  We calculate the strong decay couplings for $\rho \to \pi\pi$, $\phi\to KK$,
$K^* \to K\pi$ and $D^*\to D\pi$ in a unified and consistent approach based on
the impulse approximation, nonperturbative solutions of the quark-gap equation
and the Poincar\'e invariant Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes of vector and
pseudoscalar mesons.
  In particular, we obtain the coupling $g_{D^*\!D\pi} = 17.24^{+3.06}_{-2.30}
$ in very good agreement with the experimental value by CLEO, which corresponds
to a strong effective coupling between heavy vector and pseudoscalar mesons to
the pion of $\hat g = 0.58^{+0.10}_{-0.08}$.
