Gary:

1.  On your website at

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/colombiamarriage.html

You indicate that one of the requirements for a USA gringo to marry a Colombiana is a "Certificate of Singlehood issued by county records office or vitial statistics" proving that you are currently unmarried.  You further state that "An affidavit from family member or two close friends can sometimes substitute".

This requirement makes perfect sense as you have explained it.

However, when I go to the US Embassy Site for Colombia, they don't even mention the possibility of a county records document, they simply mention "family/friend affidavit" as the ONLY option:

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/wwwsmare.shtml

"Certificado de soltería: The U.S. citizen must present a notarized, written statement, executed by a family member or close friend who has known him/her for more than ten years, stating that he/she has never been married. If issued in a language other than Spanish, this statement must be translated into Spanish by an official translator and must have an Apostille."

What's up with that?

2.  You also have some notaries listed on your site for different cities that also typically perform weddings.  However, the US Embassy has a list of "approved translators".

Is it likely that the required married documents can be sent directly to the notary for that city (in my case BAQ), and the notary can be a one stop shop (i.e. translation, notary services, and perform the wedding)?

I suspect your answer may be "depends on the notary", but I was just curious if, in your experience, notaries that perform weddings can do the translation of the US documents even if they are not on the embassy's published "approved translator" list?  

Since the public "notarios" perform civil marriages in Colombia, as opposed to the U.S. Embassy, Bogota, it's probably more accurate to follow the Notary's recitation of marriage requirements and general dictates.

Here are the Notary "requisitos para matrimonio civil" (Colombia) in Spanish.

http://usaimmigrationattorney.com/RequisitosParaMatrimonioCivilColombia.html

CERTIFICATE OF SINGLEHOOD
Notice that under requirements for foreigners, Number 2 states a "certificate of singlehood" or the equivalent.

Generally, notaries understandably want appropriate documentary proof that you are are currently single and not already married, as a condition to marrying you in Barranquilla.

This document can take different forms, if a foreign citizen such as a U.S. citizen is involved.

Acceptable to most notaries, and what I typically ask my clients to first TRY and secure is a certified (and apostilled) "government-style" document of singlehood. For most U.S. citizens, this is a document which might be available from a local county records office or clerk's office as a result of asking for a name search for marriage under your name in that county. What results is a statement or document of "no record of current marriage" in that county for your name. This is the same as a "certificate of singlehood".

Of course, it is only a single county record, not a state or national document, but it is official and usually acceptable to get you married with the notary.

Of course, also, the affidavit of close friends and family described on the Embassy website is usually also acceptable to most notaries.

NOTARIES AND TRANSLATORS
Most notaries work with approved translators who appear with the Notary at the wedding to perform verbal and written translations, as needed.

Are you planning to get married in a civil ceremony in Barranquilla? Why not use a Notary I know very well in Barranquilla who has married many of my clients and many Americans over the years. Antonio, who is Notario Tercero at the World Trade Center, works closely with an Embassy-approved translator in Barranquilla, Michael, who is also a friend of mine. Feel free to mention my name to the both of them.

PS Last year I myself attended a marriage ceremony in Barranquilla presided over by Antonio, and assisted by Michael. My clients (bride and groom) were thrilled to have all of us, Notary, Translator and Immigration Attorney all at their wedding together..."one-stop shop" as you put it.

Buena suerte...Gotta run.

Notario Tercero
Antonio Guzman Naranjo
Tel: 348-9207
Calle 76, Cra. 54 Esquina
No. 54-11, Nivel L-15

Embassy-approved Translator
Michael Taboada
Tel: 360-9864 or 9865
Cra. 52, No. 72-114
Local D-48, Piso 2nd

I FULLY agree with you, that you should not marry anyone, on any continent, unless you know them really well.  The less you know them, the riskier the venture.  Clearly UtopiCowboy felt like he knew his wife "well enough" and both his and his wife's life have been enriched as a result of it.

I would further add that no matter how well you know them, there are certain preparations that SHOULD be taken to see if you are mutually committed to each other's happiness (i.e. www.MarriageBuilders.com).  

Happy successful marriages, like creating wealth, require skills that are not usually taught to us by our parents, or our schools, and (sad to say) not usually by our churches.  These are skills that usually we must seek out on our own, and far too often inertia, complacency, and pride tempt us to ignore.

Successful marriages sometimes "stumble upon" these skills by "accident", but its good to know that roadmaps do exist :-)

So just like you can work a job (or own a business) for 10 years and never develop the skills to get wealthy, you can date someone or live with someone (unmarried or married) for 10 years and never develop the skills for a happy marriage.

So its not a question of "quantity" of time invested in the relationship, but more a matter of "quality" of time.  

In other words, its possible to develop a strong foundation for a happy, successful marriage, after being with someone for a "relatively short" period of time, if that time is spent FOCUSING on developing skills for a happy marriage.

Similarly, someone can become wealthy in a "relatively short" period of time by focusing on specific wealth building activities.