Why More Couples Are Turning Their Dreams Royal Beach Wedding Into a Weekend

Most Punta Cana weddings are one long, unforgettable day. Marissa and Tyler wanted two. What started as a beachfront welcome party turned into a full wedding weekend at Dreams Royal Beach, and it changed everything about how their story got told in photos.

Why Add a Second Day to Your Dreams Royal Beach Wedding

A single wedding day moves fast, getting ready, ceremony, portraits, reception, done. Adding a welcome dinner or rehearsal event the evening before gives guests (many of whom have just arrived from a long travel day) a low-key way to reconnect before the main event, and it gives couples an entire extra evening of photos and memories that a one-day wedding simply doesn't have room for.

If you're still deciding how many days to plan around, our Punta Cana Wedding Resort Checklist is a good place to start working out what your trip actually needs.

Day One: A Beachfront Welcome Dinner

The night before the wedding, Marissa and Tyler's guests gathered on the beach for a casual welcome dinner under string lights, with a live guitar trio playing as everyone mingled in resort-casual outfits. A simple sign reading "The Party Starts Here" set the tone for the whole trip, and the relaxed, no-agenda energy of the evening, dancing barefoot in the sand, groups of friends and family catching up, meant the couple already had a full night of genuine, unposed photos before the wedding day even began.

For more on how a moment like this fits into your overall coverage plan, see Wedding Photo, Video, or Both? An Honest Guide.

Day Two: First Look and Portraits

The wedding day started with no formal getting-ready coverage, jumping straight into a first look at one of the resort's courtyards, framed by white archways and palm trees. From there, portraits moved through a wooden pergola walkway draped in greenery, giving Marissa and Tyler a shaded, textured backdrop that felt completely different from the open beach setting of the night before.

If you're weighing whether a first look is right for your own day, our guide Should You Do a First Look at Your Wedding? breaks down the trade-offs.

The Ceremony: A Palapa Dock Over the Water

Rather than a beachfront setup, Marissa and Tyler said their vows at a palapa-style structure built out over the water, both reading handwritten vows at microphone stands with the water visible just beyond the draped fabric. It's a striking, less-expected ceremony location for Dreams Royal Beach, and one that gave their ceremony photos a quieter, more intimate feel than a typical open-beach setup.

This isn't the only alternative to a straight beachfront ceremony at this resort. Read Getting Married at Dreams Royal Beach: A Real Wedding & Complete Photography Guide for the resort's classic beachfront setup, or see how Taelee and Cole chose a mangrove lake gazebo for an entirely different backdrop at the same property. For a broader look at how ceremony settings compare across styles, our Beach vs Gazebo Ceremony guide is a helpful next read.

The Reception: String Lights and a Full Dance Floor

The evening reception moved into an elegant, open-air pavilion strung with warm lights, complete with a wedding-day itinerary sign for guests ("We Do," "We Drink," "We Move," "We Eat," "We Party") and a sweetheart table styled with greenery runners. Speeches led into a first dance, and the night closed with a packed dance floor, guests from both the wedding day and the welcome dinner the night before, dancing together until the very end.

Curious what a full day of coverage actually looks like from behind the camera? Take a look at A Day in the Life of Your Wedding Photographer.

Planning Tips for a Two-Day Dreams Royal Beach Wedding

Consider a welcome dinner if your guest list is traveling far. It gives everyone a relaxed way to reconnect before the more formal wedding day.
Keep day one casual. Resort-casual attire and a simple setup (string lights, a live musician) go a long way without requiring a second full event budget.
Ask about the palapa dock ceremony option. It's a distinctive alternative to a beachfront setup if you want your ceremony to feel more intimate and enclosed.
Print or display your day's itinerary for guests. A simple sign showing the schedule keeps everyone oriented and doubles as a nice detail shot.
A two-day structure doesn't require two full days of coverage. Even a few hours of welcome-dinner photography paired with full wedding-day coverage can noticeably expand your final gallery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Beyond the beachfront setup, the resort offers a palapa-style dock ceremony over the water, giving couples a more intimate, enclosed alternative.
Not necessarily. A welcome dinner is typically a casual, all-guest gathering the night before the wedding, while a rehearsal dinner traditionally involves just the wedding party. Many couples use the terms interchangeably for a relaxed pre-wedding celebration.
It's worth asking about. Even a few hours of coverage the evening before can capture candid, unposed moments that a single wedding day doesn't have time for.

More Real Weddings at Dreams Royal Beach

Plan Your Dreams Royal Beach Wedding with WBA Studio

Whether you're planning a single wedding day or a full weekend celebration, WBA Studio can help you capture every part of it, from a beachfront welcome dinner to your ceremony and reception the next day.

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📍 Venue: Dreams Royal Beach, Punta Cana
📸 WBA Studio