Still dragging your feet? Afraid to take the plunge? I get it; it’s a big commitment, and super expensive.
But just think of all the credit card points and miles you can earn! Seriously.
Once your wedding plans get set in motion, you’ll likely be handing over your credit card to vendor after vendor. Instead of being bummed about it, think about all the points/miles you can earn.
This can be particularly helpful if you need to meet a minimum spending requirement to obtain a sign-up bonus, or if you need to unlock 5% categories on the old Amex Blue Cash.
Either way, you’ll probably spend a lot more than you normally would, and that means lots of points, which could mean a free honeymoon and more.
Ask Vendors If They Accept Credit Cards
The first thing you should do, after determining whether you want to spend your entire life with someone, is find out the vendor’s payment policy.
Do they accept credit cards? If yes, all major credit cards, or just Visa and MasterCard? Either way, is there a fee associated with using a credit card?
Get all the details upfront and in writing so you can determine how best to maximize your points and miles.
I’ve seen some vendors that don’t charge a fee up to a certain amount, but then charge a percentage above that. That can obviously get pricey and eclipse any potential earnings associated with using a credit card.
Tip: If you know some vendors won’t accept credit cards as payment, you can load bill pay accounts with credit cards and then cut them checks instead.
This way you earn the credit card points and you won’t have to worry about silly fees. One popular way to do this is via Amex Serve, which allows point-earning credit card loads.
Open Some New Rewards Credit Cards
As alluded to earlier, a wedding is a great time to spend a lot of money. And because most of the best credit card bonuses require lots of spending, it could be a really good time to open some new credit cards.
For example, the Chase Ink cards offer 50k bonus points if you spend $5,000 during the first three months from account opening.
Most people would probably have difficulty charging up $5,000, but with sky-high wedding costs, it should be easy to meet minimum spend.
And guess what. Once you snag the bonus, you might even be able to squeeze a free honeymoon out of the deal. That amount of points could easily earn you (and possibly hubby) a free flight pretty much anywhere.
If you and your fiancé open the card, you can both rack up the points necessary to fly to your destination of choice.
Grab a hotel rewards credit card as well, or the Barclaycard Arrival Plus, and you could get your accommodations on the house as well.
Not too shabby for signing up for a few credit cards, right?
At the end of the day, a wedding is a one-time deal, or at least it should be. And it’s one of the few times you’ll be forced to spend a ton of money in a short period of time (hopefully).
You might as well take advantage and try to earn as many credit card rewards as possible. It might even be fun, and motivate you to save money and track your spending a lot more closely.
Tip: Also be sure to use your rewards credit cards to save money on stuff for your wedding.
For example, if you’re buying your own booze (recommended), use a credit card that earns 5%+ cash back at grocery stores. Or purchase discounted gift cards at stores you plan to shop at and save that way.
There are tons of opportunities here that shouldn’t be ignored! Oh yeah, and congratulations! Remember to breathe!
Things You Can Probably Pay for with a Credit Card
[checklist]
- Venue site fee
- Catering/rentals
- Wedding dress
- Tuxedo rental
- Transportation/valet
- Hotel accommodations
- Cake
- Flowers/decor
- Alcohol
- Gifts for wedding party
- DJ
- Photographer
[/checklist]
(photo: Kim Marius Flakstad)
- Do Capital One Credit Cards Have a 5/24 Rule Too? - February 23, 2023
- Quickly See the Many Ways You Can Use American Express Membership Rewards Points - February 21, 2023
- Best Gas Credit Cards – Earn Up to 8X Points! - February 15, 2023