The 2023 romantic action comedy film Shotgun Wedding, starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel, takes viewers on a wild ride as a couple’s destination wedding gets hijacked by criminals. With exciting on-screen action and a picturesque tropical setting, viewers may be wondering where exactly Shotgun Wedding was filmed.
In this article, we’ll take a behind-the-scenes look at the filming locations used in Shotgun Wedding. We’ll uncover where the movie magic happened and transport you to the gorgeous backdrop that set the stage for JLo and Josh’s adventurous on-screen wedding.
The Dominican Republic Hosted the Shotgun Wedding Shoot
The entire Shotgun Wedding movie was filmed on location in the Dominican Republic. With its postcard-perfect beaches, lush rainforests, and vibrant culture, the Dominican Republic offered filmmakers a stunning and diverse natural landscape to set the scene.
Key Filming Locations in the Dominican Republic
Specific filming spots included:
- Casa de Campo Resort & Villas – A luxury resort in La Romana that stood in for the wedding venue and site of the hostage standoff
- Altos de Chavón Village – An recreated 16th-century Mediterranean village in La Romana that served as the couples’ wedding reception site
- Bayahibe Beach – A peaceful fishing village with white sand beaches that offered scenic seaside shots
- Saona Island – A tropical island off the Dominican Republic’s east coast where additional beach scenes were filmed
Why Filmmakers Chose the Dominican Republic
There were several key factors that led the Shotgun Wedding production team to select the Dominican Republic as its filming destination:
- Tropical locale – The Dominican Republic’s island climate and postcard-worthy settings aligned perfectly with the movie’s beach wedding premise.
- Diverse landscape – Between the beaches, villages, rainforests and resorts, the Dominican Republic gave filmmakers options to shoot different scenes.
- Production incentives – The Dominican Republic offers 25% tax rebates on production expenses, making filming there more affordable.
- Modern facilities and infrastructure – The country has hosted many productions in recent years and offers the sound stages, equipment rentals and other production necessities required.
The Dominican Republic ultimately gave the Shotgun Wedding production everything needed – from the perfect on-screen backdrop to behind-the-camera infrastructure – to bring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel’s destination wedding action comedy to life.
Dominican Republic’s Natural Beauty Shines On-Screen
Though Shotgun Wedding takes place in the fictional South American country of Palenqua, the Dominican Republic’s natural tropical beauty steals the show on-screen.
Ocean Vistas and Sandy Beaches
Shotgun Wedding’s island setting is amplified by the Dominican Republic’s sparkling blue waters and stretches of pristine beachfront. When Jennifer Lopez’s character Darcy steps out onto the shoreline to take her wedding photos or gazes out her resort window at the ocean vista, the island’s postcard views transport viewers right to paradise.
Lush Rainforests and Mountains
In addition to idyllic beaches, Shotgun Wedding’s Dominican Republic filming locations also included lush rainforest and rugged mountainous regions. These areas provided rustic outdoor settings for action sequences like the ATV chase scene.
Quaint Villages and Luxury Resorts
To portray the fictional country of Palenqua, Shotgun Wedding leveraged charming Dominican villages like Bayahibe Beach as well as upscale resorts like Casa de Campo. This allowed the movie to present diverse slices of island life, from local fishing towns to high-end tourist enclaves.
Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes from Filming
While viewers at home see only the finished product on-screen, the cast and crew experienced many memorable moments while filming Shotgun Wedding on location in the Dominican Republic.
Heat Waves and Hurricane Season
Since principal photography took place during summer months, the production had to contend with blazing heat waves and looming hurricane threats – par for the course while filming in the Caribbean. The team took precautions like having cooling fans on standby and emergency plans in place.
Bonding with Local Communities
Both Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel spoke fondly of interactions with local Dominican people during downtime from filming. Lopez enjoyed learning about the culture, while Duhamel went spearfishing with local fishermen – proof that connections on set expanded beyond just the cast and crew.
Underwater Shark Shot
Josh Duhamel described one of his most memorable Shotgun Wedding scenes as an underwater sequence fending off sharks. To safely film the ocean action with live sharks, the crew erected an underwater cage rigged with cameras. This challenging shoot resulted in an adrenaline-pumping scene that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.
Experience Shotgun Wedding’s Setting Yourself
After seeing the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic shine through on the big screen, viewers may be inspired to experience this Caribbean destination themselves. Here are some ways to step into Shotgun Wedding’s filming locations in real life:
- Book a vacation at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas to lounge on the beach and stroll the grounds where the wedding hostage scene was filmed.
- Tour Altos de Chavón Village to wander the replica 16th-century Mediterranean-style village that hosted the couples’ wild reception.
- Visit Bayahibe Beach to swim in the same sparkling blue waters and relax under the palm trees that served as Darcy and Tom’s tropical backdrop.
- Island hop to Saona Island to bask on the same white sand beaches where Shotgun Wedding’s beach frolic scenes were captured.
From the action-packed resort to the quaint villages to the pristine shorelines, fans can embark on their own Dominican Republic adventure and experience Shotgun Wedding’s enchanting island setting in real life.
