Destination Weddings in Colombia: Where, When and How to Plan From Abroad

In the same ProColombia survey, couples named the beauty of the destination (23%), family ties (17%) and the venues themselves (15%) as their main reasons. A few other things make Colombia work well for a wedding trip:

• Variety in one country. A colonial walled city on the Caribbean, beaches backed by the highest coastal mountain range in the world, a spring-like city in the Andes, and haciendas in coffee country.
• Guests turn it into a vacation. More than 40% of guests at foreign weddings stay four to six days, and more than 70% of these weddings have between 50 and 150 guests, according to ProColombia.
• Nonstop flights from the U.S. Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena all have nonstop service from several U.S. cities, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the New York area.

Colombia is close to the equator, so the weather depends more on altitude than on the month. ProColombia’s survey puts the high season for destination weddings in December, November, March and August.

• Caribbean coast. Hot all year. In Cartagena, the rainier months are usually April–May and October–November, and November to February are the breeziest. In Santa Marta, the driest months run from December to April.
• Andes. Medellín is mild all year and Bogotá is cool, especially at night. Rain can come in any season, so every outdoor plan needs a covered backup.
• Planning time. Couples in Colombia usually plan six to twelve months ahead. For December on the coast, start as early as you can.

There’s no single price. According to ProColombia, more than 40% of foreign weddings in Colombia fall between US$20,000 and US$50,000, and some planners report weddings of up to US$100,000. Your total depends on:

• the number of guests and the date;
• the venue, and whether it asks for a minimum number of rooms or guests;
• catering per person, the planner, photography, music and flowers;
• guest transportation and, for island or countryside venues, transfers.

Ask every venue and vendor for an itemized quote based on the same guest count and date, so you can compare them fairly.

Foreigners can marry in a civil ceremony before a Colombian notary (notaría). Notaries in Cartagena and Bogotá list these documents for foreign partners:

• valid passports;
• birth certificates with an apostille (or legalized by a Colombian consulate if your country doesn’t use the apostille);
• proof of single status, also apostilled;
• if either of you was married before, the divorce decree or death certificate;
• Spanish translations of every document by an official translator.

Some details vary by notary. At least one notary in Cartagena asks for birth certificates issued within the last three months, documents filed at least seven business days ahead, and that one partner has lived in the city for the previous six months. The notary also posts a public notice (edicto) for five business days before the wedding. Requirements can change; confirm with the notary before booking flights.

Most foreign couples choose the simpler route: they marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Colombia, with no paperwork in Spanish. This is a summary, not legal advice.