, and a sense of what to expect once you've landed.
