Formal
Yes Colombia requires you to fill out an immigration form with the dates of your arrival and departure along with your full name. You will need to do this 48 hours prior your flight and make sure you save a screenshot on your phone to show at the airport. You can print this out as well. If you need help please reach out. Please follow the attached link below; https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/pre-registro/en
It’s no secret that Medellin has a dark past with cartels/drug wars for which it became infamous during the 80’s and 90’s. The city has changed much since then and is now a very touristic city in Latin America. It is recognized as one of the best cities for Americans to retire due to the weather & quality of life. Paisas (people of Medellin) are happy to help tourists. That said, just as in other big cities, you have to be cautious. Avoid hailing cabs from the street, and when inside any public transportation, playing with your phone, or having valuables like jewelry/cash in plain sight. Locals will not overcharge because you are “gringos”. They tend to be honest and will give you change back, even in cases that you wrongly overpaid. However, taxis may try to overcharge. You can avoid this by ordering Uber or hailing a cab from the hotel desk. You can use Uber but the driver will most likely request that you sit in the front seat. If you do opt for a taxi, the Uber app is great way to get an idea of appropriate cost.
The Colombian pesos is the currency of Colombia. There are exchange centers once your arrive at the airport to exchange US dollar to Colombian Peso. Most stores, restaurants and bars accept all major credit cards including Mastercard, Visa and AMEX. Typically speaking the conversion rate is $4,000 Colombian pesos to $1 US dollar.
Many restaurants & bars will ask if you'd like to add a "tip/service" - if you had great service then say yes and they'll add 10%.
There is an elevated-train (Metro) that connects the city from North to South, as well as the city’s gondola system (MetroCable). There are multiple bus-lines (MetroPlus) that connect to the Metro system. In addition, Uber is available. As a rule of thumb, avoid taking a cab from the street. Book online, by phone, or through your hotel reception. Shopping malls also have official Taxi stands.
Medellín is known as “La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera”, the city of eternal spring. Sunny warm days & cooler nights. The average LOW is in the 70's. The wedding is located in the hills, where it can get around 55-50 at night. If you tend to get cold, we recommend you bringing a light sweater to the wedding as it may get cooler in the mountains.