Anna and Alex’s Sanctuary Cap Cana Wedding: An Island Ceremony and a Celebration Under the Stars

Anna and Alex were married at Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, in a symbolic ceremony on a small private island connected to one of the resort’s oceanfront suites, with the Caribbean Sea on almost every side. They spent the golden hour on Sanctuary’s stone castle walls and danced the night away on an LED dance floor under the stars. Their wedding was later featured in WedLuxe.

We photographed and filmed the day over 10 hours with two photographers and two videographers. Anna and Alex were warm, outgoing and completely at ease with each other, the kind of couple whose happiness spreads through everyone around them. This is their story, along with what we learned about planning a wedding at Sanctuary Cap Cana.

Anna and Alex’s Wedding at a Glance

• Venue: Sanctuary Cap Cana, an adults-only, all-inclusive Luxury Collection resort in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
• Ceremony: symbolic ceremony on a private island connected to an oceanfront suite
• Portraits: a grassy point above the sea and the castle walls at sunset
• Reception: an open-air plaza near the resort lobby, with a live band and an LED dance floor
• Hair and makeup: Asavi Style
• Coverage: 10 hours, two photographers and two videographers, plus drone
• Published in: WedLuxe
• Photography and video: Photo Cine Art

Getting Ready at Sanctuary Cap Cana

Anna got ready with the women closest to her. Asavi Style created her hair and makeup: glowing skin, soft lashes and loose blonde waves for a look that was elegant without feeling done. If you are choosing a beauty team, see our list of hair and makeup artists in Punta Cana.

Her bouquet set the color palette for the whole day: peach and pink garden roses, orange ranunculus and white blooms, loosened with trailing ivy and eucalyptus. The same soft peach tones returned later in the ceremony arch and the reception tables.

With two photographers on the morning, one of us stayed with Anna while the other covered the details and the bridesmaids, so the gallery shows the room as it really felt: busy, excited and full of laughter.

An Island Wedding Ceremony at Sanctuary Cap Cana

What the Island Ceremony Setting Is Like

One of Sanctuary Cap Cana’s most distinctive ceremony settings is a small private island connected to an oceanfront suite. The ceremony space is a level lawn on a rocky point, framed by tall coconut palms, with turquoise water on almost every side and the resort’s stone castle rising behind the guests.

For couples who want the ocean in every photo but not a ceremony on the sand, it is one of the best options in Cap Cana. Guests sit on grass rather than sand, which makes shoes and long dresses easier for everyone (our beach wedding attire guide covers the rest). The trade-off is exposure: as our photos show, the point catches the ocean breeze, so plan a veil and hairstyle that can move, and ask your florist to anchor the arch well.

From the air, you can see how the island sits against the coastline. When weather and resort rules allow, we add drone photography and video, which shows the setting in a way no ground-level photo can.

Anna and Alex’s Ceremony

Anna walked down a woven aisle runner past their standing guests, with the castle tower behind her. Under a round arch of greenery and white and peach roses, she and Alex exchanged vows in a symbolic ceremony with the Caribbean as their backdrop.

The ceremony was full of smiles. While one photographer stayed on Anna and Alex, the other watched the front rows, where the faces of their family told as much of the story as the vows themselves. When they were pronounced married, Anna and Alex threw their joined hands in the air and their guests answered with cheers, phones raised and arms in the air.

Sunset Portraits on the Castle Walls

Sanctuary Cap Cana gives couples two very different portrait settings within a few minutes’ walk: open ocean views from the grassy points along the shore, and the warm stone walls, towers and battlements of the castle-style buildings.

We started with Anna and Alex on a point above the sea, where the evening sky was building into layers of pink and blue. As the light faded, we moved to the castle walls. Sitting on the battlements under a purple and orange sky, lit softly by our own light, they look like the cover of a travel magazine, which is exactly the kind of image we love: editorial in feel, but grounded in how relaxed and close the two of them really were.

Our tip: in Punta Cana and Cap Cana the sun sets inland, not over the ocean. Plan the ceremony so you have 30 to 45 minutes for portraits before sunset, then use the colorful sky after it for a few final frames on the castle walls.

An Open-Air Reception Under the Stars

The reception took place on an open-air plaza near the resort lobby, with long tables, pastel flowers and strings of lights overhead. A live band kept the energy high, and an illuminated LED dance floor became the center of the party, with guests waving glow sticks late into the night. For live music and DJs, see our Punta Cana wedding entertainment recommendations.

Night receptions need a different approach from a daylight ceremony on the water. We combine the atmosphere of the space with our own professional lighting, so the photos keep the mood of the evening while faces stay clear and true to color.

Planning a Wedding at Sanctuary Cap Cana: What We Would Plan For

Sanctuary offers several ceremony and reception settings, from the island and the beach to terraces and clifftop spaces. Availability and capacity change by date and guest count, so ask the resort’s wedding team for the current list before you choose. A few things we would plan for at Sanctuary specifically:

• It is adults-only. Check the age policy before inviting families with children.
• Wind on the water. The island and the clifftop spaces are exposed to the breeze; secure décor and choose a veil and hairstyle that can move.
• Rain plan. Ask which indoor or covered space is the backup for your ceremony and reception, and when the decision is made. Our Punta Cana weather by month guide helps with dates.
• Outside vendors and drones. If you bring your own photo and video team, ask for the current approval requirements, access rules and fees in writing, and whether drone flights are permitted for your date.
• Distances. The island, the castle walls and the reception plaza are in different parts of the property. Keep the ceremony, portrait spots and reception close together if you want time for both portraits and cocktail hour.

If you are still comparing resorts with private villas and beach clubs, see our guide to resort and private wedding venues in Punta Cana.

Photo and Video Coverage for a Sanctuary Cap Cana Wedding

Anna and Alex chose 10 hours with two photographers and two videographers. At a resort where getting ready, the island ceremony, the castle portraits and the plaza reception are in different parts of the property, that team size meant nothing had to be skipped: one photographer and one videographer could stay with the couple while the others covered guests, details and the room.

As a rule of thumb, we recommend 8 to 10 hours for a full Sanctuary wedding, and a second photographer and videographer for weddings of more than about 60 guests or with getting ready in separate locations. Compare the options on our Punta Cana wedding photography and video collections page, see more of our Punta Cana wedding photography and videography, or ask us to suggest coverage for your timeline.

Featured in WedLuxe

Anna and Alex’s wedding was published by WedLuxe, with Photo Cine Art credited for the photography. You can read the feature here: A Luxury Destination Wedding at Sanctuary Cap Cana.