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Santa Marta Weddings: A Beach Wedding in Colombia Between the Sea and the Sierra Nevada

Santa Marta is where the Caribbean meets the mountains. Founded in 1525, it’s the oldest surviving city in Colombia, and it sits on a bay at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Tayrona National Park and the trek to Ciudad Perdida (the Lost City) are within its territory, which gives your guests plenty to do before and after the wedding.

If you’re dreaming of a beach wedding in Colombia, Santa Marta is a quieter, more nature-focused alternative to Cartagena. Below you’ll find venues and planners from the LOVIA directory, the best months and how your guests get there.

Why choose Santa Marta for a beach wedding

  • Beaches in and around the city. The Playa Central by the historic center, El Rodadero and the fishing village of Taganga.
  • A backdrop you can’t get elsewhere. The bay, the green slopes of the Sierra Nevada and, nearby, Tayrona’s coves.
  • Warm all year. The average temperature is about 28 °C (82 °F), with average lows around 24 °C (75 °F) and highs around 33 °C (91 °F).

Santa Marta wedding venues and planners

Many couples marry at a hotel that brings the ceremony, reception and guest rooms together. There are also restaurants for a smaller wedding, event halls and a few countryside venues. For a ceremony on the sand, ask the venue:

  • which permits it handles and which ones you’ll need;
  • how guests will be protected from the sun, and where the shade is;
  • what the plan B is if it rains or the wind picks up.

Hotels in Santa Marta

  1. La Mar de Bien · Riohacha · 4.8 on Google (191 reviews)
  2. Tawaca Green Zone · Parque Tayrona · 4.8 on Google (57 reviews)
  3. Estelar Santamar Hotel y Centro de Convenciones · 4.7 on Google (8,062 reviews)
  4. Zuana Beach Resort · Bello Horizonte · 4.7 on Google (6,866 reviews)
  5. Finca La Jorará · 4.7 on Google (425 reviews)
  6. Senderos del Mar by M&S Hostels Group · 4.7 on Google (277 reviews)
  7. Hotel Boutique Casa Verano · Pozos Colorados · 4.7 on Google (272 reviews)
  8. Sublime by Playa la Roca · Riohacha · 4.7 on Google (70 reviews)

Listings open in Spanish. Order: featured businesses first, then the best rated by couples. Ratings are from Google.

Event venues in Santa Marta

  1. Círculo de Suboficiales de las F.F M.M Los Trupillos · 4.7 on Google (193 reviews)
  2. Atenas Eventos y Recepciones · 4.5 on Google (119 reviews)
  3. Sierra Mar Eventos y Recepciones · 4.3 on Google (271 reviews)
  4. Atlantis Salón de Eventos · Galaxia Centro Comercial · 4.0 on Google (74 reviews)

Listings open in Spanish. Order: featured businesses first, then the best rated by couples. Ratings are from Google.

A local planner coordinates vendors, permits and transfers, and handles contracts in Spanish. Some work in English and some only in Spanish, so ask from the start.

Wedding planners in Santa Marta

  1. Sonico Eventos · El Rodadero · 5.0 on Google (33 reviews)
  2. Sabrina Planner · 5.0 on Google (31 reviews)
  3. Elsa Acosta Pérez · 4.9 on Google (18 reviews)
  4. Party 4u · 5.0 on Google (5 reviews)
  5. Kabod Caribbean
  6. Johana Osuna Robles – Bodas y Eventos
  7. Happy Landia
  8. Luxury Eventos · Barrio el Mayor

Listings open in Spanish. Order: featured businesses first, then the best rated by couples. Ratings are from Google.

Wedding photographers in Santa Marta

  1. Jesús Rincón · 5.0 on Google (89 reviews)
  2. Ivan Díaz Photograpy · 5.0 on Google (66 reviews)
  3. Pablo Mejía · 5.0 on Google (27 reviews)
  4. Richard Palacios · 5.0 on Google (12 reviews)
  5. Juanse Fotografía · 5.0 on Google (6 reviews)
  6. Juan Rada
  7. Henderson Vergara Producciones
  8. Andrés Pabón Fotografía

Listings open in Spanish. Order: featured businesses first, then the best rated by couples. Ratings are from Google.

See all hotels, wedding planners and photographers in Santa Marta on the Spanish site.

The best time for a Santa Marta wedding

The driest months run from December to April. The rainiest are usually June, July, September and October. December is also Colombia’s busiest month for weddings, and ProColombia lists December, November, March and August as high season for destination weddings, so book early for those dates. Whatever the month, plan the ceremony for late afternoon, when the sun is lower.

Getting there and getting married

Santa Marta’s Simón Bolívar International Airport has flights from Bogotá, Medellín and Cali and a connection to Panama City. As of October 2026 there are no nonstop flights from the U.S., so guests connect in Bogotá, Medellín or Panama City. By road, the Caribbean highway links Santa Marta with Barranquilla and Cartagena, so some couples combine the two cities in one trip.

For a legal wedding, foreigners can marry in a civil ceremony before a Colombian notary with apostilled and translated documents; rules on residency and document dates vary by notary. Requirements can change; confirm with the notary before booking flights. Many couples marry at home and hold a symbolic ceremony on the beach. See the details in our destination wedding guide.

Other places for a beach wedding in Colombia

  • Cartagena. Beachfront hotels in the city and the islands of Barú and the Rosario archipelago, plus the walled city for photos. See our Cartagena weddings guide.
  • Urabá. Necoclí and Arboletes, on Antioquia’s Caribbean coast, average about 28 °C (82 °F). They’re farther off the usual routes, so they suit small weddings with flexible guests.

How LOVIA helps

LOVIA is a free directory: compare Santa Marta venues and vendors and request quotes from each business at no cost. We don’t charge commission and we’re not involved in payments.

The directory is in Spanish. Fill in the form below in English with your date and guest count, and our team will reply and connect you with venues and planners. Many vendors work in Spanish; our team can help you reach them.

Tell us about your wedding — free help in English

    Frequently asked questions

    Can we have a wedding on the beach in Santa Marta?
    Yes. Many couples marry at a hotel with beach access that hosts the ceremony, reception and guests in one place. Before you book, ask the venue which permits a ceremony on the sand needs and who handles them, how guests will be shaded from the sun, and what the plan B is if it rains or the wind picks up.
    What is the best month for a wedding in Santa Marta?
    The driest months are December to April, and the rainiest are usually June, July, September and October. December is also the busiest month for weddings in Colombia, so popular venues book up early. The average temperature is about 28 °C (82 °F) all year, so schedule the ceremony for late afternoon.
    How do guests from the U.S. get to Santa Marta?
    As of October 2026 there are no nonstop flights from the U.S. to Santa Marta. Guests connect in Bogotá, Medellín or Panama City and land at Simón Bolívar International Airport. Others fly nonstop into Cartagena and continue by road along the coast. Share flight options early and arrange transfers from the airport to the hotel.
    Should we choose Santa Marta or Cartagena for our wedding?
    Choose Cartagena for the colonial walled city, more nonstop flights from the U.S. and a wide choice of hotels. Choose Santa Marta for a beach setting backed by the Sierra Nevada, with Tayrona nearby and a more nature-focused trip. They're connected by the coastal highway, so some couples hold events in both.