Lovely Wedding at Secrets Royal Beach - Megan & Chris

Are you looking for a beautiful all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana for your destination wedding? Secrets Royal Beach may just be the place for you!

With a dazzling white-sand beach lined with palm trees, you’ll feel like you just stepped into a postcard. And who doesn’t want to get married in a place like that?

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Secrets Royal Beach, and then you can decide if this is the wedding venue for you.

But first, you should know that…

Now Larimar has Changed to Secrets Royal Beach

As of June 2020, AM Resorts has rebranded Now Larimar Punta Cana and Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana and essentially switched the two properties. Now Larimar has taken over the Secrets Royal Beach property, and Secrets Royal Beach has taken Now Larimar’s spot.

I know it sounds a little confusing… So to put it simply, they swapped the names on the hotels. But truly, they’ve done a lot more than that! Both resorts have undergone major renovations and added a ton of upgrades to better serve their guests.

So what does this mean for you?

Well… if you stayed at Secrets Royal Beach before June 2020 and want to return to that same resort, then you should now book at Now Larimar instead. And if you loved the Now Larimar property, you should book at Secrets Royal Beach instead.

Keep in mind:

Now Larimar is a family-friendly resort, and Secrets Royal Beach is adults-only. If you’re traveling with young kids, you won’t have the option to stay at Secrets Royal Beach. And if you want an adults-only vacation, Now Larimar isn’t going to be your best bet.

Another thing to consider: when you’re looking for reviews online, most of them will no longer be valid as they’ll be talking about a completely different property. With all the changes they’ve made at both resorts, any reviews before November 2020* will be outdated.

But don’t worry. That’s what I’m here for!

*A quick covid update: Secrets Royal Beach will be reopening on October 31st, 2020 and Now Larimar Punta Cana will be reopening on December 15th, 2020.

What You Need to Know About Secrets Royal Beach

Secrets Royal Beach is a nice, charming, clean resort in Punta Cana. It’s not a luxurious five-star resort by any means, but the beach is beautiful, and they offer good customer service.

I would recommend this resort to laidback, low-maintenance couples looking for a fun vacation in the Dominican Republic. It’s a great option for honeymooners, anniversaries, or adults-only groups that want an all-inclusive resort for a good value overall.

Accommodations

The rooms are nice, nothing extravagant, but they’re clean, and they have jacuzzis on the balconies which I always love! They recently renovated the junior and master suites, adding marble flooring and updated decor so they’re definitely nicer than they’ve been in the past. If you have the chance, book a room with a private pool!

The Food at Secrets Royal Beach

The food is pretty good for an all-inclusive resort. You don’t need to make reservations for dinner (except at the hibachi restaurant) so that’s convenient! I’d recommend the seafood restaurant and the hibachi place, but you can skip the Mexican restaurant. Honestly, Mexican food is just not that good in the Dominican Republic. The same goes for the margaritas… Order a passionfruit mojito instead!

Want to Know the Best Part?

Secrets Royal Beach doesn’t require wristbands. Okay, I know… It’s not a huge deal to wear a wristband, but it can be annoying in the pool, at the beach, or on your wedding day. For me, not wearing one is just a minor detail that can make your stay way more comfortable.

Daily Activities at Secrets Royal Beach

While relaxing by the pool and catching some rays is always enjoyable, you may want to take advantage of some of the exciting activities that Secrets Royal Beach has to offer. There’s a basketball court, tennis court, and paddle court.

Or you can enjoy some non-motorized water sports like kayaking, paddle boarding, and windsurfing. Whether it’s starting up a game of beach volleyball, getting a quick workout at water aerobics, or learning some new moves at dance class, you’re sure to have a blast throughout the day!

Nightly Entertainment

Head to the outdoor theater for a different themed show every night. It’s not the best show you’ll ever see, but it is pretty enjoyable. Especially if you’ve had a few cocktails beforehand. They also have movie nights on the beach and an on-site casino if you’re feeling lucky.

If you’re looking for something a little more exciting, I’d recommend getting off the resort and checking out Punta Cana’s nightlife. ORO Nightclub and Coco Bongo are both great options!

Become a Preferred Club Member

You’ll get room upgrades, special concierge service, and access to exclusive areas of the resort.

This includes the lazy river that connects to a gorgeous infinity pool. This is one major change at Secrets Royal Beach as the lazy river was previously available to all of the resort guests at Now Larimar.

If you’re a Preferred Club Member, you can enjoy floating along the river all day long, chatting with people from all over the world. Or head to the swim-up bar for a cocktail or two. Or three (because you’re on vacation and no one’s counting.)

But beware:

If you are not a Preferred Club member, the resort employees will do everything they can to try to make you one. And they can be pretty intense!

If you’re an avid traveler, then I’d definitely recommend setting up a meeting to learn about the program. They offer some amazing deals on vacation packages! But if that’s not your thing, you can always decline the offer. Definitely expect to say no more than once. And be patient because they can be very persistent…

Alright, now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s move on to the fun part: weddings!

Weddings at Secrets Royal Beach

Resorts in Punta Cana always offer great deals when it comes to booking a destination wedding. Secrets Royal Beach is no exception!

If you’re having a small, intimate event, they’ll gift you a complimentary symbolic wedding ceremony for up to 10 people (when you book seven nights at the resort, or if you have five rooms booked for at least three nights.) Pretty nice, right?

If you’re planning a bigger wedding, they offer plenty of packages for you as well, starting from the most basic and climbing up to the most extravagant event you can imagine.

You’ll be paired with a resort wedding planner to help customize the package and make your wedding day a dream come true. It’s a very simple, hands-off approach to wedding planning. You really have to trust your wedding planner and leave them to take care of everything. And expect not to have constant communication with them. To learn more, you’ll want to read The Biggest Problem with Resort Weddings.

The good news is:

Wedding planning will be way easier than you could ever imagine! They’ll ask you to choose your wedding package first. Then you’ll pick a location for your ceremony, cocktail, and reception locations to best fit you and your guests’ needs. Choose a food and drink menu for the night. Send some ideas for your decor and flowers, and that’s it! You’re done. They’ll take care of the rest. Super simple, right?

Now, if you want to be in full control of your wedding planning experience, I would recommend an off-resort venue instead (like Jellyfish, Kukua, or Huracan Cafe). You’ll have more personalized service, better communication, and more flexibility.

But that’s up to you! It will totally depend on your wedding personality! And I say that on purpose… because weddings change people, you know?

A resort wedding worked for Megan and Chris, and it can work for you too! Learn more about their wedding below.

Megan & Chris’s Wedding at Secrets Royal Beach

Megan & Chris got married at this resort (previously Now Larimar Punta Cana) on February 7th, 2019. They are a fun, easygoing couple from Florida, and they had never been to Punta Cana before!

Since they have family all over the US, they decided the DR would be an amazing place for their family to meet up. Thinking it would definitely be a lot more fun than their hometown. And they were right! Their wedding was a blast!

Megan and Chris were both nervous about their wedding photos. They said they usually felt awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera. And to be honest, a lot of our couples feel the same! But there’s really nothing to worry about. They both looked amazing! Take a look for yourself:

Wedding Venue: Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana
Wedding Officiant: Pastor Marcos Lykins
Photographer: Punta Cana Photographer