Secrets Royal Beach Wedding: Arrissia & Joshua’s Poolside Garden Ceremony and Palapa Reception

Some couples plan a wedding. Arrissia and Joshua planned a celebration. This Secrets Royal Beach wedding in Punta Cana had a groom greeting his guests on his way to the altar, a courtyard first look full of twirls, and a dance floor that kept going long after sunset. Max, one of our wedding photographers at WBA Studio, was there for all of it.

Below you’ll find their day in order, with the photography tips we share with every couple planning a destination wedding.

Why Couples Choose a Secrets Royal Beach Wedding

Secrets Royal Beach gives couples a mix of settings in one place: landscaped courtyards, palm-lined gardens, pool views and a covered palapa for the evening. Each one has its own light and mood, so a single wedding day can produce very different kinds of photographs.

WBA Studio is the exclusive wedding photography and videography team at Secrets Royal Beach, so our photographers already know where the light falls at each hour. Arrissia and Joshua’s gallery shows why that matters: a soft, bright courtyard in the morning, golden garden light at the ceremony, and a warm, string-lit palapa at night.

To see the resort for yourself, start with Secrets Royal Beach’s own website. If you’re still choosing a venue, read our guide to how to plan a destination wedding in Punta Cana. You can also see another celebration at the same resort in Nicole & Devon’s intimate Secrets Royal Beach wedding.

Secrets Royal Beach Wedding Photos: Getting Ready

Joshua’s morning began with the details: his cream suit on the hanger, black shoes, a bow tie and a bottle of cologne laid out beside an invitation. Then came the people. Joshua’s father helped him with his cufflinks and tie, a quiet moment between the two that photographed beautifully. The groomsmen wore a mix of suit colors, from mint and soft blue to sage, grey and cream, and the group pictures outside the hotel look like a color palette come to life.

Arrissia’s morning was calm and bright. She had her makeup done in front of a round mirror, relaxed in a soft tulle robe beside her dress, and arranged her shoes, perfume and veil on a bed of tulle. A bridesmaid in a green dress helped her into the gown and set the veil, and you can see a few happy tears before she walked out of the room.

Getting ready photography tips

• Choose the brightest room with the biggest windows for the bride’s portraits. Soft window light is the secret to the airy look in Arrissia’s photos.

• Lay out your details in one spot before your photographer arrives: rings, shoes, perfume, invitation, cufflinks, veil.

• Plan a moment with each parent or close family member. A father helping with cufflinks is the kind of photo you will keep forever.

• Tell your photographer which people you want in the getting-ready frames.

Punta Cana First Look: A Courtyard, a Bouquet and a Twirl

Before the ceremony, Arrissia and Joshua shared a first look in a stone courtyard framed by green palms. Joshua stood with his back to her. Arrissia walked up with her white rose bouquet, and when he turned, you can see the reaction in every frame. They laughed, held each other, kissed, and he spun her under his arm.

A first look gives you time together, a quieter moment before the crowd arrives, and more time for portraits. If you’re deciding, read should you do a first look before you plan your timeline.

Secrets Royal Beach Ceremony Photos: Gold, White Roses and Palm Trees

The ceremony took place in a tropical garden setting, with a gold geometric arch covered in white flowers, palm trees all around and a pool in the background. Guests sat in gold chairs along a pale aisle lined with white floral arrangements, and each one held a printed program styled like a newspaper featuring the couple’s names.

Joshua took the aisle first, greeting guests and sharing high-fives on his way to the arch. Arrissia followed in her white strapless gown and long veil, walking hand in hand with a loved one in soft blue. At the arch, the couple held hands for their vows and later exchanged rings.

Then came the kiss and the recessional. As the couple walked back up the aisle, their guests threw their arms in the air and cheered. Those are the frames we love most: a whole crowd sharing one moment.

Ceremony photography tips

• Tell your guests the photographer will be moving around the aisle and the arch. It keeps them from stepping into the frame.

• Ask guests to keep phones down during the processional and the kiss.

• Add personal touches you love. The newspaper-style program shows up in the photos and tells part of the couple’s story.

• Use our Punta Cana wedding timeline guide to schedule the ceremony for good light and enough time for portraits.

Family and Guest Photos: Every Group, Every Color

After the ceremony, guests gathered for a champagne toast, and then came the big photo: everyone in attendance together with the hotel behind them. At the floral arch, the couple took portraits with each group in turn, from immediate family to close friends, in an easy, quick rhythm. You can see all the colors guests chose: soft blues, sage greens, olive, peach, bold orange and magenta.

Family portrait tips

• Write a family photo list ahead of time and give it to your photographer and a family member who can gather people.

• Start with the largest group and work down. It keeps things moving.

• Keep this part short. Twenty to thirty minutes is usually enough, and it leaves time for couple portraits and cocktail hour.

Punta Cana Couple Portraits: White Stone, Palms and Pool

Arrissia and Joshua took time alone for portraits on a white stone terrace surrounded by palms, walking hand in hand, laughing and leaning in close. A few frames used the pool as a backdrop, and later the veil lifted over both of them for an intimate close-up that could be a magazine cover.

If you want portraits that feel natural, do what they did: walk, talk, laugh and let the photographer capture it. Our destination wedding photo shot list will help you decide which portraits to ask for.

Secrets Royal Beach Reception Photos: String Lights, Gold Details and a First Dance

When the sun went down, the party moved to a covered palapa with a thatched ceiling and warm string lights. Tables were set with gold-beaded charger plates, white florals and crystal glassware. The sweetheart table had its own floral arch and candles, and a table with framed photos, a guest book, an instant camera and a glass box of keepsakes gave the room a personal touch.

Arrissia and Joshua shared their first dance under the lights, wrapped in each other as friends and family watched. After that, the night turned into a full celebration. Guests filled the dance floor, the couple danced with loved ones, and bottles with sparklers lit up the room.

Reception photography tips

• Style the details that tell your story, such as framed photos, a guest book or a keepsake table, and tell your photographer about them so they are photographed before guests arrive.

• Plan your first dance for a moment when the room is full and the lighting is warm.

• Let the dance floor run. Some of the best images of the day happen after the formalities end.

Photography Tips for Your Secrets Royal Beach Wedding

1. Share your vision and your colors. Arrissia and Joshua’s palette of cream, white and soft color carried through the whole day.

2. Build in time for portraits. The terrace and the courtyard looked beautiful because the schedule left room for them.

3. Bring personal details. A newspaper-style program, framed photos and a guest book all add story.

4. Plan for the light. Our timeline guide shows how.

5. Know what to expect. Read what to expect when booking a destination wedding photographer.

Gold and White Wedding Reception Decor Ideas at Secrets Royal Beach

Arrissia and Joshua kept their palette simple and let the details do the work: white roses, baby’s breath and warm gold, repeated from the ceremony arch to the last table.

The tables. Each round table had a white tablecloth, gold chairs and gold-beaded glass charger plates, with crystal glassware at every seat. A low centerpiece of white roses and baby’s breath sat in the middle, which kept guests able to see and talk across the table. A folded napkin with a printed welcome and thank-you note finished each place setting.

The sweetheart table. The couple’s table had its own floral arch and candlelight, so it stood out in the warm glow of the palapa.

The personal touches. A table of framed photos, a guest book, an instant camera and a glass box of keepsakes gave guests something to look at and something to do.

Reception decor tips

• Repeat your ceremony flowers in your centerpieces. White roses and baby’s breath on the arch and on the tables made the whole day feel connected.

• Keep centerpieces low so guests can see each other.

• Choose one metallic. Gold plates, chairs and details looked warm against the string lights.

• Tell your photographer which details matter most to you, so they photograph the tables before guests arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Secrets Royal Beach Wedding

Planning a Secrets Royal Beach Wedding?

Arrissia and Joshua’s day was joyful from the first button to the last dance. If you’re planning a wedding at Secrets Royal Beach, we’d love to photograph yours.

Reach out at weddings@wbastudio.com and tell us about your plans. You can browse more love stories on our Real Weddings page and follow us on Instagram at @wbastudio_video.