Planning a wedding from another country is an act of trust. You won't taste the menu early, you won't visit the venue five times, and you'll depend on a chain of vendors you only know through calls and photos. This guide gathers what we've learned working with couples from the US, Canada, UK, and Mexico who choose Cartagena.
First: why Cartagena works
Cartagena became a wedding destination for reasons that aren't just aesthetic. Mature hotel infrastructure, direct flights from several capitals, a gastronomic scene that has grown significantly in recent years, and a professional service culture. That said: not all vendors are at the same level, and the difference between a team with international experience and one that has never worked with foreign couples is huge.
How to evaluate a team from afar
The first signals you should look for: portfolio with real destination weddings, verifiable references from international couples, natural bilingual communication, and price transparency. If on the first call they don't explain how they invoice, what each budget category includes, and what's left out, it's a yellow flag.
Questions we recommend asking: have they worked at your specific venue, what's their max capacity, do they have a central kitchen or subcontract production, what happens if your flight is delayed, how do they handle last-minute changes.
The reality of weather
Cartagena has two seasons: dry (December to April) and rainy (August to November). May, June, and July are transition. Temperatures range from 26 to 34 Celsius year-round, with 80%+ humidity. This matters for your menu and service: cold cocktails, desserts that tolerate humidity, staff that understands the rhythm, setup with real shade.
For weddings in high season (December to February), book at least 12 months in advance. The best venues and vendors sell out fast.
Colombian pesos vs US dollars
Almost all Cartagena vendors quote in Colombian pesos. The dollar fluctuates and that can affect your budget between the quote and the final payment. Some options: lock the exchange rate in the contract, pay in installments to average out the currency risk, or ask for the proposal directly in USD (some teams with international experience do this).
International invoicing: if your caterer can issue a valid invoice for accounting purposes in your country, it simplifies things a lot. If they can't, you'll have to absorb those expenses personally — which isn't always compatible with a wedding budget funded by third parties.
Local produce vs imported product
Our recommendation, always: lean into local product. Caribbean Colombian seafood is excellent, tropical fruits are extraordinary, and the catch of the day is unbeatable. Asking for Norwegian salmon or imported sushi-grade tuna increases the menu cost by 30-50% without necessarily improving the experience.
Reasonable exceptions: specific European cured cheeses, certain wines, charcuterie. For those, importation makes sense. For the rest, the Colombian Caribbean has more than enough.
Typical planning timeline
12-10 months out: choose venue, hire caterer, reserve room block for guests.
9-7 months: initial menu and cocktail design.
6-5 months: invitations sent, estimated guest count confirmed.
4-3 months: menu tasting (ideally in person, during a planning trip).
2 months: special diets and final guest count confirmed.
3 weeks: final payment and design lock.
Wedding week: operational briefing with all vendors.
Bilingual communication: not optional
If you're planning in English and your catering team doesn't speak fluent English, you'll depend on your wedding planner for everything. That works until there's a last-minute adjustment and you need to speak directly with the chef. Our standard is that the catering team's leadership can hold technical conversations in English: menu, logistics, changes. If your caterer can't, that's an operational risk.
Final recommendation
Make at least one in-person visit before the wedding. Ideally two: one to see venues and sign contracts, another for the menu tasting and final decisions. Couples who can't travel lean on video calls with their planner — it works, but there's a notable difference between those who visit and those who don't. Cartagena is a city you understand better when you set foot in it.
