For most couples, we recommend beginning the planning process 12–18 months before the wedding, especially if you have a particular resort, wedding date or venue in mind.

Starting early gives you more choices for resorts, wedding venues and room categories while also giving your guests plenty of time to budget, request time off and make travel arrangements.

Planning on a shorter timeline? A beautiful Dominican Republic destination wedding may still be possible. We'll focus on the best available options for your date, group size, budget and priorities.

There isn't one region that's best for every couple.

Punta Cana offers extensive all-inclusive resort choices and is particularly well suited for larger wedding groups. La Romana can appeal to couples looking for luxury and distinctive venues. Puerto Plata combines resort experiences with history, culture and activities, while Samaná offers lush scenery and a more nature-focused atmosphere.

We consider your wedding vision, guest list, budget, preferred resort style, flight accessibility and transportation before recommending a region.

The best part of the Dominican Republic is the one that works best for your wedding and the people traveling with you.

Punta Cana is one of the Dominican Republic's most popular destination wedding regions, but popular doesn't automatically mean best for every couple.

Its advantages include extensive resort choices, a major international airport, numerous all-inclusive options and properties capable of accommodating large wedding groups.

But couples looking for a different atmosphere may prefer La Romana, Puerto Plata or Samaná.

Rather than automatically starting with Punta Cana, we start with you—your guest list, wedding vision, priorities and budget—and determine which region and resort make the most sense.

Yes. Foreign couples can legally marry in the Dominican Republic.

For a civil marriage, current Dominican Republic tourism guidance lists documentation that can include original passports, birth certificates, affidavits of marital status and, when applicable, divorce or death documentation. Documents generally need to meet Dominican legalization and Spanish-translation requirements.

Requirements and procedures can change, so couples should confirm the current requirements with the appropriate Dominican Civil Registry and their wedding provider before making legal arrangements

Both are options, and the right choice depends on your priorities.

A legal civil ceremony allows you to become legally married in the Dominican Republic but requires completing the country's documentation and marriage procedures.

Some couples instead complete their legal marriage at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in the Dominican Republic. This can simplify the paperwork while still allowing the destination celebration to be the wedding day they share with family and friends.

A symbolic ceremony doesn't have to look or feel any less meaningful.

We can help you understand the planning differences so you can decide which approach works best for you.

Start with your guest list, not the resort.

An adults-only property can provide a romantic atmosphere and may be ideal for an adult-focused wedding weekend. However, it can create a problem if important guests have children.

Family-friendly resorts make it easier to accommodate children and multigenerational groups, but we still consider resort layout, activities, room categories and the location of wedding venues.

Neither is inherently better. The right resort is the one that works for the people you want beside you.

Many guests make a destination wedding a three- to five-night trip, while others choose to stay longer and turn the celebration into a vacation.

The right length depends on the destination, resort, wedding schedule and distance your guests are traveling.

We recommend leaving enough time for guests to arrive and settle in before the wedding—and ideally enough time afterward to actually enjoy Mexico.

After all, you're inviting them to more than a ceremony.

You're inviting them into an experience.

Typically, yes.

For most destination weddings, guests are responsible for their own airfare, accommodations and personal travel expenses, while the couple is responsible for the wedding and any hosted events or experiences they choose to provide.

Your invitation and wedding website should communicate costs and booking information clearly so guests understand what they're responsible for before committing to the trip.

Behind The Scenes can help organize the accommodation and travel side of the experience so your guests have a clear booking process—and you don't become everyone's travel agent.

A wedding room block provides an organized way for your guests to reserve accommodations at your selected resort.

Depending on the resort and agreement, your room block can include negotiated rates or group terms, specific room categories, booking deadlines, deposits, minimum room-night requirements and group concessions.

At some resorts, your group's room production may also affect certain wedding benefits or concessions.

That's why we consider the wedding and room block together rather than treating accommodations as an afterthought.

The answer depends on the resort and your specific group agreement.

Reservations made outside your official wedding group may not count toward contracted room-night requirements or group benefits. Guests may also receive different rates, terms or cancellation policies.

If someone stays at another resort, your wedding property may impose restrictions or fees for outside guests attending wedding events.

We give guests clear booking instructions so they understand where to book, how to book and why booking through the official wedding group matters.

Absolutely. Resort selection is one of the most important parts of the planning process.

The Dominican Republic has an enormous selection of resorts, and a beautiful beach or impressive wedding package doesn't necessarily mean a property is right for your particular group.

We consider your wedding vision, guest list, budget, destination region, airport access, transfer time, adults-only versus family-friendly options, room categories, resort layout, wedding venues, packages and overall guest experience.

We're not trying to find you the most popular resort in the Dominican Republic.

We're trying to find the right one.

When your destination wedding and group accommodations are booked through Behind The Scenes, our destination wedding planning and travel services are included at no additional planning fee.

That allows us to help bring together the resort, wedding, room block and guest travel as one coordinated experience.

Already booked your Jamaica wedding, resort or accommodations somewhere else? We may still be able to help.

Professional planning services are available for destination weddings and travel arrangements booked outside of Behind The Scenes, and professional planning fees apply in those situations.

They serve different roles.

Your resort wedding coordinator represents the resort and typically manages the wedding products, venues and services provided by that property.

A destination wedding planner works on your behalf and looks at the larger experience—including resort selection, wedding decisions, guest considerations, room blocks, travel logistics and the details connecting everything together.

At Behind The Scenes, we work alongside resort wedding teams rather than replacing them.

Think of the resort coordinator as your connection to the property. Behind The Scenes is your connection to the entire destination wedding experience.

For U.S. citizens traveling by air to the Dominican Republic, a valid U.S. passport is required. Travelers also need to comply with the Dominican Republic's current entry and exit requirements, which include its electronic entry/exit form.

We recommend reminding guests about passports early in the wedding planning process. Guests who don't currently have a passport—or whose passport needs attention—shouldn't wait until the wedding is approaching to address it.

Entry requirements can change, so guests should always verify the requirements applicable to their individual circumstances before traveling.