General FAQs

Travel FAQs

  • We love traveling to Cartagena! As a couple we have visited twice and loved our experience. Estefanía is from Colombia and it was important to her to come home and reunite with her culture and family for this special moment of forming her own family. For Kyle Cartagena fed his spirit of adventure and he has fallen in love with the vibrant city. It’s a beautiful way to introduce both families and cultures to each other and celebrate our marriage rooted in love, tradition, and warmth. We also chose Cartagena for our destination wedding because it’s a vibrant city rich in joy, music, colors, culture and we have great memories from our time there.

  • No. At this time we ask that only invited guests attend the wedding. We want to share time with loved ones we know.

  • Our wedding is exclusively for adults, with the exception of immediate family who are part of our wedding party. If you are uncertain please reach out to us. We have great recommendations for onsite nannies for the nights of the welcome dinner and the wedding day.

  • No. We ask that you kindly put your phones and cameras away during the ceremony as we want you all to be present with us in the moment. We have a professional photographer and videographer capturing the ceremony for us.

    Other than the ceremony, YES! Please feel free to take as many photos and videos as you like.

  • Please go to the tag ATTIRE for all information regarding attire for the events.

  • We kindly ask that you RSVP by November 15, 2025. If you can no longer make it please let us know by December 2025 so we can make arrangements on our end.

    • Official language: Spanish

    • Currency: Colombian Peso

    • Founded in 1533 and gained its independence from Spain on 11/11/1811

    • Fifth largest city in Colombia

    • It’s a coastal city and a port city.

    • Key highlights include the UNESCO-listed Walled City with its colorful colonial architecture, the imposing Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas and the tranquil Rosario Islands.

    • Dark history: Cartagena has a long history with slavery that ranges from the 1500s to the early 1800s. It was one of three Spanish ports allowed to take in slave shipments in the Spanish Americas, and was one of the most popular.

    • Afro-Colombian culture is deeply rooted in Cartagena past and celebrated throughout the city. You may catch Afro-colombian dancers on the town squares doing traditional dances from time to time.

    • Food: there are lots of restaurants in the city with many culinary options. However we highly recommend trying out the seafood dishes the city is known for!

  • YES! Cartagena is a top tourist destination and a safe place to travel. The city is a coastal city with its iconic walled Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is fully walkable. Throughout the city you can enjoy colonial architecture, delicious food, dance clubs, and enjoy lots of sightseeing.

    • Colombian citizens must enter and exit Colombia with a Colombian passport. You must have this even if you have dual citizenship in the US or abroad.

    • U.S. citizens do not need a Colombian visa for a tourist or business stay of 90 days or less. All U.S. citizens must present a valid U.S. passport to enter and leave Colombia.

    • Non US Citizens must check with their native country if a visa its required to enter Colombia for their nationality.

  • YES and NO. All direct flights to Cartagena from the US leave out of Miami, Atlanta, or New York. If you are flying out from Minneapolis or Los Angeles you will have at least 1 stop, same for any city outside the ones mentioned above.

  • Cartagena is a small city and its very easy to get around by Uber or taxi. The airport is located near the downtown of the city so you will arrive and Ubers and taxis will be ready for you. The distance from the airport to the Old Town or to the New City area ranges from 5-15 mins.

    We highly recommend using Uber as it will tell you the price up front and you can track the duration of the trip. Unfortunately taxi drivers have the ability to charge at their free will and although its relatively cheap Uber gives you a more consistent price.

    The average Uber ride should be $5-$10 dollars. The Uber app will automatically convert the money so you will see the price in dollars and the driver will get paid in Colombian Pesos.

    Tips are not mandatory. If you would like to tip we recommend you do it on the app. Cash tips are not encouraged.

    Please keep in mind most drivers only speak Spanish.

  • As we get closer to the event we will provide everyone a more detailed itinerary and a transportation plan. Don’t worry we will get you to every place you need to be :)

  • The currency in Cartagena is the Colombian peso. As of January 2025 the exchange rate is $1 USD = $4,200 pesos.

    Bills in Colombia are in denominations of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, and $100,000. Coins in Colombia got a makeover in 2016, so you may see two different versions of the same coin amount. Coins in Colombia are in denominations of $50, $100, $200, $500, and $1,000. The equivalent of cents is centavos in Colombian Spanish.

    The exchange rate is great because it translates to about 3x the buying power meaning the dollar goes a long way! To give you a better idea of the exchange rate:

    • A lunch at a nice restaurant can be $10-$15 vs $25-35 in the US.

    • Ubers range from $3-$10 around the city.

    • Private Airbnb condos range from $50 - $100. Luxury spaces range from $150 - $300.

  • We recommend budgeting $200 USD to have in cash per person.

    We recommend to carry little cash with you, just enough to cover what you need when you’re out and about for the day.

    ATMs and Credit cards: Please exchange money at the airport upon arrival or at a nearby exchange house. You can also use Western Union.

    Don't bring USD as you will get the worst exchange rate, simply use ATM (for cash withdrawals) and credit cards are accepted at many upscale hotels and shops. Be sure to inform your bank that you are traveling so it is not blocked in Colombia.

    How much to budget per day? All depend on your drinking and partying style, do you eat at higher end restaurants each night? Is this budget for yourself or do you have others traveling with you?