ahoyne9Our Destination Group Wedding at Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata 🇩🇴💍
Katy and I got married in September in a small, private ceremony, just the two of us. But after the dust settled we decided we wanted to celebrate with the people who matter most to us, friends and family spread across multiple continents and ten US states. That meant one thing: destination wedding.
In this post I want to walk through exactly how we planned it, what it cost, why we picked Puerto Plata, and what I would do differently. If you are considering a destination wedding this might save you a lot of time and a few headaches.
🌍 The Guest List Problem Nobody Warns You About
Planning a destination wedding when your friend group spans New Zealand, Australia, India, Mexico, South Korea, England, France, Switzerland, Canada and most of the continental US is not straightforward. The first priority was finding a location that was within reasonable reach of as many people as possible.
That narrowed it down to Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. All have solid international airport connections and are accessible from most major hubs without brutal layovers.
The second consideration was keeping it within a hotel group where I had status: Hyatt, Hilton, IHG, or Marriott. We started looking at adult-only all-inclusive properties, but one family member wanted to bring our nephew, so we pivoted to family-friendly all-inclusives. That actually opened up more options than we expected.
A word of warning about covering guest costs:
Early on I floated the idea of potentially helping cover hotel costs for guests. That was a mistake. The moment people heard that, the guest list ballooned to 60+ and people started building entire vacations around a tentative offer I had never fully committed to. When it became clear I wasn’t going to hand out $1,500 per person, the list dropped to 35 almost overnight and a few friendships took a hit. My advice: say nothing about covering costs until you have made a firm decision, and even then think carefully about whether it’s something you actually want to do.
💰 The Cost Reality of Destination Wedding Packages
Most resorts structure their wedding packages around a minimum spend that unlocks discounts or complimentary upgrades. In our case the discount threshold was nearly $25,000 in total wedding spend. At that point it would have made more financial sense to hold the wedding in Minnesota where we are from. The packages make sense if you have a large group who are all booking through the resort, but the math changes quickly depending on how many guests actually commit.
What made the numbers work for us was the resort’s model: they subsidize the wedding cost in exchange for a guarantee that the majority of attending guests also stay at the property. With 35 guests the wedding package came to $5,500, our week-long stay was around $1,200, and flights were booked on American Airlines miles for roughly $100 in taxes and fees. That is an exceptional value for what we got.
Rooms for guests ranged from around $250 per night per couple depending on when they booked, which for an all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic is competitive pricing.
🏨 The Resort: Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada
Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada sits in the heart of Puerto Plata, on land that was once defended from Caribbean pirates. The resort reflects that history through its colonial-style architecture surrounded by lush tropical gardens. ParadiseWeddings
It is located right on an award-winning beach just ten minutes from the city center, with a main pool divided into three sections, a children’s pool, extensive sports facilities including tennis, volleyball, basketball, archery, and two pickleball courts, plus a spa with whirlpool and sauna. Destination Weddings
For dining, the resort offers three a la carte restaurants covering Japanese, Mexican, and Italian cuisine, plus an abundant buffet and unlimited domestic drinks across six bars. One thing worth knowing: a la carte restaurants book up fast. You can only book three days in advance and spots fill quickly, so get your reservations in as early as possible after arrival, especially for larger groups. Iberostar
The resort is also an IHG One Rewards partner, which means you can earn and redeem IHG points for stays here. For anyone with IHG status this is a useful way to book the property on points.
Note: the resort will be closed for refurbishment from August 30 to October 26, 2026, so plan around that window if you are considering this property. Destination Weddings
💒 The Wedding Packages
Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada offers personalized weddings with ten themes to choose from. A few highlights worth knowing about: ParadiseWeddings
The Sunset and Spices theme pairs rich burgundy and gold accents with the ocean’s brilliant blues, styled with wooden chairs and woven chandeliers. The Nature of Love theme leans into earthy tones, abundant greenery, minimalist arches, and scalloped dinnerware for a more eco-conscious feel. The Tie the Knot-ical theme brings in deep blue linens, sea glass chargers, and oyster shell décor for a coastal-chic celebration. ParadiseWeddings
The resort features more than ten venues to choose from, with the beach ceremony being the most popular option for obvious reasons. ParadiseWeddings
The hotel professionals handle everything from the bride’s bouquet to the wedding cake and a la carte menus. Higher tier packages can also include legal services, photo and video packages, live music during the ceremony and reception, and a wedding night party. IberostarIberostarpuntacana
Our package included the ceremony, a DJ, and a buffet dinner. Simple, but it covered everything we needed for 35 people without going overboard.
🌧️ The Day Itself
The only rain of our entire week showed up five minutes before the ceremony started. A full thunderstorm. The beach ceremony and dinner were moved inside, which was obviously not what we had pictured, but the resort handled the pivot quickly and the team kept everything running smoothly. These things happen, and honestly it became one of those moments everyone remembers.
📍 Puerto Plata: What to Know
I have been to this part of the Dominican Republic before, so I already had a feel for the area. If you want a deeper look at things to do around Puerto Plata, [check out my earlier post here].
For those visiting for the first time, here is a quick rundown of what the area offers beyond the resort:
History lovers can visit the 16th-century Fortaleza San Felipe, built to defend the city from Caribbean pirates, and take in sweeping ocean views from its walls. The Puerto Plata Malecón is a lively seaside promenade worth strolling, and the historic city center is full of colorful Victorian architecture, local markets, and the Amber Museum, which displays ancient gems unique to the region. For adventure, the cable car up Mount Isabel de Torres offers panoramic views and botanical gardens at the summit, and the Damajagua 27 Waterfalls is one of the best excursions in the country. Nearby beach towns like Sosúa and Cabarete are known for water sports, surfing, and a more relaxed beach scene. ParadiseWeddings
The resort itself also offers scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing for guests who want to stay closer to the property. Destify
✈️ Getting There
Puerto Plata’s Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) is smaller than Punta Cana or Santo Domingo and has fewer direct flight options, which was the one logistical downside for guests coming from further afield. That said, connections through Miami, New York, or Toronto work well for most international travelers, and for guests coming from Europe or the Pacific the routing is manageable with one stop.
The other option worth knowing about is flying into Santiago’s Cibao International Airport (STI) and taking a shuttle to the resort. Katy and I actually flew into POP and out of STI, which gave us better logistics overall and opened up better points redemption options on both ends. If you are flexible it is worth checking both airports when searching for award availability.
If you have American Airlines miles, this route is well worth targeting for redemptions given the competitive mileage rates on Caribbean flights.
Since I had been to the area before I already had a trusted contact for airport transfers. Ventura runs his own transfer company and picked up 14 of us at the airport without a hitch. If you are coordinating a group I would highly recommend reaching out to him directly on WhatsApp at +1 849.452.7889. Having a reliable private transfer locked in ahead of time for a large group saves a lot of stress on arrival day.
💬 Final Thoughts
Would I do a destination wedding again? Absolutely. The value compared to a traditional US wedding, even at full price, is hard to argue with. The resort handled the planning logistics well, the food and setting were great, and having everyone in one place for a full week rather than a single evening made it feel like a proper celebration.
The key lessons: be careful about floating the idea of covering guest costs before they are ready to commit, book your a la carte restaurant reservations the moment you arrive, and accept that a thunderstorm five minutes before your beach ceremony is simply part of the story.
Cheers!
Have questions about planning a destination wedding at Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada or booking it on points? Drop them in the comments below.