Punta Cana is home to breathtaking views and amazing beaches. In addition to the always sunny 80-degree temperature, Punta Cana is perfect for couples who desire romance and tranquility. This tropical paradise has a wide variety of all-inclusive destination wedding venues that offer a natural backdrop and amenities.
Best time to travel:
March – May. This is when the crowded tourist season is at its lowest.
Flight time from Philadelphia:
Nonstop, Approximately 4 hours.
Passport Required?
Yes. In addition, you’ll need to obtain a travel visa before traveling (online through the Dominican Embassy) or a tourist card upon arrival at the airport for $10. These allow travelers to remain in the country for up to 30 days. (Most tour companies include this when you book your trip.)
Best regions for romantic resorts:
Punta Cana has a 25-mile expanse of beautiful white sandy beaches. There are about 100 resorts along this stretch.
Getting Married in Punta Cana:
There are numerous documents needed before a marriage is considered legal in Punta Cana. Couples should start this process a few months prior to the wedding because every document needs to be notarized, translated into Spanish, and authenticated. There are two different types of weddings, religious and civil. The main difference being that religious weddings are not recognized, and civil ceremonies are. Your Destination Wedding Specialist can assist you in this process to ensure everything is handled accordingly.
For a civil ceremony, the following documents are required:
- Original passport with photocopy of the id page, and the last entries to the country
- Affidavits of marital status, certifying that the bride and groom are single
- Original birth certificates
- Divorce Certificate(s) or Death Certificate(s), if applicable
- Two or more witnesses with valid passports, other than family members
For a religious ceremony the main requirement is to get authorization from an archbishop in the couple’s country of residence, delivered to the local Dominican archdiocese. The documents needed include:
- Pre-matrimonial Certificate
- Affidavits of Marital Status
- The couples Birth Certificates
- Certificate of Civil Marriage legalized by the Dominican Consulate, if the couple has already married in their country
- Baptism Certificates
- Certificates of Confirmation
- Church Annulment Certificate(s), if applicable
The bride and groom must be in the country for 3 days prior to their marriage. Because having a legal ceremony in the Dominican Republic can come with many hoops to jump through, majority of destination wedding couples choose to get married via a symbolic ceremony, and then legalize their marriage in the United States either before or after their trip. Consider the pros and cons to decide which option is best for you!
