A gazebo does three jobs at once, which is why couples who find the right one usually stop looking. It puts a roof over the vows without putting you indoors. It frames the two of you in every photograph taken down the aisle. And it gives the ceremony a fixed centre instead of a set of chairs arranged on open ground.
The Dominican Republic has more of them than any other Caribbean destination, with over fifty across the country, and the range is what makes it interesting. The largest seats 250 guests on the sand. The smallest sits on a lake in La Romana and holds sixteen.
Below are five, spread across Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, La Romana, and Cap Cana. Our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists can confirm availability and what decorating the structure involves for your destination wedding.
Best Gazebo Destination Wedding Venues at Top Dominican Republic Resorts
Five wedding resorts across four areas, with gazebo capacity from 16 guests to 250.
1. Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada
Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada has a Beach Gazebo for 250 guests on the Puerto Plata coast, one of the largest in the country.
Two hundred and fifty under a gazebo is unusual, since most are built for a ceremony of a hundred or fewer. What makes this one worth the north-coast journey is the backdrop: the Cordillera Septentrional rises directly behind the resort, so the structure frames mountains as well as ocean. Two beach venues at 400 and 250 handle the reception.
Learn more about Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada and get a free quote today >>
2. Dreams Dominicus La Romana Resort & Spa
Dreams Dominicus La Romana Resort & Spa has a Beach Gazebo for 200 on the calm southern coast, alongside a Main Plaza for 300, a beach for 250 and a pier for 120.
La Romana’s water is shallow and protected, so the gazebo sits in front of noticeably calmer sea than the north or east coasts. For a ceremony where you’d rather the ocean was a backdrop than a competing sound, that matters. The range of other venues here also means the gazebo doesn’t have to serve the whole day.
Learn more about Dreams Dominicus La Romana Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
3. Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa
Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa has a gazebo for 80 at an adults-only property in the gated Cap Cana development.
Eighty is closer to what most couples actually need, and a smaller gazebo reads as intimate rather than ceremonial. The surrounding venues are the draw: Juanillo Beach at 350, a Garden Terrace at 200, Preferred Beach at 200, and a 350-guest ballroom, so a gazebo ceremony can lead into a reception of almost any size.
Learn more about Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
4. Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham, A Trademark All Inclusive
Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham has The Gazebo at La Roca for 80 guests, in La Romana, with La Roca itself taking 200 for the reception.
It’s the most affordable gazebo on this list by a clear margin, and that matters more than it sounds. A lower nightly rate across twenty rooms and four nights is often what decides whether a full guest list can come. The neighbouring Viva Dominicus Palace runs an identical venue set, so there are two chances at your dates.
Learn more about Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham and get a free quote today >>
5. Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus
Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus has the Lake Gazebo, which seats sixteen and is the smallest wedding venue in the Dominican Republic.
Sixteen is an elopement or an immediate-family ceremony, and a gazebo on a lake rather than a beach is unlike anything else in the country. The resort’s pier takes 24 for something equally small over the water, Sunrise Beach holds 150, and there’s enclosed space for 200 if the weather turns. La Romana’s own airport is half an hour away.
Learn more about Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus and get a free quote today >>
More Information for Planning Your Gazebo Destination Wedding in the Dominican Republic
Gazebos are simple venues with a few specifics worth settling. Here’s what our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists check.
Gazebo Destination Wedding Venues Appeal
Shade at the altar is the practical benefit. The two of you stand still for twenty minutes or more while everyone else sits, and in the Caribbean at four in the afternoon that’s a long time in direct sun. A roof over that one spot changes how the ceremony feels and how the photographs come out.
Composition is the other half. A gazebo gives the photographer a frame built into the setting, so shots down the aisle have structure. Open sand is beautiful and offers nothing to compose around, which is why beach ceremonies so often end up with a draped arch brought in to do the same job at extra cost.
Two things to ask. Find out what decorating the structure costs, since draping and florals on a gazebo are usually quoted separately and can run higher than an arch. And ask to see photographs of the gazebo both bare and dressed, because the difference between the two is larger than most couples expect.
Dominican Republic Destination Wedding Cost
The average couple marrying in the Dominican Republic spends around $8,959 all in, with most landing between $7,000 and $11,000. That covers the wedding package, accommodations, airfare, and add-ons. Rooms average roughly $350 per person per night over a typical four-night stay, with airfare of $300 to $700 per person. Couples here average 38 guests.
These averages reflect real spend data from couples who booked their destination wedding with our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists.
A gazebo ceremony usually sits right around that average. The structure itself is normally included where the venue is, and the variable is decoration. Ask what the package covers and what the upgrade actually buys before assuming you need it.
Dominican Republic Destination Wedding Packages
Resorts here offer complimentary and deposit-only wedding packages with a qualifying room block, running roughly $800 to $3,000 at entry tier, $3,500 to $5,000 mid-tier, and $5,500 to $14,000 and beyond for full productions.
Most of these wedding resorts include a gazebo ceremony within their standard tiers with a qualifying room block. Where the tier matters is the reception, so decide what happens after the ceremony before comparing package prices, since that’s what separates one quote from another.
Dominican Republic Destination Wedding Travel Information
Punta Cana International covers the east coast and Cap Cana, 20 to 40 minutes away. La Romana and Puerto Plata have their own airports, which for the resorts on this list in those areas saves hours of driving.
Check which airport suits your resort before invitations go out rather than after. A gazebo ceremony is also one of the formats that holds up best outside the dry season, since the structure covers the part of the day that matters most, though December through April remains the most reliable window and the busiest.
Dominican Republic Gazebo Destination Wedding Venue FAQs
What is the largest gazebo wedding venue in the Dominican Republic?
Several hold 250 guests, including the Beach Gazebo at Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada in Puerto Plata and the Beach Gazebos at Majestic Colonial, Majestic Elegance and Majestic Mirage in Punta Cana.
What is the smallest wedding venue in the Dominican Republic?
The Lake Gazebo at Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus in La Romana, which seats sixteen. The same resort’s pier takes 24, making it the best property in the country for a genuinely tiny ceremony.
Is a gazebo better than a beach ceremony?
It depends on what’s bothering you about the beach. A gazebo gives shade at the altar, level ground underfoot, and a built frame for photographs. A beach puts the ocean directly behind the ceremony with nothing in the way, which a gazebo set back into the grounds can’t match.
Get Ready to Plan a Gazebo Destination Wedding in the Dominican Republic
More gazebos than any other Caribbean destination, at sizes running from sixteen guests to two hundred and fifty, on four different coastlines. Whatever scale your ceremony is, there’s a structure here built for it.
Fill out our online wedding planning form, and one of our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists will check availability and tell you exactly what each package includes.
About the Author
Maggie Sabin
Maggie started as the SEO Manager at DestinationWeddings.com in 2024, where she works to drive organic traffic and conversions while creating meaningful, SEO-optimized content for the website. Previously, Maggie's career spanned from Human Resources & Recruitment to teaching at international schools for almost 10 years. Maggie spends her free time traveling, learning new languages, reading non-fiction books, working out, going to the beach and spending time cuddling her dog, Lola!
