The sunshine that brightens new beginnings at Meliá Caribe Tropical All Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort floods the senses with sparkling pools, palms, white sands and crystal-clear seas. Meliá’s 135-acre Punta Cana playground skirts Bávaro Beach at the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. Couples tying the knot here may note how the resort itself represents a marriage of sorts. When Meliá Caribe merged with Meliá Tropical, the whole became much more than the sum of its parts.

Even the most multigenerational of wedding parties finds it difficult, if not impossible, to sample everything at hand—although many of them try. The all-inclusive policy covers 13 international restaurants, 14 bars, a casino, disco and live music revues to titillate every taste. Friends and family dip into seven free-form swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course, a workout facility and two luxury spas.

The more adventurous scale a 29-foot climbing wall, glide along a zip line or defy gravity on super jumpers. Those into self-improvement join an array of workshops, including fitness classes and dance, flower arrangement, cooking, cocktail mixing and language lessons.

Of course everyone loves the beach— and the complimentary nonmotorized watersports on tap. Couples can explore the cerulean surf while kayaking, windsurfing or snorkeling, or just lounge in the shade of a tall palm on the warm white sand.

Most of the resort’s suites come with private terraces or balconies, while some also feature two-person whirlpools and a host of other romantic touches. For a step up the luxury ladder, classically styled Royal Service master suites add kitchenettes, stocked refrigerators, dining rooms, cozy robes and slippers. Each of these hideaways also comes with butler service and breakfast, hors d´oeuvres and beverages served in a concierge lounge.

Guests of the Royal Suites also enjoy exclusive access to the Gabi Club, a private beach and pool complex with dreamy Balinese daybeds and top-shelf dining and entertainment.

While couples enjoy the resort with their guests, a romance specialist attends to all the wedding details, from the legal requirements to the flowers, celebration and horse and carriage if desired. Most brides and grooms pledge “forever” at the fairytale gazebo or, simplest of all, on the beach beside the sparkling blue sea.