Special thanks to Destination Wedding Planners Midge and Camille for providing the photos and explanation of DestinationWeddings.com's recent visit to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

If one picture is worth a thousand words, then seeing and experiencing something with one's own eyes is worth a thousand pictures!  A couple of weeks ago, a number of the Destination Wedding Associates had just such an opportunity.  We had on-site inspections of a number of different resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  We toured the various resorts, meeting with the wedding coordinators, exploring the grounds of each resort, checking several different room categories, viewing the various wedding venues at each resort, seeing the different restaurants and, in some cases, having the privilege of eating at some of those restaurants.  I can tell you that without a doubt each and every one of us came away from that trip with a wealth of knowledge and equipped to provide the best information that any couple could ask for when trying to make a decision about where their wedding should take place.

Punta Cana Wedding - Beach wedding location at the Melia Caribe

We can now provide you with the invaluable knowledge about which wedding coordinators are most well informed and professional, which resorts have the prettiest beach venue or loveliest gazebo, the best food, the prettiest grounds, the best amenities, can perform a Catholic ceremony or a symbolic wedding and so, so much more.  When it comes to providing you with expert advice there is no substitute for "been there, done that" and we have.  That enables us to provide you with all the information that you need to make a well-informed decision about where to have your perfect dream wedding!

Punta Cana Wedding - Wedding gazebo at Melia Caribe

What says "Fairy Tale Wedding" more than a horse drawn carriage in a tropical paradise?

Another great wedding gazebo location, this time at the Paradisus Punta Cana

In order to find the best possible locations for all of you stylish brides and grooms that are thinking of having a beach wedding in the Dominican Republic, I consulted some of the best travel experts. These experts were actually other couples who had elected to have a beach wedding in the Dominican Republic. After all, who else is better qualified to offer an opinion and tell you how fantastic Dominican Republic beach weddings actually are?

So, according to these beach wedding connoisseurs, some of the best beaches to say, ‘I do,' on are as follows:

• Punta Cana - Forbes Traveler also rated this as one of the top 25 Sexiest Beaches in the world because of the 20 miles of pristine sand, stunning palm backdrop, and crystal blue ocean.
• North Coast - Puerto Plata is said to be breathtakingly beautiful with 1.5 miles of pristine coastline and scenery that resembles postcard perfection.
• Dominican Republic East Coast -- Playa Minitas is a secluded private beach that offers a luxurious setting for those who wish to escape from crowds and enjoy a romantic interlude.
• Isla Saona - This island has also been named one of the Caribbean's Dream Beaches by Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine, and is a short day trip from the "mainland".
• Playa Punta Rucia - This area just west of Puerto Plata offers mountain views and silky, white sands. It is a little more secluded than some of the other popular beaches.
• Playa Sosua - This spot is situated in the Puerto Plata area, in a crescent-shaped bay and is extremely popular due to its cliffs and tranquil turquoise waters.
• North East - Playa Rincon is located on the Samana peninsula in in Puerto Plata, and is classed as one of the world's top 10 beaches by Condé Nast Travelerbecause of its isolation, three miles of sand, and mountain at one end.  The magic here is that you will have to travel by boat (or a serious 4x4) to this beach by sailing from Las Galeras, which many say adds to its ambiance.