La Romana is a very special place for you to come and visit, it’s such a unique experience. There are so many things to see and do, that not one day during your stay will feel the same. The backdrops you’ll find in Altos de Chavon are incomparable to any other place in the country, they really do feel like they come straight out of a fairy tale. More and more couples are choosing La Romana for their weddings because it offers a quieter, more private kind of stay. If you’re ready to learn about the most romantic tropical wedding you can possibly have in the DR, let’s dive in!
Overview of La Romana
La Romana is located at the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. A little bit further west than Punta Cana, which is the very eastern tip. The whole area has a laid back, refined feel that you can appreciate both in the resorts and around La Romana city. The city is situated on an oceanside hill, with a beautiful marina as you come in. The buildings have a rustic feel, with narrow roads and many old style buildings.
Like most of the country, there is warm weather all year and calm seas. So an outdoor ceremony is a must if you’re planning your wedding here. One of the most beautiful locations is Altos de Chavon, a breathtaking colonial style stone village. It overlooks a huge valley that houses the Chavon River.
Bayahibe is the town that houses most of the resorts in the area, it’s a small beach community. Most snorkelling and Saona excursions depart from here.
Best Resorts in the Area
One thing to get clear before you book: several of the resorts below carry the La Romana name but are actually in Bayahibe, about half an hour away. It is a different kind of stay, calmer and more all inclusive, so it is worth knowing which one you are looking at.
La Romana has some classic, well established resorts with plentiful options for weddings. Each one has a unique experience, and different benefits:
Casa de Campo Resort & Villas
Casa de Campo is one of the most exclusive areas in La Romana, and in the Caribbean. It’s a community that spans across 7000 acres, making it feel more like a small town than a resort. The resort has been known to receive many A-List celebrity visitors including Beyoncé, Michael Jordan, Rihanna, and many more. Inside of its gates it includes all amenities you could need: a marina, a private beach, world-golf courses, and thousands of luxury villas. You can also find banks and supermarkets, so you don’t ever have to leave the gated area. Inside Casa de Campo, you’ll find Altos de Chavon, a replica Mediterranean village with endless picturesque backdrops for your wedding photoshoot. If you’re looking for the most exclusive, private, and secure location for your wedding getaway, then we can’t recommend Casa de Campo enough.
Dreams & Secrets La Romana (Family + Adults Only)
Both resorts sit side by side in Bayahibe and share a history that confuses a lot of couples. The complex was Dreams La Romana, then Hilton La Romana, and it is now split into two Hyatt brands: Secrets La Romana Resort & Spa, adults only, on what used to be the Hilton adult side, and Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa, family friendly, on the former Hilton family side. If you booked or read about it under an older name, that is the same place.
Dreams La Romana is the family resort, with multiple pools, fine dining restaurants, a cozy beach, and teen and kids areas. Secrets La Romana, the adults only side, has a designated event space on the beach, adults-only pools, and its own set of restaurants. Between the two you get beach, oceanfront, garden and grassy field venues.
Dreams Dominicus La Romana
Dreams Dominicus is another all inclusive option in Bayahibe. This resort is family friendly and features a larger beach area, red tiled rooftops on all the buildings, and multiple pool areas. The main standout feature of Dominicus is its ocean pier wedding/event platform, making for some beautiful sunset photos. You can also book open terraces and garden gazebos.
Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus
Iberostar is an iconic resort because of its towering lighthouse. You’ll definitely want to catch that lighthouse in your photoshoot. It still stands as a preferred resort for many couples looking for consistent quality and service. It’s a quiet resort with amazing dining options and a peaceful atmosphere.
Bahia Principe La Romana
Worth knowing before you book: this one is not in Bayahibe like the resorts above. It sits west of La Romana city, on Playa Nueva Romana, so it is the opposite direction from Casa de Campo and Dominicus. There are two properties side by side, Bahia Principe Grand La Romana, family friendly, and Bahia Principe Luxury Bouganville, adults only, and guests can move between them. The beach is long and quiet, and the oceanfront gazebo at the end of the pier is the venue most couples pick for the ceremony.
All of these resorts offer their own wedding packages which include the venue, decorations, and a wedding planner. Oftentimes they will also include a wedding photographer with the package, but we recommend finding an external wedding photographer that you can meet up with prior to the wedding to match your style perfectly.
How to Get to La Romana
You have multiple options when it comes to getting to La Romana, you can choose whichever one works best according to your plans. Here are the 3 airports that you can arrive in:
La Romana International Airport (LRM)
It might seem like a no-brainer to arrive through La Romana but there are a few things to consider. If you arrive from here you’ll have a direct and quick transport to your resort, but do keep in mind that finding a direct flight will be more difficult depending on the season.
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)
The Punta Cana Airport is larger than La Romana, offering more flight options and better prices. The drive from here to La Romana is about an hour, your hotel booking will more than likely provide transportation accommodation for getting to and from your resort.
Las Américas Airport in Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Near the capital, Las Americas Airport is the main airport of the country. The drive from here to La Romana is slightly longer: about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Depending on the flights you’re able to find this may be a better option.
Excursions and Things to Do
La Romana has close access to some of the country’s best excursions. Many of the excursions that you’ll see offered in Punta Cana, are actually in Bayahibe.
Saona Island
This small paradisical island is just south of the DR’s coast. It’s the most famous excursion in the country, and for good reason. In this trip you’ll take a party catamaran cruise in order to visit the remote Saona beach, a pristine unadulterated experience that really has no comparison. On the island you’ll be able to enjoy typical Dominican food and seafood (including lobster), swim at the beach and even hold a live starfish.
Altos de Chavón
This is a replica of a Mediterranean style stone village from the 16th century. It overlooks the Chavon river atop a valley, making for some amazing views. There are multiple museums, chapels and gardens to look at. This location doubles both as a wedding venue, and a tourist destination. Either way, you won’t want to miss Altos de Chavon while you’re here.
Scuba diving and snorkeling
Bayahibe is one of the best locations for scuba diving. There are plenty of locations with colorful reefs and large varieties of tropical fish to see. If you’re not trained in diving, there are also great snorkeling excursions you can take part in.
Activities at Casa de Campo
Even if you’re not staying at Casa de Campo, it’s definitely worth checking out their huge list of activities. Most notably the three world class golf courses you can choose from, a shooting center, equestrian center, and multiple excursions.
Punta Cana vs La Romana
Punta Cana is growing at a very fast pace, with dozens of all inclusive resorts to choose from. This is a great upside if you’re looking for the most flexibility. Punta Cana resorts also have some of the largest capacities in the country, with some resorts allotting thousands of rooms. This also means that the wedding venues and event areas are larger and can accommodate more people. Punta Cana also has the greatest variety of budget options compared to other regions of the country. The biggest downside is that due to it being so popular, you can expect very large crowds during peak season, which is around December through April.
La Romana is a more peaceful getaway, there aren’t as many resorts as in Punta Cana. Resorts have smaller, more personalized wedding venues, and if you’re looking for the most prestigious and exclusive experience Casa de Campo is your ideal option. La Romana is also closer to the excursions that you’ll book from Punta Cana, so you’ll have to travel less to get to them.
Hiring a Wedding Photographer in La Romana
There’s no point in having a wedding at a beautiful destination like La Romana without a photographer that can capture the whole experience. Altos de Chavon specifically is one of our favorite photoshoot locations because it is so different from everything else. There’s a special type of atmosphere that feels so magical. Our La Romana wedding photographer page covers the venues we work in, what coverage there involves and galleries from real weddings. As your wedding photographers we are dedicated to following your wedding from start to finish. We capture every phase, from getting ready, to the ceremony, to the reception, and even post wedding photoshoots. Send us a message, we’d love to follow your wedding journey!
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