January scores 75/100 for outdoor ceremonies: very low rain risk (1 wet days, 5mm), 31°C afternoons cooling to about 26°C for the reception, and 11.5 hours of daylight for the photography schedule. October is the month to avoid at 24/100.
January outdoor ceremony score: 75/100
Climate normals for Cartagena rescored on wedding-specific weighting. Once your date falls inside the 14-day window the live forecast on this page takes over.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Best wedding month | January — 75/100 |
| Second choice | February — 75/100 |
| Month to avoid | October — 24/100 |
| Rain risk in the best month | Very low — rain on about 1 days |
| Guest comfort | 62/100 at 31°C |
| Reception temperature | ≈ 26°C after sunset in January |
| Photo light | 8h of sun across a 11.5h day |
| Months scoring 65+ | 3 of 12 |
January keeps seated guests at 31°C in the afternoon and around 26°C after sunset — the closest Cartagena gets to a ceremony that needs neither shade structures nor patio heaters.
Rain falls on roughly 1 days in January (very low risk, 5mm). A simple marquee-on-standby is usually enough.
January gives 11.5 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun per day, so a late-afternoon ceremony puts portraits inside golden hour rather than after it.
October scores 24/100 for weddings in Cartagena: 32°C highs, 190mm of rain and 27°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
Scored on rain risk, guest comfort, evening temperature and photographic light — deliberately different weighting from the travel score.
| Month | Wedding score | Rain risk | Afternoon | Evening | Guest comfort | Photo light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 75/100 | Very low (1 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 76/100 |
| February | 75/100 | Very low (1 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 76/100 |
| March | 75/100 | Very low (1 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 77/100 |
| April | 62/100 | Low (4 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 53/100 |
| May | 32/100 | Moderate (11 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 58/100 | 16/100 |
| June | 30/100 | Moderate (12 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 58/100 | 20/100 |
| July | 40/100 | Moderate (10 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 58/100 | 41/100 |
| August | 30/100 | Moderate (13 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 57/100 | 31/100 |
| September | 27/100 | High (14 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 56/100 | 12/100 |
| October | 24/100 | High (19 days) | 32°C | 27°C | 51/100 | 0/100 |
| November | 29/100 | Moderate (13 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 8/100 |
| December | 61/100 | Low (4 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 62/100 | 45/100 |
Wedding weather is scored differently from travel weather: seated guests in formalwear tolerate a narrower band than sightseers, and the ceremony hour matters more than the daily average. Each month in Cartagena is scored 0–100 on the weighting below.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Dry conditions | 38% | Share of days with measurable rain — the single factor most likely to force a backup plan. |
| Guest comfort | 27% | Distance from a 22°C daytime ideal, with an extra penalty for humid heat above 24°C. |
| Evening temperature | 20% | Modelled reception-hour temperature against an 18°C ideal for an outdoor evening. |
| Photo light | 15% | Sunshine hours and daylight length, which set the length and quality of the golden hour window. |
Based on long-run climate averages rather than a forecast. Plan the ceremony around the golden hour — see golden hour times for Cartagena linked below.
January, at 75/100. It combines very low rain risk with 31°C afternoons and roughly 26°C evenings, which is the most forgiving combination Cartagena offers for seated guests.
October scores 24/100: 32°C highs, 190mm of rain over about 19 days and 27°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
In January rain falls on roughly 1 of 30 days, so the single-day probability is about 3%. In October that rises to about 63%.
A marquee on standby is usually enough in January, where rain risk is very low. Outside the 3 months scoring 65 or higher, book real covered space.
January gives 11.5 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun. Put portraits in the final 60–90 minutes of daylight so they land inside golden hour rather than after it.