Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana Weddings: Everything You Need to Know (2026)

If you've been following wedding news in Punta Cana lately, you've probably heard the buzz around Moon Palace The Grand — and trust us, the buzz is completely justified.

We've been photographing and filming destination weddings in Punta Cana for years, and we can count on one hand the number of times a new resort opening has genuinely excited us. This is one of those times.

Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana is set to open in Spring 2026, and it's already shaping up to be one of the most significant additions to the Caribbean wedding scene in years. Here's everything couples planning a destination wedding in Punta Cana need to know about this stunning new property.

What is Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana?

Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana is the first Palace Resorts property in the Dominican Republic — and it's arriving in a big way. Backed by a $1.5 billion investment, the resort features two stunning 18-story towers rising above preserved mangrove forest and native vegetation along the Coconut Coast of Punta Cana.

With 2,171 guest suites — an incredible 66% of which offer direct ocean views — this is unlike anything currently in the Dominican Republic. It's a vertical resort concept that breaks completely from the traditional low-rise all-inclusive model, maximizing views while preserving over 228,000 square meters of natural vegetation including nearly 400 meters of coastal mangrove.

If you already know Moon Palace from their iconic Cancun properties, think of The Grand Punta Cana as that — but bigger, better, and built with a level of environmental consciousness that sets a new standard for luxury resorts in the Caribbean. Why Moon Palace The Grand is a game-changer for Punta Cana weddings?

Palace Resorts is one of the most recognized names in destination weddings — particularly from their Mexico properties where they've hosted thousands of weddings and built an entire reputation around luxury wedding experiences. They're bringing that same expertise and infrastructure to Punta Cana.

The Grand will feature 19 dedicated wedding venues across the property — from beachfront ceremony spaces to elegant indoor ballrooms — designed to accommodate both intimate celebrations and large-scale events. This variety is rare even among the biggest resorts in Punta Cana.

What we find particularly exciting from a photography and videography perspective: the combination of the ocean-view towers, the preserved mangrove landscapes, and the beachfront setting creates a visual backdrop that's genuinely unlike anything else currently available in the Dominican Republic. The elevated walkways through the protected mangrove forest alone are going to produce some extraordinary images.

For couples who want a destination wedding that feels brand new — literally something their guests have never seen before — being among the first to get married at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Practical details couples need to know...

How many wedding venues does it have?

The resort will feature 19 dedicated wedding venues — an extraordinary number that gives couples and their coordinators genuine flexibility in designing the wedding experience they want.

When does its open?

Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana is scheduled to open in Spring 2026. Reservations are already open through the official website at thegrandpuntacana.moonpalace.com and authorized reservation channels.

What about outside vendor fees?

Like most major resorts in Punta Cana, Moon Palace The Grand will likely have an outside vendor policy for photographers and videographers not on their preferred list. This is standard across virtually every resort in the area. We always recommend asking your resort wedding coordinator about this early in your planning process — before you book your creative team — so there are no surprises in your budget.

As a team permanently based in Punta Cana, we're already monitoring the vendor policies at The Grand and will update this guide as more information becomes available. Reach out to us directly and we'll share the latest we know.

Should we book early?

Absolutely — and as early as possible. Palace Resorts has a proven track record of filling wedding dates quickly at their properties. Being among the first couples to get married at a brand-new resort also comes with its own benefits: resorts love showcasing those first weddings in their marketing, which often means extra attention and sometimes additional perks for early-booking couples.

What makes Moon Palace The Grand different from other Punta Cana resorts

There are a lot of great wedding venues in Punta Cana — we've worked at most of them. But The Grand stands apart in a few specific ways that matter for couples planning a destination wedding:

The scale — 2,171 suites with 66% ocean views means your guests are almost guaranteed stunning views regardless of their room category. That's rare and it matters when you're asking people to travel internationally for your wedding.

The design — The vertical tower concept and the elevated walkways through preserved mangrove are genuinely unique. No other resort in the Dominican Republic looks like this, which means your wedding photos and films will have a backdrop that's immediately recognizable and unlike anything your guests have seen at other destination weddings.

The sustainability — The resort is being positioned as the most environmentally sustainable hotel ever built in the Dominican Republic. For couples who care about making conscious choices, this adds a meaningful dimension to choosing The Grand as their venue.

The brand — Moon Palace has decades of destination wedding experience from their Mexico properties. They know how to run a wedding program at scale without it feeling impersonal. That institutional knowledge matters.

What it will be like to photograph and film a wedding at Moon Palace The Grand

But based on everything we know about the property, we're genuinely excited about what it will mean for wedding photography and videography in Punta Cana.

The combination of the elevated mangrove walkways, the oceanfront setting, the dramatic tower architecture, and the preserved natural landscape is going to give photographers and videographers a completely new visual vocabulary to work with in Punta Cana.

Golden hour on a beachfront property with 18-story towers as a backdrop? The elevated walkways through the mangrove at dusk? The ocean views from the suites during getting-ready shots? We're already thinking about how to make the most of every one of these elements.

If you're planning a wedding at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana and looking for a photo and video team who knows Punta Cana inside and out — and who is actively preparing to document weddings at The Grand from day one — we'd love to connect. Reach out and let's start the conversation.

Planning a wedding at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana?

This is one of the most exciting venue openings Punta Cana has seen in years — and wedding dates at a brand-new luxury resort fill up fast, especially when the brand behind it has the reputation and track record of Palace Resorts.

We're based right here in Punta Cana and we're following the opening of The Grand closely. If you're planning a wedding there and have questions — about the vendor policy, the timeline, what to expect from the property, or what our photo and video packages look like — we'd love to hear from you.

Reach out and let's start planning. Your wedding at Moon Palace The Grand deserves to be documented by a team that knows Punta Cana like home. Because for us, it is.

Moon Palace Hotel, Punta Cana Dominican Republic.